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Articles by Jussi Manner

Category : Editorial

article id 10542, category Editorial
Jussi Manner. (2021). What is (not) an operator effect in forest work science? Silva Fennica vol. 55 no. 1 article id 10542. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.10542
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Category : Research article

article id 10663, category Research article
Back Tomas Ersson, Lars-Göran Sundblad, Jussi Manner. (2022). Cost analysis of seedling supply systems adapted for mechanized tree planting: a case study from southern Sweden. Silva Fennica vol. 56 no. 2 article id 10663. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.10663
Keywords: logistics; silviculture; reforestation; tree planting machine; containerized seedling; seedling handling; system analysis
Highlights: The total cost of cardboard box concepts that increase the productivity of tree planting machines is higher than of the cultivation tray system (5–49% in the basic scenario); Increasing the boxes’ packing densities and/or the planting machines’ hourly cost increases the boxes’ cost-competitiveness; Packing density is a key factor in achieving highly cost-efficient seedling supply systems for mechanized tree planting.
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Because today’s tree planting machines do a good job silviculturally, the Nordic forest sector is interested in finding ways to increase the planting machines’ productivity. Faster seedling reloading increases machine productivity, but that solution might require investments in specially designed seedling packaging. The objective of our study was to compare the cost-efficiency of cardboard box concepts that increase the productivity of tree planting machines with that of today’s two most common seedling packaging systems in southern Sweden. We modelled the total cost of these five different seedling packaging systems using data from numerous sources including manufacturers, nurseries, contractors, and forest companies. Under these southern Swedish conditions, the total cost of cardboard box concepts that increase the productivity of intermittently advancing tree planting machines was higher than the cost of the cultivation tray system (5–49% in the basic scenario). However, the conceptual packaging system named ManBox_fast did show promise, especially with increasing primary transport distances and increased planting machine productivities and hourly costs. Thus, our results show that high seedling packing density is of fundamental importance for cost-efficiency of cardboard box systems designed for mechanized tree planting. Our results also illustrate how different factors in the seedling supply chain affect the cost-efficiency of tree planting machines. Consequently, our results underscore that the key development factor for mechanized tree planting in the Nordic countries is the development of cost-efficient seedling handling systems between nurseries and planting machines.

  • Ersson, SLU, School of Forest Management, SE-739 21 Skinnskatteberg, Sweden ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2442-7482 E-mail: back.tomas.ersson@slu.se (email)
  • Sundblad, Skogforsk, Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden E-mail: lars-goran.sundblad@skogforsk.se
  • Manner, Skogforsk, Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4982-3855 E-mail: jussi.manner@skogforsk.se
article id 10161, category Research article
Jussi Manner, Anders Mörk, Martin Englund. (2019). Comparing forwarder boom-control systems based on an automatically recorded follow-up dataset. Silva Fennica vol. 53 no. 2 article id 10161. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.10161
Keywords: automation; cut-to-length logging; haulage; crane work; extraction; boom-tip control
Highlights: Boom-tip control saves time compared to the conventional system; This study introduced a field-study design enabling establishment of causal relationships during ordinary forwarding operations; Although the study design requires some extra arrangements, it efficiently combines the representativeness of conventional follow-up datasets with establishment of causal relationships that traditionally have been possible only through observational time studies or standardized experiments.
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Crane work is the most time-consuming work element in forwarding. Hence, assist systems like boom-tip control are of interest. The first commercially available boom-tip control for forwarders was introduced in 2013. In this study we analysed whether replacing conventional boom control (CBC) with John Deere’s version of boom-tip control (named Intelligent Boom Control, IBC), increases crane-work productivity. We used data automatically gathered from 10 final-felling stands, covering typical logging conditions for southern, central and northern Sweden. Two John Deere 1510E and two John Deere 1910G forwarders were operated by seven experienced operators during the follow-up study, covering 1238 loads in total. A split-plot design was applied to isolate effects of the boom-control system being used (CBC, IBC). We found that using IBC for loading work (crane work and driving included) saved 5.2% of productive machine time compared to using CBC (p ≤ 0.05). The corresponding saving when using IBC for unloading work was 7.9% (p ≤ 0.05). Depending on geophysical factors, this corresponds to approximately 4% savings in productive machine time for forwarding as a whole, including pure transport (with and without load). Moreover, the study introduced in cut-to-length context a novel field-study design to collect a large follow-up dataset in the course of ordinary forwarding operations. We found the study design to be a cost-efficient way to combine the representativeness of conventional follow-up datasets with the ability to establish causal relationships. Establishment of causal relationships has traditionally been possible only through observational time studies or standardized experiments.

