Introduction
Currently, there is a significant technological gap between the level of mechanisation in forest nurseries and the field. While various mechanised and semi-autonomous equipment are developed for planting and irrigating seedlings in the field, the production processes in nurseries are still almost entirely manual. To increase the level of mechanisation in nurseries and consequently improve the quality of the seedlings produced, PCMAF is conducting an innovative project - Cooperative Program on Forest Mechanization and Automation, belonging to the Institute of Forest Research and Studies (IPEF), in partnership with ISO Group, now TTA X ISO after the merger of the two companies.
Scope
At the request of TTA x ISO, the project's main objective is the development of an automatic cutting planter - STF Cutting Planter Machine and an automatic forest seedling selector. The secondary objectives include:
• Greater standardisation of the seedlings produced.
• Increase the quality of the seedlings.
• Increased productivity in the processes of cutting and selecting seedlings.
To achieve these objectives, it is necessary to evaluate the operational performance of the machines, list opportunities for improvements based on the evaluation results, monitor all activities from the reception of the machines at IPEF, conduct operational training and basic maintenance, prepare monthly and final reports, and organise events for potential parties interested in the technology. The STF Cutting Planter was installed at IPEF headquarters, and the automatic selector will arrive in Brazil in the second half of 2025. The cutting planter is monitored daily by a postgraduate fellow responsible for data collection and processing, report preparation, and preventive maintenance. In addition to this accountable person, the IPEF nursery has a technician who assists the fellow.
Field Day - Demonstration of the Cutting Planter
PCMAF-IPEF held a Field Day demonstrating the automatic cutting planter - STF Cutting Planter Machine. The event gathered approximately 110 participants, including representatives from forestry companies, seedling producers, university professors and students, industrial automation companies, and suppliers of nursery inputs. The program featured technical lectures that addressed substrates, fertigation, perspectives of industrial automation, and the operational advances achieved with the machine in recent months, resulting from adaptations and tests. The demonstration of the STF Cutting Planter Machine highlighted the technology, reinforcing the potential of automation in increasing productivity and standardizing the seedling production process.
