Bucking at Landing by a Single-Grip Harvester: Fuel Consumption, Productivity, Cost and Recovery Rate

Operating at high efficiency is one of the prerequisites sustainable forest operations. Typically, harvesters are designed to operate in tree felling and processing operations under cut-to-length method. However, reasons such as limited business opportunities during year may negatively affect machine utilization rate. Coupled with ownership costs, this results economic sustainability problems. With mind, some practitioners have started replace traditional bucking conducted motor-manually landing full mechanization using harvesters. This study evaluates productive performance, fuel consumption, cost, recovery rate wood by a single-grip harvester. A total 27 bunches were taken into study, containing 232 stems stem parts, which processed 913 logs. work cycle averaged 1.5 min but varied widely between 0.3 7 min. Dominant time elements swinging grab stems, process, piling logs, accounted for 86% time. Fuel consumption was estimated 21 L/h 0.78 L/m3, respectively. Efficiency 0.047 PMH/m3, productivity 21.41 m3/PMH; global 95%, costs range 10 11 €/m3. Although there attempts develop dependence models efficiency, productivity, functions length, input volume, number worked only productivity. The best-fitted explained power linear equations, taking volume predictor. In addition their practical application, be important planning control operations, comparison other ways implementing or optimizing larger systems.