Course detail

Forestry Logging Machines

FSI-QF0 Acad. year: 2025/2026 Winter semester

The subject is intended to familiarize students with the conceptual and structural solutions of forest logging and transport machines, especially harvesters, forwarders and timber trailers. Students will also be introduced to the hybridization of these machines and their solutions.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

3

Supervisor

Ing. Václav Mergl, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Automotive Engineering

Entry knowledge

No prerequisites are required.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Credit: Verifies knowledge and ability to apply it. The assessment is written and oral.


Conditions for granting credit: presence at the seminars

Aims

The aim of the course is to acquaint students with the conceptual and structural solutions of forest logging and transport machines, especially harvesters, forwarders and timber trailers, as well as their equipment (harvester heads, grapples, etc.). Furthermore, the aim of the course is to acquaint them with the specifics of logging, which affects the design of machines and additional equipment. Furthermore, the aim of the subject is to familiarize with the hybridization of the drive units of these machines, or examples of modular superstructures.


The student is able to design the working equipment of individual forestry, logging, and transport machines from the project and construction point of view, taking into account the technological process. The student is familiar with the individual construction nodes and their principles in progressive logging machines (harvesters, forwarders and timber trailers) involved in forest logging. Among other things, the student is able to describe the individual technological procedures of forest logging and implement its specifics in the design of the given machines.

The study programmes with the given course

Programme N-ADI-P: Automotive and Material Handling Engineering, Master's, elective

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hours, optionally

Syllabus


  1. History, present and future of forestry logging machines (LM)

  2. Hydraulic systems and drives of forestry LM

  3. Hybrid drives of forestry LM

  4. Operating fluids and engine part of forestry LM

  5. Design solution of forestry LM: Harvester

  6. Design solution of forestry LM: Forwarder

  7. Design solution of forestry LM: Other

  8. Harvester heads I.

  9. Harvester heads II.

  10. Forwarders and export trailers

  11. Modular superstructures of forestry LM

  12. Deploying current forestry LM

  13. Safety and health protection at work

Exercise

13 hours, compulsory

Syllabus


  1. Use of forestry LM and their division

  2. Basic parameters of forestry LMs

  3. Determination of the hybridization system in forestry LM

  4. Practical work with the forwarder simulator

  5. Excursion to the manufacturer of forestry LM

  6. Use of harvester heads in the forestry sector

  7. Use of other heads in the forestry sector

  8. Measuring devices and factors affecting measurement accuracy

  9. Practical work with forestry LM software

  10. Practical work with the harvester simulator

  11. Telematics in forestry LM

  12. Energy audit of forestry LM

  13. Expert with construction experience for LM