Big and powerful
STIHL has offered the world’s most powerful series-production chainsaw for over 30 years, in the form of the STIHL MS 880. Then the EU 5 emissions standard arrived and meant the requirements for the saw had to change: A new powertrain was needed. Developers and engineers from more than 25 departments at STIHL set to work. The result is a professional chainsaw that is second to none worldwide: The STIHL MS 881.
One step at a time
The first step in the project was a precise inventory: Which components can be retained? Which need to be adapted or completely replaced? Reduced-scope testing illuminated dark spots. But it didn’t stop there. The design of the new saw posed challenges for everyone involved: Many of the series-production components, such as the handle, shroud and filter cover, lacked 3D models, and special tools for manufacturing the plastic parts were also only available as old 2D ink drawings.
“Because the design of the old tools was often not fully known, we had to produce new CAD models for some parts. Creating the corresponding 3D data records based on ink drawings was an unusual challenge for us all,” explains Daniel Martin, Design and Project Management. But the hard work paid off: The first concept prototypes were already within the target range in terms of performance and the targeted exhaust emission values. Things could start moving. After two years of development and thorough testing, the machine was released to the market in September 2020.
The result: True power
Thanks to its new design, the STIHL MS 881 is not only the most powerful chainsaw in the world, it is also the only one in its performance class to meet the requirements of the current EU emissions standard. Professionals are particularly pleased with this, as the machine is often used in mobile sawmills and for harvesting thick timber. Felix Mohr, Series Launch Planning, remembers that collaboration between everyone involved at STIHL was also fantastic: “It was only possible to implement a project like this in such a short time because we always supported each other and tackled difficult tasks together.”
What’s new?
The chainsaw can only meet the strict requirements of the European EU5 emissions standard by means of an advanced powertrain with stratified scavenging system. Both the piston and cylinder on the STIHL MS 880 had to be replaced to make this possible. “In addition to the drive, we have also optimized many other components that have further improved the performance and handling of the STIHL MS 881. This work meant our gem of a product proved itself in worldwide testing from day one,” explains Dr. Ricardo Hojczyk, Testing Coordination. That’s why the STIHL MS 881 comes with a total of 50 new components.
The minds behind a large team of successful saws
The MS 881 chainsaw development team includes (from left): Daniel Martin, Design and Project Management; Igor Baschlykov, Product Manager; Daniel Diepolder, Functional Engine Design Development and Dr. Ricardo Hojczyk, Testing Coordination.
But it did not just involve the STIHL site in Waiblingen. The MS 881 is the result of close international collaboration.
The STIHL sites involved
| Site | Task |
| Germany Plant 1 (Waiblingen) | Production of crankshaft and connecting rod |
| Germany Plant 2 (Waiblingen) | Development, coordination, production, plastics center, pre-assembly |
| Germany Plant 3 (Tengen) | Production of handles |
| Germany Plant 4 (Weinsheim) | Production of die-cast parts |
| Germany Plant 6 (Waiblingen) | Final assembly, pre-assembly, scheduling, quality assurance |
| Germany Plant 7 (Ludwigsburg) | Packing |
| Germany Plant 8 (Fellbach) | Product management, controlling |
| Brazil (São Leopoldo) | Cylinder production |
| China (Qingdao) | Oil pump assembly |
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