First trial of a prototype chainflail delimber for the European short rotation poplar plantations

Abstract

Small tree size represents a main challenge for single-tree handling techniques and caps harvesting productivity in short rotation poplar (SRP) plantations. That challenge is best met by a shift towards mass-handling. Chainflail delimbing is one of the best solutions for multi-tree processing, but commercially available equipment is often too heavy and expensive for European operations. Therefore, an Italian company developed a compact chainflail delimber-debarker (CFDD) specifically designed for small-scale SRP. The machine was tested in Western Slovakia in early March 2022. The test included a five-days endurance trial and a controlled experiment on 16 carefully measured wood piles representing “strong” and “weak” trees, i.e. trees with a mean diameter at breast height (DBH) of 12 and 10 cm, respectively. The endurance trial was quite successful since no mechanical problems were recorded during the five-days period. Delimbing and crosscutting quality were as good as those obtained with a standard processor head, while log yield was generally better, averaging 42% and 68% for the “weak” and the “strong” trees, respectively. Productivity was on a par with the alternative cut-to-length technology options and can be significantly increased once the prototype will be further developed. In general, the new compact CFDD may become the best option for handling the small trees offered by underdeveloped SRP plantations, which cannot be efficiently harvested with the cut-to-length system.