Ponsse has announced three new machines and a slew of new features for its existing product line.
The Ponsse Cobra and Fox harvesters, as well as the Bison forwarder were introduced to the forestry industry at the recent FinnMETKO trade fair in Finland.
The new products are part of the company’s “Boost/Save philosophy” that aims to enable customers to improve productivity and efficiency of harvesting.
The Cobra harvester is designed to tackle various conditions, thanks to an accurate crane and advanced balance. The eight-wheel machine is equipped with a six-cylinder engine and high-performance hydraulics with a 2.1 cubic metre pump.
The Ponsse Fox is designed for thinning. Thanks to the latest technology and reliable basic solutions, the eight-wheel Fox is an economical harvester. Suitable for demanding conditions and soft terrain, the Fox tackles harvesting challenges with its advanced crane, visibility, stability and low surface pressure.
The Ponsse Bison Active Frame is a next-generation forwarder that performs at its best over long transport distances. Featuring a modern Mercedes-Benz/MTU engine, powerful loader and CVT gearbox, the Bison Active Frame is an powerhouse for timber transport.
The Bison is equipped with Active Frame cabin suspension system. The system ensures that lateral swings affecting the driver is eliminated in an efficient and unnoticeable fashion.
Aside from the new machines, Ponsse also presented several new machine features and solutions for harvesting at FinnMETKO.
Ponsse Active Crane offers a new way of controlling the loader and boosting work performance. Active Crane is a new method the driver uses to control the grapple movement instead of individual functions.
This allows the driver to concentrate on loading. The Active Crane incorporates two control levers, one of which controls the grapple height from the ground and the other the direction.
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The feature eliminates the need for the driver to control all the functions simultaneously. When the desired grapple location is specified for the machine, the system performs the lifting, folding and extending operations automatically.
As well, a new, long bogie option is available for the eight-wheel Ponsse Wisent, Elk and Buffalo forwarder models, intended for loading in soft conditions. With a hub distance of up to 189 cm, the longer bogie reduces the surface pressure of a machine equipped with tracks by up to 17 per cent compared to a standard bogie.
Ponsse’s new Manager features improved harvesting productivity. The tool offers assistance in harvesting equipment maintenance and work planning, along with providing access to extensive reporting functions. Ponsse Manager provides comprehensive real-time information on equipment performance and work site status. The solution may be used via a smartphone, tablet or computer.
Ponsse Manager’s latest feature, hydraulic-pump condition monitoring, enables remote monitoring of the harvester’s working pumps from the office or using a smart device. The state of the working pumps can be monitored in the Ponsse Manager’s machine card along with other information. The data produced by condition monitoring improves the utilization rate of the equipment. Now, condition monitoring provides information about the status and performance of crane and harvester pumps.
Ponsse’s new loader offers more power and speed for load handling in demanding conditions. The K121 loader is available for the Elephant and ElephantKing forwarder models. The new loader combines high slewing power and lifting capacity, increased reach, new loader geometry and improved handling.
For driver comfort, the Ponsse seat is the first seat designed specifically for forest machines. The new seat is easy to adjust and has an extra-strong base structure to provide the forest machine driver with improved comfort. The new seat dampens swinging motions and vibrations more efficiently than previous models.
Ponsse’s range of training simulators has expanded with two new models. The Compact simulator includes the full Opti4G control system for harvesters and forwarders, including harvester head/tracked machine controls as an option. The Compact simulator is lightweight and its wheelbase allows for easy transport.
For operators, the Basic simulator makes it possible to practice the main motions of a forwarder and harvester with authentic Ponsse Comfort Grip Controls. The Basic simulator includes a computer and controls attached to a conventional table but no control system. The SimTrainer training environment is also available for both simulators to support planned and controlled training.
