EFFECT OF WORKING RANGE ON PRODUCTIVITY AND COSTS OF HARVESTING MACHINES IN A EUCALYPTUS STAND

Diane Janaine Ruthes,Carla Krulikowski Rodrigues,Matheus Kaminski Candido Da Silva,Ranielle Camilo Canesso,Eduardo Da Silva Lopes

doi:10.5380/rf.v50i3.64943

Diane Janaine Ruthes, Carla Krulikowski Rodrigues + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5380/rf.v50i3.64943

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Abstract

Wood harvesting should be planned to reduce environmental impacts by minimizing machine traffic, increase productivity and reduce costs. In this context, the aim of this study was evaluate the effect of working range on operational performance of a harvester and forwarder in a Eucalyptus saligna stand under a clear cutting regime. The study was carried out in Paraná State, Brazil, in a cut‐to‐length system in cutting and wood extraction operations in two working ranges: T1 - width of 12 m with a cut of four planting lines; and T2 - width of 18 m with a cut of six planting lines. A time and motion study was performed to determine work cycle times, productivity, production costs, and machine traffic, with working ranges compared by the t-test (α = 0.05) for independent samples. The results showed that the wood processing and loading elements consumed the longest operating cycle time in cutting and wood extraction. The harvester machine presented higher productivity (61.05 m³ PMH0-1) in the T1 working range, while the forwarder was superior (48.32 m³ PMH0-1) in the T2 working range. Regarding the wood harvesting system, it was observed that the T2 working range enabled a reduction of 1% in production costs, which is important when considering the large scale production of the company, while there was a 33.4% reduction in traffic. Therefore, an increase in machines’ working range can provide operational and environmental benefits to wood harvesting operations in forest plantations.

Highlights

The Brazilian planted tree sector has significantly contributed to social, economic, and environmental development of the country through 3.7 million direct and indirect employment contracts, 6.2% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and natural forest preservation, occupying approximately 1% of the national territory (IBÁ, 2017)
The time and motion study showed that the times consumed in the partial displacement and search elements presented a statistically significant difference between the T1 and T2 treatments, with a longer time consumed in the T2 treatment with greater width of the working range due to the necessity of stretching the crane machine to search for the most distant trees
The partial wood processing element consumed the longest time of the harvester’s working cycles due to the need to carry out several activities including: removing branches, tracking, and stacking wood

Summary

Introduction

The Brazilian planted tree sector has significantly contributed to social, economic, and environmental development of the country through 3.7 million direct and indirect employment contracts, 6.2% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and natural forest preservation, occupying approximately 1% of the national territory (IBÁ, 2017). Among the production cycle stages, wood harvesting and transportation represent the highest final wood costs (TIERNAN et al, 2007; HOLZLEITNER et al, 2011). Planning studies are important to carry out harvesting operations with high productivity, quality, safety, and sustainability. There are two predominant wood harvesting systems in Eucalyptus stands in Brazil: cut to length and full tree (MACHADO et al, 2014). The first system is characterized by tree felling and processing, followed by log FLORESTA, Curitiba, PR, v. 64943 extraction to the field edge; and the second one is characterized by tree cutting and stacking, followed by dragging to the field edge for wood processing

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