Advantages of Log Sorting for Chipper Headrigs

The simulation of log processing in chipper headrigs indicates that there are advantages to be gained from sorting logs by diameter class. The objective of sorting is to reduce the frequency of chipper head adjustments and thereby increase productive effort. For 1,500 logs of each of three diameters tested, the number of chipper-head adjustments required decreased by a minimum of 867 from the no-sort to the sort situation. The increase in production from sorting rose from 11 percent to 153 percent as the average gap between logs eliminated by sorting increased from 3 to 30 feet. The volume of increased production from sorting rose in proportion to machine feed speed. There was little advantage to be gained by increasing the deck length for sorted logs from 30 to 60 or 90 feet. The advantage to be gained by sorting logs by 2-inch diameter classes was less than that from sorting from 1-inch classes, but it was still considerable. The results indicate that chipper headrigs that are able to process logs of the same diameter continuously are not being used to full advantage when the logs are not sorted. The realization of full potential of the machines would probably mean modifications to the auxiliary systems such as barkers, resaws, edgers, etc., but the potential increase in revenue makes adoption of a sorting system profitable.

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