2017 International Forest Industries Magazines October November 2017 | Page 38

Komatsu’s range of harvester heads is exceptional, with one for every occassion upgrade, new options are available and several quality improvements have been made. Komatsu C144 is the typical ‘big and strong’ head. To increase the head’s versatility, there is now the option of smaller feed roller motors. This feature provides an energy efficient and fast feeding start, which is particularly useful for customers who have a forest where most of the stems are thinner. Another new option is the possibility to equip the head with a 90 cm saw bar. It is a demanded feature that allows the head to handle big trees with buttresses, thus increasing the productivity and the head’s range of use. A practical new function for logging and processing is the option ‘Find End’. When Find End is activated, the head returns to the root end and resets the length measurement without the need to trim the stem. This maximises the length of the stem and thereby the profit. An important performance improvement is that the clamping force when positioning the head against the tree has increased. The effect is a better grip on the stem, which results in more power in the felling moment. Several quality improvements have also been made to the Komatsu C144, such as an improvement of the force of the saw bar return and the head now also has cast knives for increased service-life. Constant cut The Constant Cut saw unit is fitted as standard on all C heads since last year. The saw unit is designed The C124 is a versatile harvesting head that offers maximum productivity, quality and reliability Komatsu 36 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 for maximum durability and minimum maintenance. It has an intelligent saw motor control that maintains a constant chain speed of 40 m/s, this gives high speed without the risk of over-revving while also reducing log splitting. Fewer splits appear and those that do are shorter and more favourably located. Integrated working light Integrated work lighting is another new option that has many benefits. To begin with, it makes it easier for the operator to position the head against the tree. It also reduces the risk of sawing in rocks and other obstacles in the terrain. These factors contribute to increased productivity and less risk of downtime. Length measuring aAdvanced A new feature, which is available to all C units, is the Length Measuring Advanced option. It improves the measurement accuracy by ensuring an even pressure on the measuring wheel throughout the feeding process. A second measuring wheel for measurement under bark is included in the option. Eco-GLS The Eco-GLS option is an environmentally friendly, adaptive lubrication system for harvesting heads. The chain and bar are lubricated with eco-friendly grease instead of oil. The grease has better adhesion, minimizing both consumption and waste, which leads to environmental as well as financial gains. It also has advantages like less oil mist, thus minimizing problems like soiled windows and clogged cooling units. Service Komatsu Forest heads are designed to be service-friendly in order to keep up service and thus high productivity. That service can be performed in a safe way is also important, and to meet these needs, Komatsu Forest strives to develop heads that do not need to be re-positioned during service. That’s why the daily service points can be performed with the head in a folded-down position as there are centralized lubrication points for topping up grease and oil.