magazine 3/2010
Practice Business is booming Test Shredding AND chipping Future
Full steam ahead towards 2020
Matthias Möller and colleague Thomas Fischer
It is just after six o’clock in the morning when Matthias Möller from Willingen opens the gate to his workshop. Full of expectation, the 26-year-old contractor sits down in the driver’s cab of his lorry-driven Chippo 5010 chipper, starts the engine and moves the machine into position in front of the building. This is when his colleague Thomas Fischer arrives. A few minutes later, the two of them are on their way to a contract in Rülfenrod, a district in the borough of Gemünden in Upper Hesse, about 100 kilometres away. Waiting for the Chippo 5010C are 250 solid cubic metres of poplar.
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he two-hour drive to the site flies by for Matthias Möller. Briskly and efficiently, he agrees dates for contract work, coordinates deployment of his machines and provides cost estimates whilst expertly steering the Case CVX 225 tractor with dump trailer on the main road. “Thank goodness for mobile telephones and hands-free kits”, says Möller and laughs. „It doesn’t take much to convert the cab into a second office“. There is no doubt that business has been booming for the 26-year-old skilled forester since he started his enterprise in wood harvesting and forestry services seven years ago. “My long-standing contacts at the state-run forestry offices and local authorities helped me in the start-up phase“, Möller recollects. Word of the high quality of his work has spread quickly, enabling Matthias Möller to win many new customers within just a few months. His territory has
since extended to a radius of over 150 kilometres. The team at Forstunternehmen Möller now includes eight full-time employees. Matthias Möller saw his opportunity just over a year ago when a biomass power plant started up operations near his home. Without delay, he purchased a mobile chipper and entered into the production of wood chippings. At the same time he established contact with Georg Reuss in Bebra. „The company is one of the leading trading, transportation and disposal companies for residual wood, pulpwood and wood waste material from the sawmill industry“, explains Matthias Möller. „Georg Reuss is also very successful in its dealings with woodchips. This compliments perfectly the activities of my company“. The two companies now work in partnership with great success. “For the most part, my company chips the wood and guarantees
Business is booming transportation of the wood chips t o the lorry, Reuss provides marketing and on-schedule deliveries to the customer“. The purchase of Möller’s first chipper turned out to be less successful. “There were always technical problems“, explains the forestry contractor. “Eventually I reached the end of my tether. I had to get my hands on a new, reliable chipper as soon as possible as customer orders had to be fulfilled.” This was when he met his new Chippo. “The quality of the wood chips is superb, and impressively uniform”, says the 26-year-old. He instantly liked the robust design of the chipper and the load-dependent control of the shredding speed. On arriving at the site in Rülfenrod, the experienced forestry contractor has to take a deep breath. He normally finds the felled trunks organised into stacks – at this site they are lying
scattered around on the ground in small groups. “We are going to have to use the chipper more than once here that will take time,” Möller calculates. “It’s good that the Chippo has a mounted, folding wood splitter“, he adds, pointing out the large diameter of the poplar logs. The weather is also a worry with the rain threatening to soak the mainly unsurfaced track to the road. Meanwhile his colleague Thomas Fischer moves the Chippo into the working position. He expertly positions the chute for wood chip discharge over the dump trailer and moves the wood-loading crane towards the poplar logs. With a slight tilt movement of the joystick, the driver opens the grab, picks up the first log and places it safely into the feed area of the chipper. The feed system immediately starts operation and conveys the log to the chipping rotor. The Chippo’s appetite appears insatiable – log
after log disappears into the feed area of the chipper. Matthias Möller and a driver from Reuss transport the wood chips in turn with two dump trailers to a lorry parked a few kilometres away. “I am very strict in utilising the full performance of the chipper. A prerequisite for this is that logistic operations run smoothly and the chipper is not forced to stop working“, clarifies Matthias Möller. The throughput, strength and excellent wood chipping quality are important competitive advantages for my company”, he adds. All logs are dealt with by the evening. Matthias Möller and Thomas Fischer make their way home after a long but successful day.
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The user speaks
Shredding AN
Quotations from our customers „It is certainly a big challenge working with such a fast machine all day!“ Michael Wittig, aha Hannover
„The performance of the machine is immense and the quality of wood chips fantastic.“ Stefan Lengel, Lengel GmbH, Schwadorf
The technician speaks
„The fastest axe.“
Hannes Dietmaier, Naturgut Kompostierung und Landschaftsbau GmbH, Knittelfeld
„This is the machine the market needs.“
Wolfgang Hahn, Hahn Kompost eK, Pfatter bei Regensburg
Rudi Pretzler (left), company founder and Head of Development at Komptech GmbH with his test team. 4
ND chipping AXTOR 8012 Drive:
Diesel engine Caterpillar C18 570 kW / 780 HP
Rotor diameter:
1200 mm
Feed width:
1610 mm with vertical 210mm rollers
Feed height:
1000 mm
Drum rotation speed:
Chip mode 400 rpm or shredder mode 730 rpm
Length of feed hopper:
6000 mm (with 4500 mm active feed)
Transportation dimensions LxWxH: 10600 x 2550 x 4000 mm Weight (with conveyor belt): 25 t Throughput (dependent on material): up to 400 m3/h
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iven the trend in the biomass market, many composters have also decided to process biomass fuels. The demands made on shredding technology have therefore changed dramatically. What previously required perfectly fibrous woody biomass for a favourable composting process now requires large (preferably bulky) green waste volumes for subsequent combustion. Our response to this trend is the Axtor with one shredder and one chip mode. The degree of conditioning offered by high speed machines is possible in shredder mode, with its freely-swinging tool elements and rapid rotation. In chip mode on the other hand, only stationary tool elements with a lower speed are used. These stationary tool elements are mounted in various positions on a base holder with overload protection.
