• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.283-289
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was carried out to evaluate the labor requirement and the cost-reducing effects of the pick-up type pulse crop harvester compared with those of conventional harvesting for soybeans and red beans. Methods: The labor requirement and the cost to gather, thresh, and clean for conventional harvesting operations were surveyed; those for the pick-up type pulse crop harvester were estimated for soybeans and red beans. The annual capacity of the harvester and the break-even area of the two harvesting methods were also estimated. Results: For soybean harvesting, the labor requirement of 0.57 hour-persons/10 a for the pick-up type pulse crop harvester reflects a 91.9% reduction in the labor requirement of 7.00 hour-persons/10 a for conventional harvesting. Machinery costs of 51,300 won/10 a for the harvester were estimated for an annual harvesting area of 52.5 ha/year, representing a reduction of 33.3% from the 78,700 won/10 a cost of conventional harvesting. A break-even area of 28.4 ha was estimated for the two harvestings. For red bean harvesting, the labor requirement of 0.57 hour-persons/10 a for the harvester reflects a 92.6% reduction in the labor requirement of 7.66 hour-persons/10 a for conventional harvesting. For an annual harvesting area of 52.5 ha/year, annual capacity of 52.5 ha/year and machinery costs of 51,700 won/10 a were estimated for the harvester, reflecting a reduction of 44.7% in the cost of 93,500 won/10 a for conventional harvesting. A break-even area of 23.1 ha was estimated for the two harvestings. A governmental subsidy for purchasing the harvester could contribute to reducing the break-even area and harvesting costs. Conclusions: The pick-up type pulse crop harvester for soybean and red bean harvesting could reduce the labor requirement and costs of conventional harvesting, and a governmental subsidy for purchasing the harvester will improve the economics of the harvester for efficient mechanical harvesting.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.81-89
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• 2013

Nowadays, excessive using of fossil fuel contributes to global warming. Also, this phenomenon increases steadily. Therefore forest biomass from logging residues has received attention. The goal of this study was to determine the sustainability and economic feasibility of forest-biomass energy source. Accordingly, forest biomass resource was calculated, and harvesting and transporting machines which can be used in investing area were chosen, when using forest biomass as energy source. And then through these data, the harvesting cost was decided. The forest biomass resource calculated, thinned trees and logging residues, was 37,330.23 $m^3$ and 14,073.60 ton, respectively. When harvesting timber in each sub-compartment, the average thinned trees yield was 120.73 $m^3$, and tree logging residues was 402.80 ton. The use of tower yarder as harvesting and transporting equipments in study area was 85.4% and 66.7%, respectively, in up hill and down hill yarding. The average harvesting cost of biomass in the possibility area of timber yarding operation was expensive as 81,757 won/$m^3$, 85,434 won/m3 and 50,003 won/ton, respectively, in thinned trees and logging residue. If using data from this research analysis, tree could be felled by choosing sub-compartment.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine productivity and cost of tree-length harvesting using cable yarding system in a larch (Larix leptolepis) clear-cutting stand located in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do. We used tree-length harvesting method using cable yarding system with a tower yarder HAM300. The productivity was $17.6m^3/hr$ for felling, $12.4m^3/hr$ for delimbing, $4.2m^3/hr$ for yarding, and $8.1m^3/hr$ for processing. The total cost of the harvesting system was $48,381won/m^3$, which was majorly composed of yarding operation cost, at $40,169won/m^3$ (79.3%), while felling had the lowest cost at $1,154won/m^3$ (4.1%). Major factors affecting felling and processing productivity was tree volume and the number and thickness of branches for delimbing productivity. In addition, we suggest that training and education for machine operators were critical to improve yarding productivity.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.294-303
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the profitability of four selective mechanization systems in rice cultivation. Methods: Field experiments were conducted in the farmers' field during the wet season (June to November) of 2015 in Bangladesh. Mechanization systems were applied to evaluate four different selective levels (treatment) in eleven consequent operations. Seedlings were raised in a traditional seedbed and trays for manual and mechanical transplanting, respectively. Land preparation, irrigation, fertilizer, pesticide, carrying, and threshing and cleaning operations were performed using the same method in all the experimental plots. The mechanical options in the transplanting, weeding, and harvesting operations were changed. The mechanization systems were $S_1$ = hand transplanting + hand weeding + harvesting by sickle, $S_2$ = mechanical transplanting + Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) weeder + reaper, $S_3$ = mechanical transplanting + BRRI power weeder + reaper, and $S_4$ = mechanical transplanting + herbicide + reaper. This experiment was performed in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Power tiller, rice transplanter, BRRI weeder, BRRI power weeder, self-propelled reaper, BRRI open drum thresher, and BRRI winnower were used in the respective operations. Accordingly, the techno-economic performances of the different technologies were calculated and compared with those of the traditional system. Results: The mechanically transplanted plot produced 6-10% more yield than the hand transplanted plot because of the use of tender-aged seedlings. Mechanical transplanting reduced 61% labor and 18% cost compared to manual transplanting. The BRRI weeder, BRRI power weeder, and herbicide application reduced 74, 91, and 98% labor, respectively. The latter also saved 72, 63, and 82% cost, respectively, compared to hand weeding. Herbicide application reduced the substantial amount of labor and cost in the weeding operation. Mechanical harvesting also saved 96% labor and 72% cost compared to the traditional method of harvesting using sickle. Selective mechanization saved 15-17% input cost compared to the traditional method of rice cultivation. Conclusions: Mechanical transplanting with the safe use of herbicide and harvesting by reaper is the most cost- and labor-saving operation. The method might be the recommended set of selective mechanization for enhancing productivity.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2008

