John Deere showcases its innovative new solutions for logging at Elmia Wood 2017

By MEq May 25, 2017 03:11

John Deere is known for its pioneering innovations. On display at Elmia Wood this year are the Intelligent Boom Control for harvesters and the 8-wheeled 1170G harvester designed for logging in challenging areas.

NEW – Intelligent Boom Control for harvesters
Intelligent Boom Control (IBC) has revolutionized the use of John Deere forwarders and will also take the use of harvesters to a completely new level. Technically, IBC functions the same way as in forwarders – with the harvester’s IBC, the operator controls only the harvester head while the system takes care of the boom’s movement. With the harvester, the IBC operation has been specially designed to suit the harvester’s work cycle. The boom’s movement and operation automatically adjust as the boom is taken to a tree and when the tree is in the grapple. IBC enables precise working and the selection of the correct working methods. The boom’s electrical end damping makes for a softer and smoother work performance. IBC is first available for the 1270G harvester’s CH7 boom.

NEW – 1170G 8W for logging challenges on soft terrain and slopes
A multipurpose 8-wheeled harvester for thinnings and regeneration fellings is a new model that combines first-class stability, low surface pressure, the climbing ability needed on slopes, and productivity. The entire rear chassis and the positioning of the engine, pumps, hydraulic oil and fuel tanks are new in the machine model. The changes and new positioning have made the machine’s rear lower and have significantly improved rear visibility. The machine’s engine has been turned 180 degrees, the pump and the hydraulic oil and fuel tanks have been placed in front of the engine, and the fan at the rear of the machine. These changes make the very quiet cabin virtually noise-free.
The bigger 190-cc work pump gives the machine more hydraulic power. The stability, low surface pressure, steady and agile forward movement, and the productivity of our new model responds to our customers’ logging challenges on soft terrain and slopes.

The John Deere 6068 engine, compliant with Final Tier 4/Stage IV emissions regulations, has increased power; thanks to the completely new control system, the operation of the new 8-wheeled 1170G’s boom is more precise and productivity is higher. The Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC), and the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) added to the exhaust gas treatment system and the related urea tank, familiar from our previous machines, ensure that our new engines meet emissions standards. They have been placed inside the machine’s structures and don’t hamper the visibility to the logging area.

The machine’s serviceability has been improved by making the placement of the engine oil dip stick, filling pipe and fuel filters more accessible for daily servicing work. The liquid fill connectors have been conveniently placed in one location. The new placement of the batteries also facilitates servicing. The stump treatment equipment’s totally new 125-liter plastic container has been designed for the machine. When the stump treatment equipment is not installed, the space functions as two storage spaces.

The CH6 boom with a 10-meter and a 11.3-meter reach are available for the model, and the machine can be equipped with the H412, H413 or H414 harvester head. The machine’s weight with the H414 harvester head and without tracks is about 20,500 kg.

New mid-sized G-Series forwarders on display at Elmia Wood 2017
The engine of the new mid-sized G-Series forwarders, the new MECA control modules, simple CAN busses and optimized electrical system create a balanced and strong combination. John Deere’s G-Series mid-sized forwarder models 1110G, 1210G and 1510G have the new 6.8L John Deere 6068 PowerTech Plus engine meeting the latest Stage 4/Final Tier 4 emissions regulations. The better coupling of the powerful diesel engine with the power train results in a clear improvement in performance.
The control system and user interface on the G-Series forwarders have been further developed and improved to maintain high uptime. The TimberMatic F-16 control system features a configurable user interface, cruise control and inclination display. The new software version enables service personnel remote access to the machine.

Steadfast traction and easy-to-use boom
The Intelligent Boom Control makes boom handling more efficient and increases productivity by as much as one load per day. In the new 2.0 version of IBC, the precision of the grapple control has been improved, especially in long reaches. 80% of Nordic customers opt for IBC for their forwarder.

Adaptive driveline control is a new, unique feature available only for John Deere G-Series midsize forwarders. The software-based control system improves the drivability and productivity of the G-Series forwarders. The operator selects the desired RPM setting (Eco, Normal, Power) for the operating conditions, and the system automatically adjusts the engine’s RPMs to correspond with the engine load and keeps the engine’s RPMs steady also during high loads. During high-load situations, the new driveline control ensures that the diesel engine runs smoothly and uses the available maximum tractive force efficiently. Also the response of the drive pedal and frame steering have been improved with smart electronic filtering.

The John Deere 1110G is a general machine-class forwarder with an engine that has 6.6% more power and 4.1% more torque than its predecessor. The 1110G is also available with a short wheelbase. The shorter wheelbase has been achieved by moving the rear axle forward by 40 cm and thereby allowing the load space to remain unchanged. The machine’s stability remains good and its agility improves, which is beneficial particularly in thinnings.

The John Deere 1210G forwarder engine has 7.6% more power and 7.8% more torque than the previous model. There are several load space alternatives with different widths for different uses. Optional Variable Load Space (VLS) consists of three special bunks with telescopic stakes that can be extended hydraulically. The headboard moves both horizontally and vertically and extends with the load stakes. The area of the VLS is 4.0-4.8 m2.

The John Deere 1510G forwarder’s new engine increases the machine’s power by 5.1% and the torque by as much as 8.7%. The added power and tractive force increase the machine’s productivity. The 1510G is also more agile than the previous model because the slewing angle has increased from 42 to 44 degrees.

Long bogie for soft terrain
The John Deere 1210G and 1510G forwarders are also available in a long bogie version. The distance between the front and rear wheel hubs in the rear bogie has been increased to 1890 mm, i.e. 390 mm longer than in the standard model. The power train and turning radius are the same as with the standard HD portal bogie-equipped machine. The ground pressure of the rear chassis equipped with tracks is 14% smaller compared to an ordinary bogie axel.

The low ground pressure of the machine’s front and rear chassis make the machine an excellent choice for logging on soft terrain. The tracks are shallower and the depression is smaller. The long bogie functions well also on normal terrain and brings stability when navigating over obstacles in rocky terrain.

Our machines are also known for the unique rotating and levelling cabin that improves the operator’s working conditions. It offers significant improvement both in the machine’s productivity and in operator comfort by reducing vibration by as much as 30-50% during operation. The product development and production of John Deere’s cut-to-length forest machines are done in Finland. New machine models are tested in demanding working conditions in the forest for a minimum of 2,000 hours before starting the serial production.