FPS has worked with Nelson engineering firm Trinder Engineers on a number of hydraulics solutions for the forestry industry that make harvesting trees easier and safer.

In addition to FPS’ customised hydraulics solution for felling trees on 45 degree slopes - the ClimbMAX Steep Slope Harvester, FPS and Trinder Engineers together design and build hydraulic and control systems for felling heads and grapples.

FPS customises the hydraulics for the saw and builds a control system that the machine operator can use to easily make clean, square cuts when felling and trimming. The tree felling heads can fell trees and shovel logs with ease and speed. The head has a maximum opening of 1.7 metres and can clamp down with 11 tonnes of force.

The universal grapple has 220 degrees of swing and a 36-inch saw.  When the felling head is clamped down securely on a log, the hydraulics control system identifies the log is ready for cutting and the fluid-powered saw cuts cleanly and squarely every time.

Our longstanding relationship with Trinder Engineers to build these felling heads has led to a contract with Waratah to apply this innovative design to the Waratah FL-95, a heavy duty directional felling head that is specifically designed for steep slope felling, handling over-sized timber, and high production shovel logging. The Trinder Engineers steep slope specific tilt design has a fully retractable saw box and a 62-inch (1580mm) grapple opening.