If you’ve ever doubted that computer-guided assistance was helpful, consider: it has the power to deliver accurate, intelligent actions where human error can often give way – and in good speed.

Such is the case for the Timbermatic measuring and control systems, available on wheeled harvesters, forwarders, and the 1490D energy wood harvester. These intricate systems are a modern solution for high productivity goals, and are surprisingly user-friendly.

Timbermatic’s control menu is somewhat familiar to most new users because it is Windows® based, like most home computers. It is simplified to two levels, making it easy, fast, and efficient to use. The on-screen display can be customized to suit the operator’s preferences. In one glance, they can see the lengths, diameters, and assortments of the wood, as well as machine conditions like engine temperature, running speed, fuel level, charge voltage, etc. The data is displayed on a large flat-screen color monitor.

Timbermatic does not just help with the physical work at hand, but also allows for easy communication from the cab through email and data transfer capabilities such as CD Rom, memory cards, USB ports, and a color printer.

Computers with a brain
Timbermatic 300 is the system used with D Series wheeled harvesters. This system is self-learning, able to remember adjustments and support the operator in decision-making.

The feed control automatically adjusts the feed speed and pressure of the rollers and delimbing knives. The tree is stopped precisely in the sawing window for the cut. The exact measurement calibrated by the harvester head is the basis for the Timbermatic system in dividing the stem. As work progresses, the system learns more about the timber in the stand in progress and can constantly make itself more and more accurate.

The Timbermatic 300 system also features so-called gentle stem handling as standard. This feature delimbs the stem gently using the slower acceleration of the harvester head, lower feed speed and lower pressure of the delimbing knives and the feed rollers. This way, damage caused by the delimbing knives and the feed rollers in the valuable surface timber of the butt log – and other logs if desired – is avoided.

Feeding the Forwarder
Timbermatic 700 can think for itself, too. The forwarder-based system utilizes a grapple weight scale, enabling load weight management. The system saves the weight in terms of different assortments and, when using density factors per assortment, solid volume as well. In addition to these, a production file (prd file) can be saved in relation to each individual site, containing the quantity of loads and mass per load.

The dynamic calibration of the scale system makes it possible to ensure the accuracy of the measurements even faster than before. All seven operator settings can be calibrated, which enables the minimization of inaccuracies resulting from the differences between operators. The speed of calibration and the improved measuring accuracy increase the productivity of the machine and make work smoother.

The Biomass Brain
Timbermatic 900 is a control system designed for slash bundlers, which incorporates all the same basic features as the systems for harvesters and forwarders. Like Timbermatic 300 and 700, Timbermatic 900 integrates the TMC (Total Machine Control) system, as well as a front/back camera, work and repair follow up system, positioning, e-mail and printing functions into an efficient tool for the operator.

The system enables the setting of default diameters and length for a bale as well as the tree species and assortments in progress. In the run mode, Timbermatic 900 displays to the operator the number of created bales in the site, TMC icons and the information field, outside temperature and the time.

The felling site display indicates the status of the active site; identification data for the site in question, individual bales and the volume per block, tree species and assortment. The system also indicates the average consumption of fuel, average fuel consumption per bale, the total driving distance and the driving distance per bale.

These are just some of the many features of these computer brains, which can be employed by the contractor to get the most out of a stand of timber. To learn more about Timbermatic, click here.

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