Technology in Farm Machinery Field

cowboydoc · Dec 18, 2003

You know the efficiency of an internal combustion engine/tractor is not higher than 30%.

If you're keeping up on your technology nomad you will know that Cat/Deere are years ahead of the automobile industry in developing hydrogen and other forms of powerplants. The Cat/Deere partnership in this is supposed to have this technology in tractors and heavy equipment 10 years before the automobile industry. I think they're looking ahead just fine.

RobS · Dec 18, 2003

Interesting discussion...

One major point that hasn't been brought up is that a piece of farm machinery is a tool and nothing more. Cars serve a function but are also largely purchased for style/status/image etc. Technology plays a much larger role in those kind of purchases than a utilitarian purchase.

I'll reiterate the weight issue brought up already. The auto industry spends huge sums on weight reduction through various technologies. Weight is a plus on a tractor so why spend money to eliminate it?

Same with safety technology. Cars get all sorts of active and passive technology targeting crashworthiness and occupant survival. Farm machinery certainly can be dangerous but not a lot of head on collisions out there in the corn fields.

What you don't see but is probably there is manufacturing technology. The ability to build a machine with less variation and/or with fewer operations results in higher quality and lower cost. Once again though, it is hard to compare to the auto industry due to the volume disparity.

In the end, the technology will be driven by the consumer demand. Tractor consumers, car consumers, computer consumers each have different needs and wants /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

slowrev · Dec 18, 2003

Nomad,
Not fully sure what you are asking/saying. However I like my tractors simple so that they do not break down so often and can be repaired easier/cheaper. I do not want a computer on my tractor. It might have Windows OS in it and I would have to stop and reboot after each row /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Todays tractors will be more difficult to repair and get electronic parts for in 30 years or so. It is an easy way to increase tractor sales. Just obsolete a computer module and the tractor is a useless pile of junk.

CMunger · Dec 18, 2003

I agree, there is such a thing as over engineering to the point of
"Diminishing Returns"
Chuck M.

Villengineer · Dec 18, 2003

I'm a mechanical engineer in the off road equipment industry (not farm equipment, but somewhat similar). There are several things I'd like to point out. First, you can't compare hand built, limited production specialty vehicles such as a Ferrarri to farm equipment. The manufacturing differences are tremendous. There are lots of little changes I would like to make to the equipment I design that would enhance the product, but are too $ to put into production so they don't happen. Second, new "high tech" materials don't usually lend themselves to the stresses, environment, and maintenance that applications such as farm equipment require. Additionally, there are probably advancements you simply aren't aware of. We often change the steel alloys we use dependent upon function, cost, and manufacturability. As the end user you probably can't tell the difference by looking at it and unless you were to test the physical properties of the materials you'd never know. There is a lot more thought and work put into "primitive" appearing equipment than you think.

JimMc · Dec 18, 2003

shoppintractors · Dec 18, 2003

Villengineer,

We often change the steel alloys we use dependent upon function, cost, and manufacturability. As the end user you probably can't tell the difference by looking at it and unless you were to test the physical properties of the materials you'd never know. 

Comparing the steel used in tractors produced by the different manufacturers......Is there a way to tell the quality of the steel? How do you test physical properties?

Don

Villengineer · Dec 18, 2003

With steel plate and formed shapes it's near impossible to tell the difference in quality of the steel alloy itself. However, usually if the steel is low quality, so is the design and workmanship. Even if the company uses quality raw materials, the difference may be in the actual alloy used and that can make a world of difference. There are low alloy high strength steels available that look, machine, and weld very similar to "standard" steel, but may be 30-60% stronger.
Physical testing usually involves tests such as hardness, yield strength, and tensile strength. The steel mills certify that their product meets a standard. That usually involves both the mechanical properties and the given shape.
The differences you usually see in products is where a cheaper, not necessarily lower quality, material is used. There isn't a problem with the material itself, just in it's application.

nomad · Dec 18, 2003

( The last Formula One combine race I went to was pretty high tech too. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Combine race? Is this a joke or real?;-)

nomad · Dec 18, 2003

Villengineer and all;
I think you are still missing my point in this thread. I see this from your words mostly connected to the cost/economy. Your words can be summarized in one sentence like this ..."... the production cost is main determining factor in which technology (high or not) will be used in farm machinery..."... Well, maybe true, maybe not. BUT why are you tend to think about the costs immediately? It's because farmers are considered as poor people and therefore, they don't deserve higher technology in the field. Think about the race cars or luxury cars. Why are high techs being used there and nobody mentioning about the costs of high tech in these fields? You know the answers. Education system throughout the schools/universities is educating that "cost comes first", but they do NOT clearly teach that "..cost comes first only in the fields of poors/lower class fields.." So, the built-in bios/biased softwares in our minds making us think simple things more complicated and contradictory. This is built in idea-ology. Anyways, I still want to compare the technology in farm machinery to those used in the luxury car production. Why shouldn't I compare? Because we are a poor, lower class?

Ps: Villengineer, I'm aware of advanced technologies.