Forest harvesters like the Ponsse Scorpion are extremely complex vehicles, which makes them a true challenge to operate. Crucial to their controllability is the driver’s cabin, which constitutes the brain of this machine, so to speak. Accordingly, a lot of time was devoted to redesigning the new Ponsse Scorpion cabin. The aim was to create a more ergonomic and pleasant working environment for the operators, who in some cases spend up to twelve hours in the cabin without interruption. In order to develop a thorough understanding of the effort and strain involved in operating forest harvesters, in-depth interviews with operators as well as workshops were held. One of the most obvious adaptations is the new one-piece windscreen that extends to the cabin roof. It offers unimpeded views in all directions, which both relieves the driver’s spine and muscles and increases overall safety. The more spacious driver’s cabin has an intuitive user interface that provides critical information at a glance and assists the operator in complex machine setups. The control unit lowers the cognitive load of harvester operators and thus lets them focus more efficiently on the task at hand. Additional comfort is provided by an ergonomic seat, soft surfaces and a small table surface and lunch area that is revealed when swivelling the seat. With its clear waistline, the exterior appearance of the forest harvester conveys easy manoeuvrability and a sense of lightness and grace that are surprising for a machine of this size.
Statement by the Jury
The striking separation of the rear and front machine parts not only lends this forest harvester a high recognition value but it also conveys its easy manoeuvrability in an impressive manner. Particularly convincing about this harvester is the user-oriented, ergonomically optimised driver’s cabin design, which delivers an all-round view and boasts design details that manifest the goal to make work for operators as easy and efficient as possible.
