A new and improved TimberLink performance and condition monitoring system for forest machines is on the way. Operators will still be able to check the performance and condition data from the cab of their harvester, but beginning this year, it will also be possible to conduct a more detailed productivity analysis at the office.

Swedish contractor Henrik Augustsson at Vormsele Entreprenad AB thought his harvesters were consuming too much fuel. John Deere took the problem seriously and drove a similar machine to the worksite. All values on both machines were synchronized, and the same driver drove both machines performing varying tasks. After the work shift, the values of the two machines’ TimberLinks were compared, and the conclusion was that there was nothing wrong with Henrik's machine.

All new John Deere cut-to-length harvesters are equipped with the Timber­Link monitoring system. If the harvester’s performance decreases, the productivity drops, or the condition deteriorates, this add-on software application for the Timbermatic 300 control system knows where the problem is and helps to quickly bring the machine’s productivity and operating costs back on track.

For a year now, harvester operators have been able to click open TimberLink in the cab to ensure optimal machine performance. They can also change settings to optimize the machine’s performance for the specific site.

As of next year, the TimberLink data can also be analyzed at the office.

"Operators must be able to check TimberLink to verify that everything is in order with the machine, but it is more efficient and natural to carry out the detailed analysis work in an office environment," says Development Manager Arto Peltomaa from John Deere. “The data can be transferred from the machine to the office by email or with a USB flash drive.”

At the office, the contractor can compare the performance of his different machines and verify that every harvester is operating optimally. Find­ing the optimal values and settings results in fuel savings and a longer service life for components.

At the moment, TimberLink is used mostly in Sweden and Finland, but the reputation of the new application is spreading around the world and has reached all the way to the eucalyptus logging sites in Uruguay.

TimberLink provided explanation for higher consumption

“The explanation for the increase in fuel consumption was quite simple. It turns out that we use the ma­chine more effectively than is normal. I was convinced, and it was just a matter of admitting, that there was nothing wrong with the machine, but that it was the adjustments that increase power that caused the problem.

“Without TimberLink, we would never have solved this,” says Henrik, fully convinced.

Henrik and his three employees work in two shifts and the machines are in operation from 6:00 a.m. until midnight. Henrik works in a tough branch where profit margins are continually declining. This means that Henrik’s machines must produce more, without interruptions and as optimally as possible to increase profitability. To succeed, he actively uses TimberLink.

Optimize the machine’s performance

“The first advantage with TimberLink is that it helps me to optimize the machine’s performance so that it produces 100 percent all the time. It detects small changes that would never have been discovered by the naked eye. For example, there could be a hydraulic valve with a small leak and could lead to the machine consuming one liter fuel more per hour. By using TimberLink, I could see how the valves worked earlier and in this way detect the fault,” says Henrik.

“I usually say that TimberLink conducts health checks on the machine on a regular basis. It reveals directly if it is not working exactly as it should. Since profit margins are small, it is very important that the machine is always in perfect condition and produces the maximum. If minor percentage savings are implemented in several places, it could add up to a substantial amount of money. Without Timberlink, it would be easy for money to run down the drain without any­one noticing,” he continues.

Changes machines frequently

Vormsele Entreprenad AB was established in 1981 and is owned by Henrik Augustsson and his father Karl-Gunnar Augustsson. The company is a subcontractor to the government-owned forestry company, Sveaskog AB, and is operational within Lycksele municipality. The company has three employees and two machines, of which one is a John Deere 1070D harvester. Henrik changes machines quite frequently to always have access to the most recent technology.

“The machines certainly have a long service life, but my philosophy is to change them every four years. Technology is continually developing, which means that I can additionally enhance efficiency by using the latest technology,” says Henrik Augustsson.

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