  • Manner, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk), Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4982-3855 E-mail: jussi.manner@skogforsk.se (email)
  • Mörk, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk), Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden E-mail: anders.mork@skogforsk.se
  • Englund, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk), Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden E-mail: martin.englund@skogforsk.se
article id 1546, category Research article
Jussi Manner, Lauri Palmroth, Tomas Nordfjell, Ola Lindroos. (2016). Load level forwarding work element analysis based on automatic follow-up data. Silva Fennica vol. 50 no. 3 article id 1546. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1546
Keywords: harvesting; cut-to-length logging; haulage; data gathering; automatic recording; classification algorithm; Hidden Markov Models
Highlights: Recent developments in on-board technology enables automatic collection of follow-up data on forwarder work; Time consumption per load was more strongly associated with Loading drive distance than with extraction distance, indicating that the relevance of extraction distance as a main indicator of forwarding productivity should be re-considered; Data, within variables, were positively skewed with a few exceptions with normal distributions.
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Recent developments in on-board technology have enabled automatic collection of follow-up data on forwarder work. The objective of this study was to exploit this possibility to obtain highly representative information on time consumption of specific work elements (including overlapping crane work and driving), with one load as unit of observation, for large forwarders in final felling operations. The data used were collected by the John Deere TimberLink system as nine operators forwarded 8868 loads, in total, at sites in mid-Sweden. Load-sizes were not available. For the average and median extraction distances (219 and 174 m, respectively), Loading, Unloading, Driving empty, Driving loaded and Other time effective work (PM) accounted for ca. 45, 19, 8.5, 7.5 and 14% of total forwarding time consumption, respectively. The average and median total time consumptions were 45.8 and 42.1 minutes/load, respectively. The developed models explained large proportions of the variation of time consumption for the work elements Driving empty and Driving loaded, but minor proportions for the work elements Loading and Unloading. Based on the means, the crane was used during 74.8% of Loading PM time, the driving speed was nonzero during 31.9% of the Loading PM time, and Simultaneous crane work and driving occurred during 6.7% of the Loading PM time. Time consumption per load was more strongly associated with Loading drive distance than with extraction distance, indicating that the relevance of extraction distance as a main indicator of forwarding productivity should be re-considered.

  • Manner, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk), Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden E-mail: jussi.manner@skogforsk.se (email)
  • Palmroth, John Deere Forestry, P.O. Box 472, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland E-mail: PalmrothLauri@JohnDeere.com
  • Nordfjell, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: tomas.nordfjell@slu.se
  • Lindroos, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: ola.lindroos@slu.se
article id 1030, category Research article
Jussi Manner, Tomas Nordfjell, Ola Lindroos. (2013). Effects of the number of assortments and log concentration on time consumption for forwarding. Silva Fennica vol. 47 no. 4 article id 1030. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1030
Keywords: productivity; time study; forest haulage; forwarders; cut-to-length logging; log extraction; terrain transport
Highlights: We analysed the effects of total and forwarded log concentrations (m3 (100 m)–1) and the number of loaded assortments on forwarding; The combination of the number of loaded assortments and their abundance (i.e. forwarded log concentration) affected time consumption most; This knowledge enables improved efficiency by optimizing number and assortment proportions in the various loads required to forward a stand.
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Forwarding has been carried out for 50 years, but much is still unknown about this work. Its complexity comes from both stand features and essential decision-making. Forwarding time consumption is influenced by e.g. log concentrations and number of assortments. Traditionally, focus has been on the total log concentration (TLC), referring to all logs at the harvesting site. However, we focused on forwarded log concentration (FLC), the load-specific log concentration which depends on the assortment distribution at harvesting site and the load-specific number of assortments. To evaluate the effects of TLC, number of assortments in a load and FLC on the loading and unloading times, a standardized field experiment was carried out. Pile and load sizes were constant, while TLC and FLC were manipulated by varying the pile distribution on the test path. For all work elements, the time consumption per m3 was significantly affected by the number of assortments that were loaded, but only the “driving while loading” work element was also significantly influenced by TLC. However, when untangling the intercorrelation between tested factors, it was found that the time consumption for driving while loading significantly decreased as a function of FLC and was unaffected by the number of assortments in a load. That FLC influences the forwarding time consumption highlights the need to study the effects of combining various assortment proportions in a load. Such knowledge will enable analysis of the most efficient number and assortment proportions to combine in the various loads required to forward a given stand.
  • Manner, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Biomaterial and Technology, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: jussi.manner@slu.se (email)
  • Nordfjell, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Biomaterial and Technology, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: tomas.nordfjell@slu.se
  • Lindroos, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Biomaterial and Technology, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: ola.lindroos@slu.se

Category : Research note

article id 1717, category Research note
Jussi Manner, Olle Gelin, Anders Mörk, Martin Englund. (2017). Forwarder crane’s boom tip control system and beginner-level operators. Silva Fennica vol. 51 no. 2 article id 1717. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1717
Keywords: productivity; automation; cut-to-length logging; haulage; crane work; extraction; learning curve
Highlights: Boom tip control (BTC) allows the operator to control boom tip movements directly, instead of controlling each movement separately to achieve the desired boom tip movement; BTC eased boom control, so beginner-level operators using BTC achieved higher productivity than beginner-level operators using a conventional (reference) system; There were no significant differences in the slopes of learning curves between the systems.
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The forwarder loads processed wood and transports it to a landing. Productivity of forwarding could be improved by increasing driving speed, but difficult forest terrain limits this. According to current literature, crane work is the most time-consuming work element of forwarding, so improving crane work productivity is essential for improving forwarding productivity. One way to do this is through automation of recurrent boom movement patterns, or alternatively automation can be used to ease crane work. When using conventional boom control (CBC), the operator manually controls each of the independent boom joint movements and combines them to achieve a desired boom tip movement, but boom tip control (BTC) allows the operator to control boom tip movements directly. The objective of the present study was to examine whether BTC facilitates crane work and affects the slopes of learning curves for beginner-level forwarder operators. The study was carried out using a standardised test routine to evaluate effects of two fixed factors, system (levels: CBC, BTC) and point of time (four levels), on five dependent variables. Four of the five dependent variables measured ease of boom control and the fifth measured crane work productivity. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the slopes of learning curves between the systems but the BTC did increase crane work productivity and made boom control easier.

