Using on-board computers to increase skidding productivity

The usefulness of on-board computers to improve skidding operations was determined.

The research examined three extraction operations on three sites in South African pine sawtimber operations. MultiDat on-board computers developed by FPInnovations were fitted to cable and grapple skidders. While the computers were collecting data, parallel manual time studies took place. This was used to evaluate the accuracy of the data from the on-board computers.

The results show that the use of the vibration sensor of the on-board computer, together with operator input, could be used to adequately determine the machine utilisation rate. The GPS track-log of the on-board computer could also be used to determine machine utilisation, but it was found that a considerable amount of post-operation processing was necessary to correctly interpret the data. GPS data could also be used to perform work studies for productivity determination, but it was also found to require much post-operation data manipulation.

The research was published in Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science, 75(2), pages 89 to 96. The authors were M Pellegrini, P Ackerman and R Cavalli. Source: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/20702620.2013.785107#.UcC0y1YaLIU