FORESTRY contractors in the UK have begun taking delivery of the latest machines from Komatsu’s new 2020 range.

In June 2019, Komatsu Forest announced it was upgrading its complete range of forest machines with 6-cylinder engines. For the UK market, that comprises the 855, 875 and 895 forwarder models, and the 901XC, 931XC and 951 harvester models.

The new models started factory production around Christmas and now UK distributor Komatsu Forest Ltd has started delivering the first units.

All 2020 models share two common features: new diesel engine installations, which comply with the Stage V EU exhaust regulations; and a completely new control system, MaxiXT, which controls all functionality of the machine.

The new Stage V engines conform to the latest emissions legislation, with the addition of a new filter for smaller soot particles. Despite the larger engine installation, the machine retains its compact design, and offers good all-round visibility for the operator.

The engine has been equipped with hydraulic tappets, which eliminates the need for regular valve adjustments. The AdBlue system, which contributes to the low emissions, has been redesigned and the access for refilling on the forwarders has been improved. The refilling of diesel and oil has also been improved.

The new MaxiXT control system has been designed to be future-proof, with the capacity to handle even more sophisticated functions in the future.

The automatic central lubrication option is now integrated with MaxiXT, making it easy to monitor from the cab. Also, on harvesters the grease tank has been doubled in size, meaning less refilling for the operator.

MaxiXT offers improved anti-theft measures as the operator must log in to the system to start the machine, or else use a remote key with a unique operator ID. Yet another added feature is the ability to record signal sequences to send to support, for simpler and speedier troubleshooting.

It also offers a new electronic steering wheel, making machine steering easier and more relaxed than using the Orbitrol hydraulic steering system on previous models.

The forwarder models can be ordered with new options such as the SmartFlow smooth crane control, Speedshift fuel-efficient Hydrostatic transmission or an overspeed protection system for the powertrain.

The most significant improvement in performance will be found on the Komatsu 931XC harvester model, where the tractive force has been increased from 187 to 200 kN, which will be greatly beneficial in steep conditions.

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