Clearcutting has been the dominant harvesting method in British Columbia (representing 95% of the total area harvested annually). However forest managers are increasingly recommending the use of alternative silvicultural systems and harvest methods, including various types of partial cutting, to meet ecological and social objectives. In this study we compared harvesting productivity and harvesting costs between treatments through detailed and shift level time studies in 300-350 year-old Interior Cedar-Hemlock stands in British Columbia, Canada. Recommendations for improving operational planning/layout and the implementation of clearcut and partial cutting silvicultural systems were made. Harvesting costs varied in the ground-based clearcut treatments from $10.95/$m^3$ - $15.96/$m^3$ and $16.09/$m^3$ - $16.93/$m^3$ in the group selection treatments. The ground-based group retention treatment had a cost of $13.39/$m^3$, while the cable clearcut had a cost of $15.70/$m^3$. An understanding of the traditional and alternative wood products that could be derived from the harvested timber was imperative to increasing the amount of merchantable volume and reducing the corresponding harvesting costs. Stand damage was greatest in the group selection treatments; however, mechanized felling showed an increase in stand damage over manual felling while grapple skidding showed a decrease in skidding damage compared to line skidding.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.149-160
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• 2004

This study had carried out an analysis of leaf tobacco production cost by cost items, growing stages, and farm sizes per 10a to provide the basic data for determination of the purchasing price of leaf tobacco by KT&G. Considering the survey results of 12 tobacco farm households, the composition rates of production cost by items revealed as 7-10% for land service, 5-22% for depreciation, 13-25% for material costs, 50-65% for labour cost respectively. The production cost of leaf tobacco by growing stages were shown as 15.3% in nursery bed period, 32.3% in main growing period in field, 30.8% in harvesting period and 21.6% in packing period. The magnitude of wage expenditure was appeared as harvesting stage, packing stage, growing stage on main field and nursery bed stage in order. The amount of material costs were revealed as the growing stage in main field, harvesting stage, nursery bed stage and packing stage respectively. The production costs of leaf tobacco per 10a by farm sizes were shown as 1,615,879won for small farm, 1,446,896won for medium farm and 1,454,408won for large farm respectively. The production cost of leaf tobacco had shown decreasing tendency according to increasing farm sizes. To promote the international market competitiveness of leaf tobacco producing farms, labour saving production technologies and cost effective farm size to decrease tobacco production cost should be developed.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.107-112
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• 2014

