Forwarding productivity in Southern Austria

Abstract

NacrtakForwarders are common machines in the cut to length harvesting system.A general regression model for predicting the time of forwarding was developed using 82 working cycles of two kinds of machines in downhill timber extraction.Using stepwise regression, variables such as forwarding distance, slope, type of forwarder and piece volume were significantly entered to the model.Increasing forwarding distance increases the forwarding time.However, if piece volume and slope of the trail increase, the forwarding time decreases.The average forwarding production was estimated to about 17.9 m 3 /PSH 0 (Productive System Hours) while mean load per trip was 10.04 m 3 and average forwarding distance was 97 m.