Productivity of whole-tree bundler in energy wood and pulpwood harvesting from early thinnings

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of forest research 2011-08, Vol.26 (4), p.329-338
• Main Authors: Nuutinen, Yrjö, Kärhä, Kalle, Laitila, Juha, Jylhä, Paula, Keskinen, Sirkka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Bundling; Compaction; cutting; Cuttings; energy; energy wood; Fixteri; Forestry; Harvest; harvesting; integrated harvesting; Productivity; pulpwood; stand density; transportation; Trees; Wood
• ISSN: 1651-1891; 0282-7581; 1651-1891
• DOI: 10.1080/02827581.2011.568952

First thinnings have been neglected to great extent in Finland because of high harvesting costs. The whole-tree bundler (Fixteri) was developed in order to rationalize the integrated harvesting of small-diameter energy wood and pulpwood and to reduce transportation costs through load compaction. The operation of the whole-tree bundler is composed of cutting and compaction processes. In the present study, the productivity level and the performance characteristics of the second version of the whole-tree bundler (Fixteri II) in integrated energy wood and pulpwood harvesting from first thinnings were defined on the basis of a time study. When the mean volume of removed whole trees averaged 20 dm³ at the stand, the productivity of Fixteri II per effective working (E₀ excluding delays) hour was 3.4 m³/(E₀) and with an average removal of 75 dm³, it was 6.1 m³/(E₀). When compared with the first prototype of the whole-tree bundler (Fixteri I), the productivity of Fixteri II was 38–77% higher, depending on the stand density and mean tree volume of the removal. The higher performance level of Fixteri II stemmed mainly from the increase in multi-tree cutting and from the introduction of grapple feeding of the bunches. Furthermore, the better hydraulic capacity of the base machine enabled a higher level of simultaneous working processes.