Productivity and Utilization Benchmarks for Chain Flail Delimber-Debarkers-Chippers Used in Fast-Growing Plantations

The study developed robust benchmark figures for the performance of delimber-debarker-chippers
in fast-growing eucalypt plantations, through the analysis of an exceptionally large database
that combined automatically-captured and user-input records. Data for three Peterson
Pacific DDC 5000 H units operated by the Brazilian company Fibria Cellulose were captured
continuously for three years, from 2015 to 2017. During this time, all study machines ran
triple-shift and clocked over 25 000 hours each. The consolidated record included information
for 79 858 delay events, with an average duration of 0.55 hours per event. Delay time accounted
for 57% of total worksite time: mean utilization was therefore 43%. Maintenance was
the most important cause of delays, and accounted for 22% of total worksite time. Interaction
delays came second, and represented 20% of total worksite time. Mean productivity was
88 solid m3 ub (under bark) per productive machine hour (PMH) or 39 solid m3
ub per scheduled machine hour (SMH), depending on whether delay time was excluded or included in the
calculation. The gap between the most efficient and the least efficient operator was 22% and
26% for scheduled productivity and utilization, respectively (this difference was calculated by
taking the figures for the lowest performer as a basis). While the exact productivity figures
reported here may reflect the exceptionally favorable conditions encountered in rationallymanaged
South American plantations, the dynamics revealed in this study may have general
validity and could offer precious insights for rationalizing a whole range of similar operations.