• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.185-194
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• 2002

The objective of this study was to analyze a stability of sideways overturning of a forwarder developed by the Forestry Research Institute. The stability analysis was conducted using a multibody dynamic analysis program. VisualNastran Desktop. A solid model of the forwarder was constructed and its physical properties such as mass, mass center and mass moment of inertia were determined on 3D CAD modeler of the Solid Edge 8.0. 3D simulations of sideways overturning of the forwarder were also performed on the Visual Nastran using the solid model when it traveled across the slope and traversed over an up-hill side obstacle. Stability comparison between a bogie-wheeled and a 6-wheeled forwarders was also made and found that the bogie-wheeled forwarder was more stable than the 6-wheeled one on slopes. The safety speeds of the forwarder predicted by the simulation under various conditions can be used as a guideline for safe operations of forwarders in mountainous area. The technique of using a solid model for the sability analysis can also be applied successfully to other vehicles like agricultural tractors, loaders and construction equipments.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.30 no.6 s.113
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• pp.366-372
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• 2005

The objective of this study was to evaluate the bump crossing and loading stability of a proto-type mini-forwarder under development. The evaluation was performed by computer simulation using a multi-body dynamic analysis program, Recur- Dyn 5.21. The proto-type was modeled and its properties such as mass, mass center, and mass moment of inertia were determined using 3D CAD modeler, Solid Edge 8.0. The $\%$ errors of masses, mass center, mass moment of inertia, and vertical motion of the model were within less than $10\%$ and the model's behavior agreed relatively well with those of the proto-type when traversing over a rectangular bump. Using the validated model, bump crossing of the proto-type was simulated and the loading limit was determined. It was found that effects of the shapes of bump on the bump crossing performance was insignificant within the practical heights of bumps. Stability of bump crossing increased with loading. However, loading of longer logs than 2.7 m made the crossing unstable because the ends of logs contacted ground when traversing over the bump. The maximum loading capacity of the proto-type was estimated to be 7.8 kN of 2.7 m long logs.