IFI Magazine Feb March 2019 International Forest Industries Magazine Feb March | Page 14

LOGGING & BIOMASS NEWS Intelligent boom control now available for the John Deere 1470G harvester working capacity. It’s a feature of the modern era,” says Marketing Manager Tommi Ekman. Work is precise and smooth with intelligent boom control Intelligent boom control (IBC) is the unique boom control system developed by John Deere. It’s an intelligent control system with sensors that detect the positioning of the harvester head and algorithms that adjust the boom’s trajectory in one continuous motion. IBC also functions as a platform for the eventual and easy introduction of new features that facilitate the customer’s work. “IBC brings significant advantages also in final fellings. Thanks to IBC, controlling the big and robust CH9 boom is just as easy and precise as in the smaller harvesters, and the boom can be operated at the same speed as the booms in the smaller harvester models. IBC facilitates the operator’s work and makes working more pleasant. There are fewer movements to make – and that helps with the operator’s In harvester work, the IBC’s operation has been designed to suit the machine’s work cycle. The boom’s trajectories and operation automatically adjust as the boom is taken to a tree and the load is in the harvester head. The operator doesn’t have to move the different sections of the boom individually. The boom is easy to use and precise at all boom reaches. Thanks to the electronic end damping, the boom operates softly. The blow-like loads at maximum reaches are eliminated, making the operator’s work more pleasant and decreasing the stress on the boom’s structures and hydraulic cylinders. IBC improves work ergonomics and guides the operator in the correct use of the boom, which is directly reflected in the increased productivity. Tommi Ekman, Marketing Manager, John Deere Intelligent Boom Control was introduced for John Deere forwarders in 2013. In 2017, John Deere introduced IBC first for the 1270G harvester and later the same year also for 1170G harvester. Now IBC will be available also for the 1470G harvester’s 11- and 10-meter CH9 booms used in final fellings. The operator maneuvers the harvester head to a desired position and the system automatically adjusts the trajectories of the 1) lift, 2) slew, 3) extension and boom rotation for the optimal solution. HarvestTECH 2019 details now on line Following on from the early announcement at the end of last year, full details of the two- yearly wood harvesting event, HarvestTECH 2019 have now been set in place and full details can now be found on the event website, www.harvesttech.events. The 2015 harvesting event, HarvestTECH was a sell out. The 2017 event likewise sold out. Both at the time were the largest gathering of harvesting contractors, forestry managers, forest owners, harvest planners and all of the major equipment suppliers to the logging industry seen in New Zealand. Around 450 met up in Rotorua, New Zealand. In addition to having most logging contractors from throughout the country attending, the events drew in a large contingent of contractors and forest managers from throughout Australia, as well as attracting key equipment suppliers, researchers, forestry companies and international contractors from Europe, the US, Canada, Papua New Guinea and Asia. 2019 is shaping up to be another standout. Already, as well as key local equipment and technology suppliers, most major international equipment providers will be bringing in international expertise for the event. Leading contractors have already committed to present, as part of the two-day event, on new and innovative technologies along with some pretty clever operating practices that they’ve employed. This includes processes which are making a significant difference to their both their operations productivity and safety. harvesting • G  etting the best out of existing hauler & ground-based operations • H  arvest planning - new systems really making a difference • E  ffective use of collected data from your harvesting operation • O  ptions for eliminating log sorts and reducing landing sizes • T  ools & Systems for harvesting smaller woodlots • R  emote sensing technologies for harvest planning and operations • S  olutions for improving in-forest communications • I  ncreased automation and mechanisation - new R&D So, what’s being covered? • R  emote control, robotics, virtual reality and automation in the bush • R  ecent innovations in steep slope and winch assist • F  illing the skills gap in harvesting 12 International Forest Industries | FEBRUARY / MARCH 2019 The full programmes can now be viewed on line. You can check out what’s being planned on the event website, harvesttech.events. As anticipated, at this stage, many of the exhibition stands have been taken. If a supplier to wood harvesting operations in this region and you haven’t as yet booked a space, best get onto it (contact [email protected] or Tel: [phone]) to avoid missing out. Further information relating to this major event will follow.