Cost and Productivity of New Technology for Harvesting and In-Woods Processing Small-Diameter Trees

摘要

A study was conducted on the productivity and cost of an integrated harvesting and processing system operating in small-diameter timber (western hemlock-type) on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington. The system uses a new steep-slope feller-buncher, a clam-bunk grapple-skidder (forwarder), a prototype chain-flail debarker-delimber, a chipper, a conveyor system, and a prototype shredder. The study showed that the system harvested and processed trees at a combined-system cost of $7.80 per green ton at a production rate of 455 green tons per day. The delivered product mix was 53 percent chips, 21 percent saw logs, and 26 percent hogged fuel by weight.