Optimization of Maintenance Activity Using the World-Class Maintenance System in Skidder Forest Operations

The objective of this paper was to evaluate technical and economically the use of a world-class maintenance system (WCM) in the forest skidding operations. The study was performed in a forest company located in the state of Paraná, inside forest plantations of Pinus taeda and Eucalyptus grandis. For the purpose of analysis, the mechanical availability, hydraulic oil consumption, average time between failures, average repair time, proactive maintenance index and maintenance costs were evaluated during 18 months, considering the stages of implantation, maturation and stabilization of the WCM system. As a result, there was an increase in the percentage of mechanical availability and reduction of 47.0% in the consumption of hydraulic oil from Skidder in the maturation stage. Also, the average time between failures and repairs increased in the maturation stage, caused by a quality improvement of maintenance activities. Moreover, in the maturation stage there was an increase of 45.0% in the proactive maintenance index. Additionally, it was verified that the hourly maintenance cost was reduced by 8.0% between the maturation and stabilization stages, underlining the WCM system’s potential to improve maintenance activities in the forest skidding operation. These results show that the WCM system can contribute to safety in wood harvesting operations, increasing the Skidder mechanical availability and a reducing the production costs.