Paul Hicks, product and marketing manager at Stihl GB, discusses some of the latest technology advancements that can offer a helping hand to tree-care professionals.
THE challenges faced by forestry and arb professionals are vast and grow more complex with each passing year. Whether it’s looking at how to minimise their impact on the environment, what tools to run in their machinery fleet or what volume of tools they need to run their business as efficiently as possible, professional users have a lot of choices to make regarding how they go about their jobs.
One of the biggest advancements of recent years has been the development and use of battery-powered tools, which are without doubt becoming more prevalent within the industry. In addition to reduced vibration and low maintenance requirements, battery technology also produces no carbon emissions at the operator level, which provides them with a greener way of operating. It’s no surprise that professionals in the sector have sustainability at the forefront of their minds, particularly in light of the UK’s continued enforcement of stringent engine emissions standards.
THE BENEFITS OF BATTERY
When comparing battery-powered tools to petrol or diesel fuel engines, the challenge of power and performance has been debated for many years. However, recent advancements in battery technology have allowed manufacturers to create batteries that can power chainsaws to the same performance as petrol machines, providing foresters with a genuine alternative option that offers power, performance and comfort.
For example, Stihl’s latest MSA 300 battery chainsaw combined with the AP 500 S battery with flat laminate cells offers more energy density and power output than previous batteries, resulting in the equivalent cutting performance to the MS 261 C-M petrol chainsaw. With good battery management and charging routines, battery -powered tools can fit nicely into a tree-care professional’s fleet when used for the right jobs, such as selective felling and thinning of areas. The battery can also be used in other machines (such as hedge and grass trimmers) to get greater working times.
Battery technology has many advantages, including reduced vibration as there’s no need to start them up like you do with a petrol model, plus reduced noise too. Many people associate arborists and forestry professionals with the loud noise of operating equipment.
And when teams need to communicate over the noise, this can become more difficult for experts to handle. In this instance, battery-powered equipment is advantageous.
There are also huge maintenance benefits to be gained through the use of cordless technology. A battery-powered system keeps things very simple and removes the possibility of significant machine downtime that can occur on petrol or diesel engines through servicing or general wear and tear. With battery technology, there are fewer components to go wrong – all you need to do is make sure the batteries are fully charged and in the case of a chainsaw, there’s chain oil
in the tank.
In addition, for professional users who doubt the power of cordless technology, manufacturers such as Stihl have developed an intelligent battery management system where the control module constantly varies the current to compensate for the drop in voltage as the battery is run down. This ensures the available power is constant and will not drop as the battery gets low – it has the same power if the battery is 100-per-cent charged or 1-per-cent charged. In other words, you can say that it performs just like a petrol product; it has 100-per-cent power when the tank is full, right up until the point at which it runs dry.
This interchangeable battery design also helps reduce storage, eradicating the need to store and use costly petrol. With fuel prices ever on the increase, users are feeling the financial impact of a constant need for petrol, whereas with battery power this is less of a concern as a full charge costs a matter of pence, not pounds.
DATA-DRIVEN INSIGHTS
Technology can help greatly with the everyday management of your tool fleet and give you a way to collect valuable data to help organise your management, maintenance and purchasing of new tools.
The latest fleet-management systems ensure professional users can now access more machinery data than ever before. From the last connected location of each machine and operational data, through to more transparency of maintenance requirements, forestry workers can now have clear sight of all the key performance areas of their machinery fleet and put plans in place to make sure they get the most out of each tool for as long as possible.
Recognising the opportunity for smarter tool maintenance within the industry and battery tools, Stihl launched its own fleet management system, Stihl Connected, which is specifically designed for professional fleet managers and small business owners, providing a detailed overview of key power tool data via a portal and an app in order to enhance maintenance programmes and fleet management efficiencies. The Stihl Connected system is compatible with non-Stihl machines, so users can reap the benefits of enhanced tool management even if they have a mixed fleet.
The new Stihl Smart Connector 2 A is compatible with the latest MSA 300 chainsaw, plugging directly into the control module to collect valuable data such as run time and operating speed history, providing additional information such as working speeds, temperatures and fault messages too. Smart Connector 2 A works perfectly alongside the standard Smart Connectors as part of the same management system.
BETTER COMMUNICATION
Stihl has also recently launched the new ProCOM ear defenders, which allow up to 16 users to connect seamlessly over vast distances: up to 600 m between each user via the latest Bluetooth technology. Additional connectivity to the phone lets users stream music, take calls or listen to the radio, although any messages from colleagues who want to communicate or warn you about something are prioritised. These smart ear defenders also have a long battery life, are comfortable to wear and even have an ambient mode so you can hear the outside world when you’re not using machinery.
READ MORE: Stihl Pro press event: Spotlight shines on MSA 300, MS 881 and Smart Connector 2 A
Technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace and is helping to transform the arboriculture and forestry industry as we know it. From a focus on sustainability and enhancing machinery performance, it’s important that professional users continue to embrace the latest technological advancements that enable new and improved ways of managing and monitoring the key areas of their job and make working life simpler.
www.stihl.co.uk
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