Abstract:
Chain flail delimbing and debarking may improve value recovery from small tree harvests,
without renouncing the benefits of multi-tree processing. The technology is mature and capable
of excellent performance, which has been documented in many benchmark studies. This paper
offers new insights into the relationship between the performance of chain flail delimbing and
debarking and such factors as tree volume, load volume, tree form and bark-wood bond strength
(BWBS). The study was conducted in Chile, during the commercial harvesting of a Eucalyptus
globulus Labill. plantation. In an observational study, researchers collected production data from
over 780 work cycles, and work quality data from over 1000 individual trees. The analysis of
these data shows that productivity is affected primarily by load volume. Work quality is affected
by BWBS and by the number of trees in a load. Work quality degrades with increasing BWBS
and tree number, since more trees tend to shield each other. Tree form has no effect on either
productivity or work quality. Regression and probability functions are provided, and can be used
for predictive purposes when trying to optimize current operations or to prospect the introduction
of chain flail technology to new work environments.
