Modeling of labor costs during the operation of a forest harvester

The article discusses the reasons for reducing labor costs during the operation of a forest harvester on final cutting and increasing them during selective cutting. The diagrams of the harvester movement during various types of timber cutting with the identification of their distinctive features are given. The aim of the study is to improve mathematical dependencies, calculation of labor costs when performing selective cutting using a forest harvester. The analysis of the elements of the cycle time, depending on the proportion of the felled component in the total composition of the stand, is carried out. Based on the created simulation model, new mathematical dependences have been developed for calculating the time of pointing the manipulator at a tree, moving fallen trees into the processing zone and moving the harvester between growing trees. A variant of calculating the full cycle time of the harvester in swath and comparing the results with the results obtained using previously known mathematical dependencies is proposed. Despite the fact that the created simulation model was used for input data corresponding to the work of the Silvatec 8266TH harvester, the use of the results obtained for other logging machines of this type will improve approaches to labor rationing and analysis of work efficiency with sufficient accuracy for practical purposes.