The productivity and cost of clear cutting operations were examined to broaden our knowledge on the harvesting system in a Larix leptolepis stand of Korea. The harvesting system was divided into tree operations which were chainsaw (STIHL MS440) felling, tower yarder (Koller301-4) yarding and harvester (WOODY H50) processing. The average cycle time of felling, yarding and processing were 98 s/cycle, 245 s/cycle and 150 s/cycle. The total stump-to-pile operational productivity was 43.07 $m^3/hr$. The highest production activity was the felling 17.93 $m^3/hr$, followed by the productivity of processing 15.62 $m^3/hr$ and then by the productivity of yarding 9.52 $m^3/hr$. In addition the total stump-to-pile operational cost was 24,086 $won/m^3$. The highest cost activity was the yarding 14,557 $won/m^3$ (60.4% of the total cost), followed by the costs of processing 8,461 $won/m^3$ (35.2%) and then by the costs of felling 1,068 $won/m^3$.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.91-99
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• 2020

Fruit and vegetable harvesting robots have been widely studied and developed in recent years to reduce the cost of harvesting tasks such as labor and time. However, harvesting robots have many challenges due to the difficulty and uncertainty of task. In this paper, we characterize the crop environment related to the harvesting robot and analyzes state-of-the-art of the harvesting robot especially, in the viewpoint of robotic end-effector. The end-effector, an one of most important element of the harvesting robot, was classified into gripper and harvesting module, which were reviewed in more detail. Performance measures for the evaluation of harvesting robot such as test, detachment success, harvest success, and cycle time were also introduced. Furthermore, we discuss the current limitations of the harvesting robot and challenges and directions for future research.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.36-44
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• 1983

Farm population was rapidly decreasing due to shift of the people from farm sector to the non-farm sector caused by the economic growth of the country. Especially, a great shortage of farm labor in busy farming period in June and October is becoming a serious problem in maintaining or promoting land productivity. The peak of labor requirement in summer is caused by rice transplanting and barley harvesting. In order to reduce the restrictions imposed on farm management by the concurrence of labor requirement and the lack of labor, the experimental study for mechanization of barley harvesting has been carried out in the fields. 1. The machines for barley harvesting were knap-sack type reapers, windrow reaper (power tiller attachment), binder and combine. The order of higher efficiency of machine for barley harvesting was combine, binder, windrow reaper (WR), knapsack type reaper 1(KSTR1), and knap sack type reaper 2(KSTR2; mist and duster attachment). 2. The ratio of grain loss for the manual, binder, and combine plot was about four percent of total field yield. 3. The total yield of barley in 35 days and 40 days harvesting after heading were 514 kg and 507kg per 10 ares respectively. The yield of 35 days-plot was higher than other experimental plots. 4. The lowest yield was recorded in 30 days-plot due to the large quantity of immatured grains and having lighter 1000-grain weight. The ratio of immatured grains was 2.66 percent and 1000-grain weight was 29.4 grams. 5. The total harvesting cost of the windrow reaper was 10,178 won per 10 ares. It was the lowest value compared to other machines. The next were combine, binder, KSTR1, KSTR2, and manual in sequence. As a result, the optimum time of barley harvesting for mechanization was 35-40 days after heading. Combine, binder, and windrow reaper were recommended as the suitable machines for barley harvesting in the work efficiency. However, in total harvesting cost, the windrow reaper was the most promising machine for barley harvesting.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.189-195
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• 2016

Logging equipment and method have a major influence on harvesting productivity and cost. This study investigated the productivity and operational costs of tree-length cable yarding system using HAM300, a domestically developed tower yarder. We tested HAM300 for thinning operation in Pinus densiflora stands at Gangreung, Gangwon-do on April, 2014. To assess the productivity we conducted time study for each stage of the operation. When the average time/cycle was examined for each stage of the operation, the longest was for yarding (241 sec), followed by delimbing (237 sec), felling (153 sec), and processing (103 sec). Furthermore, productivity for felling was $8.6m^3/hr$, followed by delimbing ($5.1m^3/hr$), yarding ($3.5m^3/hr$), and processing ($8.1m^3/hr$). The total cost for the tree-length logging system was $58,446won/m^3$, of which the majority was incurred by the yarding cost at $46,217won/m^3$ (79.3%), whereas the lowest cost was for felling at $2,359won/m^3$ (4.1%). We suggest that it is necessary to foster specialized operators and provide training in operating the tower yarder thereby implementing efficient harvesting system resulting from low-cost yarding.