John Deere Forestry Oy: In the spotlight at Interforst trade fair in Germany, 17-20 july
John Deere Forestry Oy has been fulfilling customers’ needs in logging for the past 50 years. The company’s commitment to the development of logging solutions has brought to the market many pioneering, productivity-enhancing innovations that make the customers’ work easier. At the trade fair John Deere Forestry will showcase the 1010G, 1110G and 1210G forwarders, and the 8WD harvesters 1170G with the H423 harvester head and the 1270G with the H425 harvester head, as well as the 6WD 1470G harvester equipped with the H425 harvester head. We will also showcase the H423 and H212 harvester heads, Intelligent Boom Control (IBC), and the TimberMatic Maps and TimberManager applications.
John Deere introduced the rotating and leveling cabin for forest machines in 2008. The rotating and leveling cabin automatically follows the boom’s turns and provides the operator with the best possible view directly to the work area and the entire logging site. The automatic leveling function allows the operator to sit upright even on uneven terrain. The cabin helps the operator to maintain the correct working posture to prevent stress on the back and shoulder area. A comfortable cabin is an important productivity factor in the work day and throughout the operator’s career. 85% of our customers choose the ergonomic rotating and leveling cabin for their forest machine.
John Deere’s Intelligent Boom Control (IBC), a milestone in forest machine technology, is available for all John Deere WCTL forest machines. IBC was first introduced in 2013. The latest version, IBC 3.0, introduces several operator-assist features that guide operators to the correct work methods, increase productivity, and improve the machine’s resale value.
- Harvester head over-rotation prevention protects against hose damage
- Feed assist guides the operator to avoid feeding stems towards the machine or the cabin
- Saw assist guides the operator to avoid sawing towards the cabin
The feed function significantly slows down when feeding stems towards the machine and stops when encountering a defined safety zone. Saw assist helps the operator to avoid sawing towards the cabin. The harvester head’s over-rotation prevention protects against hose damage. The operator-assist features and the functions that guide operators to the correct work methods also protect the machine from external damage, decrease maintenance costs, and improve the machine’s resale value. IBC 3.0 is available for 1270G (H425, H425HD and H424) and 1470G (H425 and H425HD) harvester models.
The latest IBC 3.0 version is again a technology milestone because it enables the launch of future intelligent functions that facilitate the operator’s work and improve productivity.
TimberMaticTM Maps and TimberManagerTM
TimberMatic Maps and TimberManager have been standard features in all new John Deere G-series harvesters and forwarders since autumn 2018. Customers always receive updated versions of the applications, free of charge. The system can be retrofitted also to older machines that meet the equipment requirements.
TimberMatic Maps gives operators a real-time production view to the logging site. The data collected by the harvester’s sensors and the precise GPS-based location of the felled timber are automatically transmitted from the harvester to the TimberMatic application for use by the machine operator. The data between the machines are updated in real-time through a cloud service, and all the operators working at the same work site can see the site’s logging situation in real-time. The map shows all the timber species in their own colors, right down to the individual logs.
Planning the work and choosing an efficient driving route is simple. The exact location and volume of the different timber species are displayed on the map together with the network of driving routes. The machine operator can select the location of the desired timber species at a logging site or along a certain driving route, and the map shows the exact volume of the timber. The work is systematic and efficient. The operator can easily mark the timber transported to the landing area. The exact volume of timber transported to the landing site is indicated, and the operators and the contractor have accurate, real-time information about the progress at the logging site.
The real-time information about the exact location of the timber and the route-planning help to reduce back-andforth driving at the logging site, thus reducing fuel consumption and the emissions it generates. Less driving also means less stress on the terrain.
The operators can mark the map to indicate to other operators areas that have special characteristics. For example, an area with soft terrain is easy to notice when planning a driving route. The real-time map also allows the operator on the next shift to see the precise situation at the logging site, right down to a single log.
TimberManager is the contractor’s view to the work site. The system gives a clear visual of the progress at the logging site in cubic meters and percentages. Accurate information about the volume of wood in the landing area makes it easier to plan further transporting and improves the efficiency of the entire delivery chain.
The weekly and monthly report automatically emailed to the contractor facilitates them in their work. The key figures of the TimberManager report provide all the essential information about machine-specific operations and productivity. The accurate data helps in the development of the business. The key figures in the report include operating hours, cubic meters (m3), average stem size, total number of stems, cubic meters (m3) per hour, stems per hour, average fuel consumption in liters per hour, fuel consumption in liters per cubic meter (m3), total fuel consumption, and engine idle time as a percentage.
Electronic support materials via the TimberManager application
Machine user guides, schematics, and other support materials can now be accessed in the machines as well as on the computer or tablet in the office. The TimberManager main menu has a link, or you can sign in directly to the system at: manualportal.deere.com. Signing into the system requires a MyJohnDeere user ID. Using the system is very easy. You can quickly find answers to questions related to machine use, or, e.g., daily machine servicing from the machine-specific documentation. The system is available free of charge to all customers who have a MyJohnDeere registration and active machines under it. The web-based system always has the latest
versions.
Presenting the new XE extension
The XE extension is a completely new jib boom with an extension and external hose routing for the CF5, CF7 and CF7S 8.5 m booms of small- and mid-sized forwarders. The structure is simple and durable, with minimal welds and bolt holes. The good geometry of the boom makes it easy to control, and the newly positioned lights under the extension increase visibility to the boom tip. The boom is narrow and flat-sided so it doesn’t damage the trees left standing. The jib boom’s hose routing is also better protected. Because of the Y-link shackle, the hoses from the boom to the rotator and grapple are routed inside the extension. There are no external hose circuits. Productivity is also improved, thanks to the excellent tractive force of 2850 kg.
The extension will be available for sale in autumn 2022, and production will start in winter 2022-2023.
Hencon Forestry to open a sales and service center in Germany
Hencon Forestry is a dealer serving customers in Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, Germany (postal codes 40–48, 50–53, 57–59 and 66–67). The new service location in Germany is located in Brandscheid, 50 kilometers south of Bonn. John Deere’s oldest dealer, Nuhn GmbH & Co. KG, and its network will continue to serve forest industry customers elsewhere in Germany.
“Germany is a very important market area for John Deere. Both Nuhn GmbH and Hencon Forestry have solid experience in serving forestry customers in their sales area, and the latest investment will further improve the availability of our maintenance and spare parts services for our customers,” says Sami Kulmala, Manager Sales & Distribution.
