Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5552/crojfe.2021.879
The Impact of Felling Method, Bunch Size, Slope Degree and Skidding Area on Productivity and Costs of Skidding in a Eucalyptus Plantation
Ricardo Hideaki Miyajima
orcid.org/0000-0002-6200-0060
; São Paulo State University (Unesp) School of Agriculture, Botucatu Department of Forestry Science, Soil and Environment 3780 Universitária Avenue 18610-034, Botucatu São Paulo BRAZIL
Paulo Torres Fenner
; São Paulo State University (Unesp) School of Agriculture, Botucatu Department of Forestry Science, Soil and Environment 3780 Universitária Avenue 18610-034, Botucatu São Paulo BRAZIL
Gislaine Cristina Batistela
; São Paulo State University (Unesp) Campus of Itapeva Production Engineering Department 519 Geraldo Alckmin Street 18409-010, Itapeva São Paulo BRAZIL
Danilo Simões
; São Paulo State University (Unesp) Campus of Itapeva Production Engineering Department 519 Geraldo Alckmin Street 18409-010, Itapeva São Paulo BRAZIL
Abstract
Grapple skidder is a machine designed for the extraction of tree bunches after felling. Several factors influence its technical performance and costs such as terrain slope, operator experience time, machine type, and the size of tree bunches for each operating cycle, among others. Thus, it becomes necessary to weigh the variables that most influence the productivity and costs of the grapple skidder. So, the main objective was evaluated according to the influence of bunch size using two feller bunchers with distinct technical characteristics, two slope classes and two skidding areas on the productivity and machine production cost in a Eucalyptus plantation. For the analysis of the productivity, the study of time and method was applied and the scheduled machine cost per hour was based on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations methods. When analyzing the results, it was found that the operational elements moving without load (MWoL) and moving with load (MWL) were the ones that spend the most time in the operational cycle of the grapple skidder. Among the cost components, monetary expenditure on fuel and operator labor were the most influential in the scheduled machine cost per hour. In conclusion, the tree bunches and slope class influenced the productivity and, consequently, the cost of the skidding operation.
Keywords
forestry, time and motion, wood harvesting, production cost, optimization
Hrčak ID:
262225
URI
Publication date:
1.6.2021.
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