Business profile
servicing by providing the operator with feedback on the unit’s technical functions. Troubleshooting and parameter adjustments can be carried out remotely via service personnel connecting directly to the software,’ Jonsson explained. ‘The C16 is widely used in forestry operations in Europe but is attracting interest from different utility, motorway and lineside clearance contractors, because having the head in the attachment portfolio gives the contractor greater job flexibility,’ added Jonsson.
Safe and cost-efficient options needed Network Rail is one such company that has looked at other sectors to see what technologies could be adopted, adapted and applied. Among other things, the company is responsible for the running and maintenance of 30,000 hectares of lineside vegetation along almost 32,200 kilometres of track.
Ken Lambert programme manager for maintenance services at Network Solutions, a division within Network Rail, said: ‘Vegetation clearance is a labour intensive and expensive task that has traditionally been undertaken manually using handheld tools such as strimmers and chainsaws, or mechanically using flail attachments on road-rail vehicles. Neither method has been very effective in managing the lineside vegetation issue.’ Apart from a regulatory objective to reduce the need for manual chainsaw intervention, comparative research into how other international railways, highways and utilities, managed their vegetation showed that their clearance costs were high, said Lambert. ‘We had to address how this could be made more efficient. We simply needed a safer, quicker and cheaper solution.’ said Lambert. Network Solutions’ own research identified the ‘heavily recommended’ Bracke C16 head as a ‘suitable specialised unit’.
surface which, together with the efficient grapple and accumulation arms, enables high overall capacity. Per Jonsson, export manager for
Bracke Forest, said: ‘This all results in extremely quick cuts, much faster than conventional sawbar or guillotine knife solutions. The saw box exterior has a smooth shape with rounded corners on the front to minimise the risk of damaging residual trees, an important feature for forestry and landscape applications.’
Versatile and easy maintenance Jonsson, who has many years’ experience as a forest machinery operator, described the unit as ‘versatile and easily manoeuvred’, making it suitable for work in dense forest stands as well as road sides, utility rights-of-way or along fields in
agricultural landscapes.
Jonsson revealed that Bracke Forest has recently launched a new hydraulic motor for the saw disc, replacing the previous geared motor. The new motor has more torque, which is noticeable, especially in hardwood stands. ‘There are many benefits with the new motor, it is stronger and lasts longer than the previous gear version. And it can be retrofitted to all versions of C16 head. ‘Maintenance is straightforward through an open saw box and easily accessible hoods and covers. The saw chain takes approximately five minutes to change. A useful optional feature especially for forestry contractors is the service and performance tracking software. Apart from keeping track of the number of stems cut and accumulated bundles, the programme simplifies
Trial cut vegetation and costs Last November, a case study was established to identify suitable road-rail vehicles (RRV’s) for the unit and a line route with high vegetation density to evaluate performance was chosen. The trial was successfully carried out on a non-electrified freight-only route with ‘an abundance of vegetation’ in Cornwall. ‘Compared to our manual option with chainsaws, we achieved a 25 per cent reduction in our clearance cost per mile. The Bracke C16 is now a standard part of our vegetation control,’ revealed Lambert. Network Solutions has nine Liebher 900 RRV’s fitted with Bracke Forest units. The company makes the machinery available, together with a trained operator, to vegetation control crews nationwide via
TXM Plant. • Visit
www.brackeforest.com Tel: +46 (0)693 105 75
September 2013 Page 177
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