Повышение эффективности мультифункциональных машин для ведения интенсивного лесного хозяйства

Abstract

The method of intensification of forestry by means of integrated mechanization of forestry and logging operations is considered. It is proposed to use manipulator-type machines, such as harvesters, forwarders and excavators, as a technical basis. Improving the efficiency of manipulator-type machines can be achieved through using a set of optional interchangeable equipment. This will allow to create crops by planting seedlings with open and closed root systems, to carry out soil cultivation, seed sowing, thinning of young plants and to carry out pest control, mulching of skidding tracks after major work in the logging site, as well as earthworks during the construction of forest roads. The use of optional interchangeable equipment transforms a manipulator-type machine into a multifunctional machine. It has been shown that the purchase of optional equipment for forestry and logging is a cost-effective investment even for a small amount of works. Intensive forestry is primarily based on the measures of mature and overmature stands cutting, forest tending, and reforestation. Several technological schemes with the use of the multifunctional machine for felling both in the harvester and feller buncher modes are offered. In the latter option, tree length bucking and branch pruning ensure the concentration of all logging residues at the upper depot and create favorable conditions for their processing into raw material for biofuel production and reduce woodwaste in cutting areas. An option of using small size equipment for hauling trees into the area of operation of a multifunctional machine with an installed harvester head is offered when performing selective felling using wide-strip technology of harvesting. Preliminary preparation of the cutting area with small sized equipment (harvesting of small-sized, dead and fallen trees) is proposed. This will significantly reduce the damage to plantation components and provide a greater degree of preservation of the natural environment during the main work of the multifunctional machine. Its use in the most favorable terms due to the work execution on a quarter-block scheme, reducing the number of downtime due to naturalproduction conditions and the number of relocations and, accordingly, increasing the number of machine hours, will minimize total costs of the range of forestry and harvesting works.