Comparison of Timber Loading Productivity between Manual System and Electric Powered Winch System

Year 2018, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 1 - 6, 12.06.2018

Neşe Gülci , Orhan Erdaş

https://doi.org/10.33904/ejfe.423511

Cited By: 1

Abstract

In Turkey, extraction of forest products is
mostly carried out by forest villagers and/or forest villages development
cooperatives. Due to their limited equipment availability, many activities
conducted during timber extraction are still done by human power based (manual)
systems. However, the work force in forestry sector has recently decreased
because young people in the forest villages tend to head for different job
opportunities. Besides, manual systems are not favorable in terms of loading
time, which directly effects overall efficiency of timber extraction. In recent
years, development cooperatives have begun to turn to small-size mechanization
systems in timber loading operation. Electric powered winch located at the rear
end of the truck platform is one of the methods that can provide development
cooperatives with low-cost and time-saving timber loading system. In this
study, it was aimed to compare productivity of two loading systems including
traditional manual loading and electric powered winch systems. The time and
motion study was carried out during loading of round wood materials at the
landing area located in Bahçe Forest Enterprise Chief in the city of Osmaniye.
Loading operation was divided into specific work stages and time measurements
were made in the field using with a chronometer. Based on the productivity
analysis, it was found that the average productivity for manual loading and
electric winch loading were 3.40 m³/hr and 4.25 m³/hr,
respectively. As a result, electric power winch system, which is affordable for
forest villages development cooperatives, can be an efficient alternative
method for loading operations particularly when there are limited equipment
availability. 

Keywords

Time and motion study, productivity analysis, manual loading

References

• Acar, H.H. 2016. A combined loading system integrated with portable winch and polyethylene chutes for loading of timber products. Journal of the Faculty of Forestry Istanbul University, 66(1): 329-339.
• Erdaş, O., Acar, H.H., Eker, M. 2014. Forest transportation technique. Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Forestry, Trabzon. 504 p.
• Gülci, N. 2014. Researches on precision forestry in forest planning. PhD thesis, Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Faculty of Forestry, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey. 264 p.
• Ovaskainen, H., Uusitalo, J., Väätäinen, K. 2004. Characteristics and significance of a harvester operator’s working technique in thinnings. Int J For Eng, 15: 67–77.
• Öztürk, T., Akay, A.E., 2007. Modifying farm tractors for forest harvesting operations. International Symposium of Bottlenecks, Solutions and Priorities in the Context of Functions of Forest Resources. 17-19 October. İstanbul, Turkey.
• Szewczyk, G., Sowa, J.M., Grzebieniowski, W., Kormanek, M., Kulak, D., Stańczykiewicz, A. 2014. Sequencing of harvester work during standard cuttings and in areas with windbreaks. Silva Fennica, 48(4): 1159-1175.
• Tunay, M., Varol, T. 1999. The Investigation of loading, unloading and stacking operations in forest transportation in terms of time, productivity and cost in Western Black Sea Region. Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 23(2): 441-458.