Generally, a working excavator has only one directional bucket tilting angle, which is up-forward. However, side direction rotation of the bucket would allow variety of working output. We designed a hydraulic rotary actuator comprising a double rod hydraulic cylinder with a rack-pinion gear set for use in excavator bucket with side tilting mechanism, thus converting the linear to angular motion. The proposed side tilting rotary actuator was designed with parts suitable for medium size of heavy duty excavator. These mechanical parts were inexpensive to purchase and the manufacturing cost was reasonable. The proposed mechanism is potentially useful for excavator with variety of working output.

The best method of measuring wood diameter is a contact-type device: however, obtaining an accurate result can be problematic under certain circumstances. In this study, we used a laser beam and a CCD camera that did not require contact with wood. The wood is illuminated by the laser beam, and the CCD camera captures this illumination. The measurement results were determined by processing of the captured image sequences. This paper explains the use of image processing and laser systems for measurement of wood under circumstances in which physical contact is impossible.