Logging machines: types, characteristics, purpose

Wood is a universal material that everyone needs and always needs. But before the tree turns into a finished product, he will have to undergo a lot of preparatory operations. Everything begins with the felling and skidding of the forest. And if the felling (cutting of trees) is possible for people with saws, skidding is a more complicated process. To help lumberjacks here come special machines - skidders. They greatly accelerate and facilitate the collection of firewood and are considered a real salvation for forest workers. Today we will find out what logging machines are, and we will get acquainted with some of their models.

Appointment

A skidding is the transportation of whole trees, whips or assortments to a loading area - a place to which a truck can travel. From the loading platform the wood is transported - it is transported outside the forest belt.

The need for skidding is obvious. Forestry vehicles and narrow-line transport can not reach the felling area in order to assemble a tree there, so the material must be delivered to a place of comfortable loading. Skidding allows you to concentrate wood in convenient areas ready for loading and further transportation.

Thus, skidding can be called transport operations, but it is radically different from other types of transport operations. Since logging machines move through very large areas and are delayed in one cutting area for a short period of time, laying the way for them is not practical. Skidding is carried out in difficult conditions, off-road, anywhere in the forest at any time of the year. On its way, a skidder tractor meets a host of obstacles: stumps, fallen trees, boulders, swampy areas and so on. Because of this, there are special requirements for skidders.

Design features

Machines skidding are assembled on the basis of simple tractors. On the frame of the tractor a platform is installed to partially load the whips. It is attached to the back of the machine.

Another important feature of such tractors is the increased bearing area. The larger the footprint, the less pressure the tractor exerts on the soil, and the easier it will be to move in conditions of poor terrain. This is extremely important in the forest.

In addition, skidding machines should have a powerful power unit, have good cross-country ability and the ability to work in difficult weather conditions. Usually this technique is equipped with diesel engines. In addition to the tractor can attach: a frame or a platform for laying wood, a winch, jaw grip and other attachments. As a rule, the cabin and the power unit of the skidder are in front, and the working platform is at the rear. There is a practical justification for this - when the platform is loaded with wood, the machine balances and easily overcomes obstacles. If one of the parties outweighed, off-road traffic was greatly hampered.

Feller-skidding machine has a wider application. Thanks to special equipment, it can cut down trees, form bundles of them and transport timber to the right place.

Types of skidding machines

At the base of the skidder machine can lie different tractors. Depending on the type of propulsor, they can be wheeled or caterpillar. More often there are still caterpillar models, because they, due to the larger support area, outperform the wheeled counterparts in cross-country. Depending on the mechanism for collecting timber, which is equipped with a tractor, skidding machines are choker and beschokernymi.

The logging choker machine is used to move logs that have been felled by chainsawers. This group includes such tractors as TDT-55, MCH-10 and others.

Beskoker skidding machines , among other things, have in their design a grip or as it is also called a hydraulic manipulator. This type works in tandem with a bale machine. Among beschokernyh tractors it is possible to note models: ЛТ-154, ЛТ-187 and others.

Famous manufacturers

Depending on the manufacturer and model skidding machine, it may have some differences in characteristics. They are produced by some manufacturers of tractors and other special equipment. In our market you can find models of Russian and foreign production. Among the Russian manufacturers of skidders are such plants: Altai, Kirov, Onezhsky, and Tesmark. Imported machinery is also represented on the market quite widely. This is primarily the company: "John Deere", Caterpillar and "Velte." Of course, in addition to the listed manufacturers, there are other, less well-known. To better understand the basic features of skidding, consider several well-known tractors.

TDT-55

This machine is one of the brightest representatives of domestic skidding equipment. The model is a crawler tractor of the third traction class. It can be used in stacking and exporting large and medium-sized forests. In addition, the machine can be used for auxiliary work: preparation of dies, hilling of whips, loading and leveling of lumps.

The tractor perfectly copes with the work in conditions of poor patency. He is rightfully considered the leader in the field of forest processing, but is also used in other types of special works. The main task of the tractor is to work with heavy loads and weights.

This model was produced at the Onega tractor plant since 1966. In 2003, it was declared morally obsolete and withdrawn from production. For 37 years of release there were few modifications of the tractor:

1. LHT-55. It has a dump truck, a lifting platform and a rear power take-off shaft.
2. TDT-55 with a new motor.
3. TDT-55 A-05. From the previous version differs more powerful engine.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of the tractor TDT-55, which became the reason for its popularity and widespread use, was its unpretentiousness. The operation of the machine was almost always carried out under specific conditions, but it easily coped with all the tasks set. The tractor was very simple to repair and operate. Tractors considered it almost eternal. The durability of the machine was achieved through the use of high-quality materials and the abandonment of mechanisms that were not of fundamental importance, but constantly failed. It's about the air conditioner, air cushion and a lot of buttons. In the liberated space, a powerful motor and a reliable gearbox were placed. With their help, the model received an extra 30-40% of patency.

