The updated Tigercat 575 harvesting head equipped with the latest iteration of the Tigercat D5 Optimization control system made its debut in Australia at a series of infield demonstrations in southern New South Wales (NSW) earlier this year. The demonstrations were held at three separate pine fire salvage recovery operations. The 575 is fitted to Tigercat’s LH822D harvester, one of the more popular harvester carriers in Australia.
The LH822D equipped with the 575 harvesting head.
“This was one of the machines destined for AUSTimber 2020 that is now postponed to 2021,” states Glen Marley, Tigercat district manager for Australia and New Zealand. “This unit has the shorter 8,2 m (27 ft) boom option for added stability and lift capacity in larger trees.
The machine was working in the Green Hills and Bago State Forest region of southern NSW where approximately 52 000 hectares (128,500 acres) of plantation Radiata pine were lost in the 2020 bushfires.
Phil Turnbull, territory manager for Tigercat dealer Onetrak says, “The 575 head has been performing very well at our recent demonstrations. We received some very positive feedback. Everyone in attendance was very impressed.”
Glen Marley concludes, “The feedback from these operators is excellent and gives us great confidence in this head and its suitability for Australian conditions. We are particularly happy with the reliability and performance of the StanForD end-of-shift production data reporting, including the usual PRI, KTR, and Geo Mapping fi le transfer and reporting. The reviews we have had for the 575 from local operators are the most positive reports we’ve had on a demo unit to date, which is very encouraging.”
Callum Lonergan, Lee Worley, Tyson Edwards operated the LH822D equipped with the Tigercat 575 in the Bago State forest area.
Callum Lonergan, P & T Lonergan
It’s an excellent head. It took me a couple of hours to get used to the different geometry, and then it felt perfect. The main saw has heaps of torque, and cutting speed through the log was very consistent. The automatic saw limiter only allows the bar to go out as much as it needs to, so cutting in rocky ground is easy, and stump height can be lower.
Twin tilt cylinders on the tilt frame give it a robust feel, and the head’s balance, when it is standing up to cut the next tree, is excellent. Delimbing and twin cylinder knife arm synchronization is good, as it cleaned the logs very well. And the geometry allows the tree to flow effortlessly through the head.
The Tigercat D5 computer was easy to navigate. The end of shift PRI and KTR data file transfer was easy and accurate. The painter system worked exceptionally well and was very easy to adjust.
The combination of the 575 and the LH822D base made the head feel quite light and well balanced. The one-stop shop support for the base and attachment from Onetrak and Tigercat is also a massive advantage.
Lee Worley, G & J Groves Pty Ltd
The Tigercat 575 has plenty of feed power and processing speed. It holds the trees up into the head well, and has plenty of drive motor torque. The Tigercat Autoshift™ three-wheel drive to two-wheel drive was seamless, and I experienced minimal feed slippage even in heavily limbed trees.
The optimizer was excellent with automatic log selection being quick and faultless. It made operating this head a breeze, and I was noticeably less exhausted at the end of my shift.
The auto-tensioner on both the main saw and top saw worked very well. Saw torque and power was excellent and fast to cut, especially when felling. The bar lube oiler worked very well and used less oil than my current head.
Through-the-tip hosing was excellent, neat, and made felling more comfortable and quicker, as I wasn’t watching for my hoses to get tangled in the lower limbs of the standing trees.
The automatic colour marking system was excellent, especially on felling cuts. The butt marking was clear and worked without fault.
Data reporting was simple, and all the PRI and KTR files made it easy for end-of-day reporting. The calliper calibration was also easy and accurate. Daily servicing was much smoother than what I’m used to, and the grease fittings were accessible and easy to get to, so the end-of-day maintenance was quick. All the guarding and hoses were neat, yet easy to access. Tigercat thought of the operators when they built this head. I would love to operate the 575 full time.
Tyson Edwards, Oldina Logging
It is in a league of its own. The main saw and top saw performed exceptionally with both power and speed on demand. I would have to say they were the best saws I have used. The drive wheels performed well with good power and manoeuvrability. The knives held and delimbed well. The balance of the head was well thought out with the front knife tilting downwards slightly.
Both the paint marking and bar oil lubrication worked well, with a good-sized 20 L (5.3 US gal) bar lube tank.
The valve bank and hose layout were excellent. You can tell it would be relatively easy for hose changes. I think it would be a great head to work on from a maintenance point of view. I also loved the two head tilt up cylinders, making it stand with ease. The optimizer worked well, and the Tigercat D5 screen was easy to use. I never seemed to have any measuring issues, which was great to see.
