A great success for WESTTECH at Agritechnica and the Woodcracker® DEMO DAY
For the Video of theWoodcracker® DEMO DAY – cklick here!
Under the theme “Green Productivity,” Agritechnica – the world’s leading trade fair for agricultural machinery – took place from November 12th to 18th, 2023, in Hannover, Germany. Over 470,000 visitors flocked to the exhibition grounds during this time to see the showcased innovations and novelties.
The highlight was the new flagship among the felling grapples: the Woodcracker® C650! This treeshear, presented for the first time, stands out with a very high cutting diameter of up to 70cm. Due to this impressively large cutting diameter, the rest of the machine was also designed to handle the corresponding weight of the cut material. The bolt bearings were built very high-quality and strong, and the gripping force of the 3-finger gripper was significantly increased. The entire felling grapple is made of robust and wear-resistant Hardox® steel, and the body is primed with KTL – according to the standard commonly used in the automotive industry. A powder coating is then baked onto the primer, ideal for outdoor use. The carrier vehicle must have a service weight of 28 to 40 tons, considering the Woodcracker® C650‘s weight of over 3 tons. Only two double-acting control circuits are required for all options.
A new wood gripper, the Woodgripper WG1720, was also introduced. This gripper has an opening width of up to 172cm and is made of high-strength Hardox® steel. For rigid mounting, the carrier vehicle should have a service weight of 15 to 28 tons. Like the entire product portfolio, this machine is also built extra robust, primed with KTL, and painted with powder coating. The areas of application for this wood gripper are very versatile, including collecting, loading, or manipulating tree trunks, branches, or brushwood.
Another novelty at Agritechnica was the smaller version of the grapple saw for excavator mounting: the Woodcracker® CS545 compact. This machine was designed for carrier vehicles with a service weight of 8 to 15 tons and a cutting diameter of 54cm. The weight ranges from 610 to 780 kg, depending on the equipment. The heart of the saw is also the saw box. It is actively spring-loaded and suspended to prevent bending of the saw blade under high force. The saw chain is lubricated with grease. Compared to oil lubrication, there is no oil mist, which causes contamination of the driver’s cabin. Additionally, the grease remains on the chain much longer, making it more economical and long-lasting. Another outstanding feature of the saw chain is the automatic chain tensioner. This ensures the correct tension of the saw chain at all times, regardless of whether the machine is just starting or has been in operation for several hours. Therefore, the work process is not interrupted by a jumping chain. Since Agritechnica is an indoor trade fair and the machines were only statically exhibited, Westtech organized a Demo Day shortly after the fair, where all the new machines were demonstrated live and in action.
This took place on November 30th in Knüllwald, Hesse, Germany. Despite frosty temperatures and plenty of snow, the demo attracted numerous customers and interested parties. Not only were the machines newly introduced at Agritechnica demonstrated, but others were also showcased. The large grapple saw Woodcracker® CS780 was on-site, presenting itself in the revised version. This machine is the largest grapple saw in the Westtech product portfolio with a cutting diameter of 75cm and a weight of 1670kg. Here too, the saw box is actively spring-loaded, and the saw chain is always properly tensioned thanks to the automatic chain tensioner. Of course, the new large tree shear Woodcracker® C650 was also present, astonishing the audience.
Another special visitor highlight was the Fellertruck. The Fellertruck is a complete concept consisting of a truck with a crane, to which a Woodcracker® CS Manipulator is attached to fell trees with the highest possible reach. In addition, setup times are minimized because the truck has road approval and can quickly move from one construction site to another. The variable supports enable compact work, allowing work on one lane without disrupting traffic. The Fellertruck can safely remove trees in sections. It is also used for special tree felling in urban areas or settlements or for maintenance measures along roads and routes. The truck is off-road capable due to various possible all-wheel concepts and offers various assembly options for the crane. This ensures that there is something for every need. Westtech offers two different manipulators to choose from. The Woodcracker® CS600 Manipulator has a cutting diameter of 60cm and a weight of 760 – 780 kg. It is suitable for cranes from 35 mto. The recommended liter output here is 50 – 90 l/min, and the recommended operating pressure is 230 – 300 bar. The larger one is the Woodcracker® CS750 Manipulator with a cutting diameter of 75cm and a weight of 1100 – 1250 kg. The recommended liter output is 65 – 110 l/min, and the recommended operating pressure is 230 – 280 bar. This manipulator is suitable for cranes from 58 mto. The Woodcracker® Demo Day was characterized by interesting conversations and many questions about the new machines.
Thanks to all visitors and thanks to everyone who helped!