Many believe that the price of the tractor TDT-55 is overstated, but if we take into account all the advantages of the model, we can conclude that it is fully justified. In terms of reliability, cost of spare parts and fuel consumption, this unit is one of the most attractive in its segment. The price of the tractor in its normal state, in the secondary market, ranges from 1.2 to 1.8 million rubles. Models with problems can be found for 400 thousand rubles. Since the model is still popular, it is not difficult to find spare parts for it.

Options

Technical characteristics of the tractor TDT-55:

1. Motor power - 70 or 95 liters. from.
2. The specific fuel consumption is 227 or 167 g / kWh.
3. The volume of the fuel tank is 140 liters.
4. Dimensions - 5850/2357/2560 mm.
5. Ground clearance - 555 mm.
6. The ground pressure is 44 kPa.
7. The curb weight is 9.6 tons.
8. The maximum speed is 12.8 km / h.

TT-4

Another notorious model of Soviet production. It is a skidder of the fourth traction class intended especially for logging. Thanks to strong caterpillars, choker equipment and lower frame protection, the device copes with tasks that not all machines can solve.

Skidding tractor models TT-4 were produced at the Altai Tractor Plant from 1969 to 2010. The model was built on the basis of the TDT-75 version, which was the most mass in its class in the 70s. To increase the productivity of the machine, the designers made a number of changes to it, the main one being the new motor. Thanks to the frame structure with a closed bottom, the tractor is not afraid of contact with driftwood and mounds, which in the forest can be met literally at every step. Another important difference of the tractor is the fact that the motor and the clutch are located inside the cabin.

Advantages and disadvantages

The tractor TT-4 and its versions are used to transport the line and its loading to timber trucks and all kinds of platforms. As a trailer to it, you can attach any forestry units. Due to the unpretentiousness of the tractor and the stability of its operation in different climatic conditions, it enjoys great popularity in the harsh northern regions.

Wide caterpillars facilitate the unhindered movement of the device not only along forest trails, but also through swampy, snow-covered and other problem areas. Good passability is also facilitated by a successful transmission. Despite the solid dimensions, the tractor, or rather, its diesel engine, has very modest appetites.

The main disadvantage of the model is the fact that the motor is installed in the cab. Many owners also do not like that because of the massive nature of the tractor, it has low maneuverability. For example, the skidder TDT-55, discussed above, maneuverability is slightly higher. The TT-4 tractor of the last years of production costs from two million rubles. Versions before 2000 can cost almost two times less.

Options

Characteristics of the tractor TT-4:

1. Engine power - 81 liters. from.
2. Specific fuel consumption is 250 g / kWh.
3. The volume of the fuel tank is 135 liters.
4. Dimensions - 6000/2500/2750 mm.
5. Ground clearance - 550 mm.
6. The ground pressure is 44.13 kPa.
7. The curb weight is 13 tons.
8. The maximum speed is 20 km / h.

John Deere 848H

Now let's briefly get acquainted with the foreign model. The John Deere 848H wheeled skidders are unique in their performance. It is characterized by compactness, high stability, excellent maneuverability and economy. The tractor is equipped with a gripper that is able to transport whips on any surface with a stable clamping force.

The model has an increased speed, but very economically consumes fuel. She copes with marshy soils, steep slopes and other "gifts" of the forest. The tractor engine is equipped with a reliable, economical and environmentally friendly motor that meets the Tier 2 standard. A special design distributes the mass of the machine between the axles, which makes it easier to pass difficult areas. The torque converter in the automatic mode allows you to vary the torque and increase the power of the tractor.

Thanks to the folding cab, access to the engine filters, gearbox and hydraulic system is very comfortable. The condenser and the hydraulic oil cooler are extended for easy cleaning. The company also did not forget about the comfort of operators. The interior is equipped with cooling and heating systems. Management is carried out with one lever, which lowers labor costs and increases productivity. The cost of such a tractor starts from about one hundred thousand dollars.

Model specifications:

1. Engine power - 200 liters. from.
2. The volume of the fuel tank is 329 liters.
3. Dimensions - 8072/3560/2946 mm.
4. Ground clearance - 615 mm.
5. The curb weight is 17.8 tons.
6. The maximum speed is 20.9 km / h.

Conclusion

Summarizing the above, we can conclude that logging tractors greatly simplify and accelerate the process of felling the forest. These are real all-terrain vehicles that are capable of carrying tons of wood on almost any surface.