Tracks in the forest

Olofsfors is a privatety family owned company in the north of Sweden that since 1762 been working on different iron products like scraper steels. The latest product is bogie tracks (EcoTracks) which today is a major product, hardened in a special way, and sold around the world and even copied. In this book professor emeritus Iwan Wästerlund and Marketing director for forestry tools, Gunnar Bygdén, summarizes a number of studies and speaches presented around the world from track development to decreasing soil damage. Bogie is common on forestry machines with two wheels mounted in pairs on a bogie frame with driven wheels to improve traction. First mission was to get traction in snow/icy conditions. Today bearing capacity is most important and with the tracks running on top of the wheel soil damages is minimized. From being needed for work in snowy conditions, EcoTracks are now proven to work well on both soft ground as well as on gravel roads. Planning according to soil conditions is also needed.

Autorentext

Professor in forest technology at SLU, Umeå, Sweden (1995-2011). Dr. in forest technology, President ISTVS (International Society for Terrain-vehicle Systems) 95-98; CEO at Olasgarden Forest & Roads.