Design and manufacturing of hydraulic jaw tree pruning apparatus prototype

In this study, it was aimed to design and manufacture a hydraulic jaw pruning apparatus prototype that can be used with mobile cranes to ensure the safety of workers and third parties and to perform pruning in a shorter time by taking into account occupational safety and health risks, socio-technical system reliability and environmental risks. The pruning apparatus consists of a movable jaw, a chain saw to perform the cut, a motor that allows the saw to rotate, the pneumatic pistons that allow the saw to open and close, and the 90° movement of the jaw, and a rotator that allows the apparatus to rotate around its axis.. Since the vertical and horizontal position of the tree branch, which is thought to be cut, is unknown, it can rotate 360° on its axis and 90° on vertical. Pneumatic equipment in the whole platform is controlled by the Electro Magnetic Valve center. The control system is managed by RF (Radio Frequency). In functional trials, it has been observed that the apparatus can perform the expected functional movements. Due to the design constraints of the apparatus, it has been determined that it successfully performs the capture and cutting operations in representative tree branches up to a maximum diameter of 120 mm. Key Words: Pruning, Automation, Work and Safety, Design, Prototype.