SP Maskiner are pioneers in forestry and were the first company to introduce the single grip harvesting head
During a visit to Sweden, I got offered the opportunity to explore SP Maskiner, a prominent global supplier of Swedish-made harvesting heads.
Founded in 1978, SP Maskiner achieved a significant milestone in 1980 by becoming the world’s first manufacturer of the single-grip harvesting head, referred to as the SP21. This innovation significantly transformed the forestry industry. SP Maskiner produces a diverse range of seven harvesting head sizes, each designed to accommodate various timber harvesting methods.
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That’s a remarkable amount of work hours for a single machine, the Norcar 600 owned by Erkki Rinne is taken well care of, it even has the original Diesel engine.
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Kieran Anders is a forestry contractor working in the lake district. His work involves hand cutting and extracting timber using a skidder and tractor-trailer forwarder.
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It is not possible to eliminate chain shot, but there are simple steps that can be taken to reduce the risk.
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Arwel takes great pride in the fact that the mill has no waste whatsoever, “the peelings are used for children’s playgrounds, gardens and for farm animals in barns in the winter and the sawdust has multiple uses in gardens and farms as well.
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Timber hauliers need to encourage young blood in, and also look after the hauliers we have, we need make the sector a safe and positive place to work.
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The smallest head is the compact SP461LF thinning head, capable of felling trees up to 53cm in diameter. It has four moving de-limbing knives plus a further fixed one, weighs 726kg, and has a feed speed of up to 5m/sec. It is suitable for attaching to a wheeled or tracked carrier.
The largest is the SP761LF, which harvests up to 75cm stems. This head has three moving and two fixed de-limbing knives and can feed the trees through at speeds up to 6m/sec. With a weight of 1750kg, this head also features a top saw and can be fitted to both wheeled and tracked carriers.
The company has developed two specialised single-pass de-barking harvesting heads, the Sp661E and the Sp761E, designed to enhance the efficiency of harvesting operations within Eucalyptus plantations.
Anders Gannerud, the International Sales Manager at SP Maskiner, took me on a tour of the production facility.
He elaborated that SP Maskiner is a company with a strong technical orientation, and they take pride in the fact that their chief engineer has been with the organisation for almost 40 years.
Currently, the company produces 150 heads annually, with plans to increase this production to 200 in the near future.
During my visit, I observed an SP761LF head being secured to a pallet in preparation for shipment to Canada, where it will ultimately be installed on a Tigercat model MD1.
As I walked through, looking at the different heads in various stages of assembly, I noticed that when the rollers were closed, and the head was in the feeding position, they were parallel to the ground, and when fully opened, they formed a slight V pointing towards the head.
Anders revealed the reason for this:
The proportionally angled feed rollers, when fully extended, exhibit a maximum carrying force in relation to the trunk. This dynamic indicates that as the trunk size increases, so does the carrying force. Consequently, this design enables the harvester head to expedite the feeding of the trunk, thereby enhancing productivity.
Additionally, the heads are fitted with a system known as LogHold. This system operates by reducing the pressure of the deliming knives against the trunk to mitigate the risk of trunk disengagement. When LogHold detects that the trunk is on the verge of falling, it increases knife pressure to secure it in place.
This explains the LF symbols on harvesting heads, which indicate low friction.
SP heads demonstrate compatibility with various computer systems, including the Dasa 280/380, 4, 4 Compact, 5, and Forester, as well as John Deere Timbermatic 300/3000, Motomit IT/PC, Komatsu Maxi, Techno Matic, and Technion in conjunction with SP461LF.
In the event that your computer system is not compatible or if you are in the process of converting a base unit into a harvester, SP is prepared to provide a complete control system tailored to your needs..
At SP Maskiner, the focus is on quality rather than quantity. During welding, the chassis dimensions are regularly monitored, as thermal expansion may cause the metal to shift slightly out of alignment.
After the welding procedure, the chassis is allocated an entire day in the grinding workshop, where sharp edges and burrs are meticulously removed before the assembly process commences.
Expander pins are employed throughout the heads, which, with appropriate maintenance, will effectively minimise wear and tear.
The SP561LF head is proving very popular for export, with the USA, Canada, and Spain accounting for a high percentage of sales.
The workshop was notably active, featuring numerous harvesting heads in various stages of assembly. At the far end of the facility, a Ponsse Fox was being serviced as engineers removed the H6 head and replaced it with a new SP461.
The SP Maskiner facility stands out for its exceptional organisation, offering individual workstations that facilitate the engineer’s head positioning rather than requiring the engineer to manoeuvre around it.
Before shipment, each head is meticulously calibrated and subjected to a full day of rigorous testing. This process enables the engineer to ensure the head meets all quality standards before leaving the factory.
Significant consideration has been given to the hydraulic hose configuration; the hoses are securely fastened and positioned to avoid potential damage, while still remaining easily accessible for maintenance and replacement.
Additionally, the heads are engineered to facilitate multi-stemming applications in timber of smaller diameters.
This facility is characterised by its modernity and employs cutting-edge technology to produce high-quality, reliable harvesting heads.
The engineers at this site exhibit a commendable level of dedication to their work. Feedback from individuals utilising SP Maskiner’s services indicates that the outcomes are exemplary and demonstrate the facility’s operational efficacy.
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Written by loggers for loggers and dedicated solely to the equipment used in forestry operations.