The chip blades require clean input material and deliver chipper-like results. The shredder blades are another tool element variant and are also sensitive to contaminants but provide a bulky end product with little fine fraction. If the contaminant fraction increases, such as with a sandy material, carbidetipped hammer heads are used. These strengthened hammer heads are also used for the shredding of waste wood with a low metal fraction.
attachments are replaced. However, if foreign material overloads a tool holder, a new shear bolt can be inserted in just a few minutes before work can continue. In summary, shredder mode is used for material treatment for composting and chip mode is used for the processing of biofuels low in fine fractions. Axtor users always attain the best possible material quality and highest yield.
The operational principle of the Axtor is being able to switch the rotor of the shredder into chip mode in the shortest possible time. For this, the freeswinging tool elements are removed, the fixed tool carrier fitted and “low gear” engaged. Now the chosen tool required can be placed onto the holders – this can be carried out in less than an hour. If they are worn, only the tool 5
Full steam a
In discussion with…
Johann Hofer manager of the Biomassehof Waldstein After a demonstration of the Chippo 5010 C direct at the biomass plant in Waldstein, we spoke to the manager Johann Hofer.
What does the biomass plant in Waldstein do? The biomass plant opened in 2007 and has 60 rural members who supply the raw material from around 2,000 hectares of woodland. Every year we sell about 7,000 cubic metres of wood chips and 1000 cubic metres of firewood, making annual savings of about 600,000 litres of heating oil and 2000 tons of carbon dioxide. We also plan to sell wood pellets in the future.
„G30 would be great“ Who are your customers? We deliver mainly to private customers – but also to businesses and the catering trade. All of our customers appreciate the security of supply and our high quality service. Customers can either pick up the material themselves or have it delivered as part of the convenient and clean service we offer. What do you like about the new Chippo 5010? The chipper is unrivalled when it comes to material quality. The bulkiness is great and discharge via the conveyor belt minimises the fine fraction not required in the small plants run by our customers. Is there anything else you would like to see the machine technology offer? It would be great if the machine could generate even finer G30 material of the same quality. This is most certainly what private customers need. Perhaps the developers at Komptech can come up with something. 6
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ustria must increase the percentage of renewable energy sources relative to the total energy supply to 34% by 2020. This is according to the new European Union directive. Whilst most federal states and special interest groups dismiss this goal as unachievable, some are working towards achieving this goal instead of complaining. Amongst them are the Styrian Chamber of Agriculture and the Forestry Association who are looking to make a considerable contribution towards increasing renewables with their “Regional Biomass Plants” project.
“The idea is to establish a collaborative, rural marketing channel with biomass fuels and energy services“, says Christian Metschina, Project Leader at the Styrian Chamber of Agriculture, outlining the project. Farmers from each region provide the raw materials processed in the biomass plants – the importing of raw materials is a definite “no”. This way the main product lines (split logs and forest wood residue) should establish a second supply channel, securing supply in the long term. The potential for biomass plants to sell wood pellets is also a consideration. In the past, wood pellets have been
ahead towards 2020
subject to major price fluctuations due to significant changes in the product range at short notice. “We are essentially looking to have at least one biomass plant in every political district in Styria“, says Metschina, venturing a look into the future. Four biomass plants are already in operation and five others are in the definitive planning stage. There is a strong upward trend. “We want to communicate to customers that the supply to a new biomass heating plant is secure in the long term and that investment in a new plant pays off“, says Metschina,
referring to the long-term effect of the project and emphasising the service and customer orientation of the biomass plants. All this saves a huge amount of CO2 emissions from the incineration of fossil fuels and also contributes towards the continual increase in renewable energy sources as a percentage of total energy supply. Furthermore, a high number of jobs will be secured as a result of the growth in ancillary industries in the region. Metschina emphasises the objective: “The intention is to use this project to position Styria as a pioneer in heat
Christian Metschina is an instructor in Energy and Biomass at the Styrian Chamber of Agriculture and Project Leader for the “regional biomass plants”.
generation from biofuels“. And we are certainly well on the way to achieving this goal.
Publisher: Komptech GmbH Kühau 37 A-8130 Frohnleiten T +43 3126 505 - 0 F +43 3126 505 - 505 info@komptech.com www.komptech.com Editors: Andreas Kunter, Joachim Hirtenfellner Layout & graphics: Alexandra Gaugl Photos: Komptech GmbH, Alexandra Gaugl Frequency of appearance: periodically
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Komptech challenges operators to duel.
According to Josef Heissenberger, the boss of Komptech, no chipper makes better-looking wood chips than the Chippo from Komptech. And he adds, “No chipper can generate more business than the Chippo because you simply get more for better-looking wood chips�. And how does he intend to prove this? He is on the lookout for five professionals who want to take up the duel. If he loses, he will work for the winner for a week at no cost. Will you take up the challenge? Please refer to www.komptech.com for the conditions of the duel.
Technology for a better environment
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