  • Manner, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk), Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4982-3855 E-mail: jussi.manner@skogforsk.se (email)
  • Gelin, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk), Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden E-mail: olle.gelin@skogforsk.se
  • Mörk, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk), Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden E-mail: anders.mork@skogforsk.se
  • Englund, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk), Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden E-mail: martin.englund@skogforsk.se

Category : Discussion article

article id 24004, category Discussion article
Jussi Manner. (2024). Automatic work-element detection: the missing piece in developing intelligent coaching systems for cut-to-length logging machinery. Silva Fennica vol. 58 no. 1 article id 24004. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.24004
Keywords: forwarder; harvester; work method; operator effect; assistance system; instructor; trainer
Highlights: Next-generation logging systems will crucially impact the future demand for automatic data gathering and work guidance; Artificial intelligence emerges as a gamechanger, prompting re-evaluation of traditional approaches to automatically gather data, especially for forwarders; Industry-wide, interdisciplinary discussions are vital for charting alternative future paths for automatic data gathering and work guidance.
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The productivity of cut-to-length machine operators exhibits a significant disparity, with the most productive individuals demonstrating twice the efficiency of their less productive counterparts. This discrepancy is largely attributed to variations in work methods. While supervised training has proven effective in streamlining work methods and enhancing productivity, the availability of forest-machine instructors for supervision is limited. Intelligent coaching systems (ICS) are periodically proposed to address this constraint. ICS are computer-based aids that offer machine operators real-time feedback on their work and guide them on how to rationalize their work. The successful implementation of ICS initially requires the development of systems for automatic work-element detection (AWED). Therefore, this article explores the history, current status, and technological possibilities of AWED. Additionally, key features of ICS are briefly reviewed. Lastly, a broader, interdisciplinary discussion is initiated on how to strategically allocate limited research resources. Questions surrounding the feasible ambition level for ICS and AWED are raised, prompting considerations for the next steps in research and development.

article id 23053, category Discussion article
Back Tomas Ersson, Linnea Hansson, Jussi Manner, Per Sandström, Johan Sonesson. (2023). Forest management in northern Fennoscandia: the need for solutions that mitigate conflicts during forest regeneration and increase the use of continuous cover forestry. Silva Fennica vol. 57 no. 3 article id 23053. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.23053
Keywords: mechanical site preparation; reforestation; reindeer husbandry; indigenous rights; natural resources conflict; Sámi; Sápmi
Highlights: In Sápmi, increased use of continuous cover forestry (CCF) can reduce the frequent conflicts between forest industry and reindeer herding communities; Nordic forestry needs to develop new technical solutions for gentle and lichen-adapted mechanical site preparation during CCF in Sápmi; Such site preparation technology will promote pioneer tree species’ germination and growth, and increase the forest industry’s acceptance of CCF.
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Today, conflicts often occur in northern Fennoscandia (also known as Sápmi) between forestry and reindeer husbandry. Continuous cover forestry (CCF) is requested by both reindeer herding communities and the general public and is becoming more common, but the forest industry criticizes CCF for lower wood production. Mechanical site preparation (MSP) increases regeneration success and, thus, increases wood production in CCF. To reduce the conflict between forestry and reindeer husbandry, MSP in Sápmi should destroy as little ground lichen as possible. Today, there are no solutions for gentle and lichen-adapted MSP in CCF. Thus, there is a strong need to develop and test new technical solutions that increase regeneration success in a lichen-adapted way during CCF in Sápmi. We suggest that MSP solutions be developed which are gentle, work selectively and function in shelterwoods, gap cuts, and selection cutting stands. We envision that these solutions could fill the gap between the desired adaptivity on the part of the reindeer herding communities and the desired efficiency on the part of the forest industry. Such MSP technology would contribute to increased acceptance of CCF in the forest industry, higher biodiversity, and considerably reduce the conflict between forestry and reindeer herding communities.
  • Ersson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), School of Forest Management, SE-739 21 Skinnskatteberg, Sweden ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2442-7482 E-mail: back.tomas.ersson@slu.se
  • Hansson, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk), Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9788-1734 E-mail: linnea.hansson@skogforsk.se
  • Manner, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk), Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4982-3855 E-mail: jussi.manner@skogforsk.se
  • Sandström, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Department of Forest Resource Management, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0977-0071 E-mail: per.sandstrom@slu.se
  • Sonesson, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk), Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2018-7496 E-mail: johan.sonesson@skogforsk.se

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