When you need a brush chipper that can help you efficiently load the chip truck and optimize crew productivity, look to the Vermeer AX17 brush chipper. Its impressive chip-throwing capability makes it stand out, with a chip velocity that places it among the fastest in its size class.
The faster the wood chip is thrown, the more momentum it has and the farther it travels. This is critical when you’re chipping into the back of a chip truck. “The boxes on the trucks continue to grow, and we need to throw the chips farther to the back of the box to fill the back corners,” said Josh Vrieze, senior product manager for Vermeer environmental equipment. “If you have a chipper throwing the chips at too low of velocity, the back corners do not get filled.”
Every inch (centimeter) of space needs to be filled to maximize the load. “The challenge is to fill the top 3 inches (7.63 cm) of the chip truck,” said Cole Chesnut, application specialist for Vermeer environmental equipment. “You must be able to throw hard and fast to fill those hard-to-reach areas.”
Fast rotor speed
The design of the drum and rotor gives the Vermeer AX17 brush chipper its chip-throwing capability. “To get higher drum rotor speed, we went to a two-knife design and spin the drum almost twice as fast as the drum on a brush chipper with four-knives. That’s how we get the velocity tree care professionals desire,” said Vrieze.
The advantages of the two-knife design extend beyond additional chip velocity. “You only have two knives to maintain instead of four, so when it comes time to sharpen the knives, there are only two that need to be removed from the drum,” said Vrieze.
Maximized fill rates
“When you throw chips faster, they pack a little tighter,” said Vrieze. “It really boils down to being able to fit more chips within the back of that chip truck. As these trucks continue to grow, you can use that extra space.”
More chips per load mean fewer trips per day. “You may minimize your loads using the higher chip speed, which translates into fuel and labor savings,” said Vrieze. “Fewer trips to dump equate to less time the crew spends waiting for the chip truck. If you can go from five trips a day to four trips a day with the chip truck, there is a huge opportunity to maximize productivity.”
Having fewer truckloads is also a benefit for jobs where the arborist pays a tipping fee to dispose of chips. Many landfill facilities charge per truckload to dispose of chips. More efficient chip-truck loading can minimize the total amount paid for tipping fees.
Minimized chute plugging
Faster chip speeds can minimize the likelihood of plugs in the chute. Some types of material pose more of a challenge for brush chippers. “Very dry material may plug the chute,” noted Chesnut. “It does not produce a uniform chip. Instead, it tends to create a puffy material the chipper must power through with increased chip velocity.”
“This is where the Vermeer AX17 brush chipper shines,” said Chesnut. “This is critical with ash trees that must be removed, which account for a large volume of available work.”
Find out more about what the Vermeer AX17 brush chipper can do for you. See it in action and contact your local Vermeer dealer for more information.
Vermeer Corporation reserves the right to make changes in engineering, design and specifications; add improvements; or discontinue manufacturing at any time without notice or obligation. Equipment shown is for illustrative purposes only and may display optional accessories or components specific to their global region. Please contact your local Vermeer dealer for more information on machine specifications.
Vermeer and the Vermeer logo are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the U.S. and/or other countries. © 2022 Vermeer Corporation. All Rights Reserved.