ABSTRACT Due to the recent encouragement for loggers to integrate tracked processors into their conventional harvest equipment regime in the Southeastern United States, this study aimed to provide loggers with an estimate of the additional productivity and operating costs that could be incurred. Since tracked processors have rarely been operated in this region, a comparison study was conducted to determine differences in productivity and operating costs between a less experienced operator versus a more experienced operator. The study indicated the less experienced operator was able to produce 67 green tonnes/hour while the more experienced operator produced 80 green tonnes/hour. Costs per tonne for the less experienced operator were approximately $2.18/tonne at the end of year 1 and decreased to $1.92/tonne at the end of year 5, depicting a $0.26/tonne difference within 5 years. The more experienced operator incurred costs of $1.82/tonne at the end of year 1 and $1.61/tonne at the end of year 5 for a total difference of $0.21/tonne. A sensitivity analysis demonstrated that extreme fluctuations in fuel or maintenance/repair prices had less than a $0.20 increase in the final cost/tonne. An increase in production rates from 65 to 125 tonnes decreased the cost/tonne $0.90/tonne, and increasing utilization rates from 50% to 85% decreased the cost per tonne of the processor by $0.78 per tonne. These results indicated that operators should be less concerned with changes in fuel and maintenance costs and be more concerned with their production and utilization rates. Abbreviations: CTL = cut-to-length, WT = whole tree, less experienced operator = LExOp, more experienced operator = MExOp, Timberland Investment Management Organization = TIMO, manufacturer's suggested retail price = MSRP, productive machine hours = PMH

中文翻译：

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在美国东南部的传统火炬松收获制度中纳入跟踪处理器的生产力和成本估算

摘要 由于最近鼓励记录者将跟踪处理器集成到美国东南部的传统收获设备制度中，本研究旨在为记录者提供可能产生的额外生产力和运营成本的估计。由于跟踪处理器在该地区很少运行，因此进行了一项比较研究，以确定经验不足的操作员与经验丰富的操作员之间的生产力和运营成本差异。研究表明，经验不足的操作员能够生产 67 吨/小时的生坯，而经验丰富的操作员每小时生产 80 吨生坯。经验不足的运营商的每吨成本在第 1 年年底约为 2.18 美元/吨，在第 5 年年底下降至 1.92 美元/吨，相当于 0 美元。5年内相差26/吨。更有经验的运营商在第 1 年年底和第 5 年年底分别产生 1.82 美元/吨和 1.61 美元/吨的成本，总差额为 0.21 美元/吨。敏感性分析表明，燃料或维护/维修价格的极端波动导致最终成本/吨的增加不到 0.20 美元。生产率从 65 吨增加到 125 吨，每吨成本降低了 0.90 美元/吨，利用率从 50% 增加到 85%，每吨处理器的成本降低了 0.78 美元/吨。这些结果表明，运营商应该较少关注燃料和维护成本的变化，而应更加关注他们的生产和利用率。缩写：CTL = 定长切割，WT = 整棵树，经验不足的操作员 = LExOp，更有经验的操作员 = MExOp，