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A field machinery selection model originally developed by Dr. John C. Siemens for Illinois has been fully studied and adapted to Virginia agriculture. The modified version of this model is able to assist farm managers in selecting optimum machinery sets for multiple cropping production systems. The program was written in the C programming language to run on an IBM compatible personal computer. The program input information consists of a list of desired field operations with start date, acres, and hours per day for each operation. Other input includes crop yields, penalty dates for planting and harvesting, availability and cost of labor, and certain economic data such as crop and fuel prices and interest rates. Stored data files contain machine list prices and productivity values, workday probabilities, and equation constants for computing machine costs. For different machinery sets or a specified set of machinery, the program schedules the field operations and computes the total machinery related costs including costs for the machines, labor, and timeliness. Using an optimization process, the lowest cost machinery set is determined and the eight lowest cost sets found during the process are presented. For any of the eight lowest cost sets, or for a specific set of machinery, the output includes a list of the machinery with prices and annual use, the work schedule, the cost for each operation, and total machinery related costs. / Master of Science

A field study was conducted in the fall of 1982 to investigate the effect of vehicle type, traffic moisture level, and their interactions on soil compaction. During the study two procedures commonly used for soil bulk density determination were also compared. Treatments at the following levels were applied: i) Soil moisture: Two levels ii) Vehicle type: wheel and track type iii) Traffic intensity: 0, 1, 3, and 9 passes. Each treatment combination was replicated three times and these were installed in random order on 48, 6 x 30 m test plots. Soil samples were taken at three locations from each test plot for the determination of moisture level. Core samples were taken in and outside the rut at three locations along each track for bulk density determination. Bulk density data using a double probe nuclear densitometer were taken at one location along the track. Statistical analysis of the data indicated that, of the factors considered in the study, number of vehicle passes and interactions between moisture level and vehicle type and number of passes and vehicle type had a significant effect on the compaction of the top soil layer. The two methods for measuring soil density were compared using the paired student's t-test and an equation was developed relating the density values obtained by nuclear and gravimetric procedures. Comparison of the data from the two methods indicated that the nuclear densitometer underestimated the core bulk density. / Master of Science

Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Vibrating a tillage tool is an effective way of reducing the draft force required to pull it through the soil. The degree of draft force reduction is dependent on the combination of operating parameters and soil conditions. It is thus necessary to optimize the vibratory implement for different conditions. Numerical modelling is more flexible than experimental testing and analytical models, and less costly than experimental testing. The Discrete Element Method (DEM) was specifically developed for granular materials such as soils and can be used to model a vibrating tillage tool for its design and optimization. The goal was thus to evaluate the ability of DEM to model a vibratory subsoiler and to investigate the cause of the draft force reduction. The DEM model was evaluated against data obtained from field testing done with a full scale single tine vibratory subsoiler. Soil testing was also done for material characterization and for the calibration of DEM material properties. The subsoiler was simulated using a commercial code, PFC3D. The effect on the simulation results of particle diameter, different bonding models and damping models was investigated. The final simulations were evaluated against the experimental results in terms of the draft force and material behaviour. The cause of the draft force reduction due to vibration was also investigated with the aid of the DEM model. From the results it was concluded that DEM is able to model the vibratory subsoiler for its design and optimization. The DEM model also provided valuable insight into the cause of the draft force reduction such as the increased peak stresses due to vibration and the increase in particle kinetic energy.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo realizar um estudo da evolução da indústria de máquinas agrícolas em dois mercados diferentes: o mercado norte-americano e o brasileiro. Deseja-se analisar como esta indústria se desenvolveu levando em consideração fatores da estrutura industrial, como também questões relacionadas à política econômica e agrícola. Utilizou-se uma metodologia analítica descritiva, iniciando o trabalho com uma revisão teórica dos fatores industriais e de política agrícola que podem influenciar a indústria e o mercado de máquinas agrícolas. Após tal revisão teórica iniciam-se os estudos das indústrias nos países citados. Primeiramente analisou-se o caso dos Estados Unidos, desde a formação do setor até o atual estágio de desenvolvimento daquele mercado. Os capítulos subsequentes fazem a mesma análise, mas com vistas ao caso brasileiro, dando ênfase na importância que o Estado teve na formação da indústria de máquinas agrícolas e o papel por ele desempenhado para estimular as vendas de tratores e demais máquinas através do crédito agrícola para investimento. Analisou-se a evolução da indústria brasileira desde seu nascimento, seu auge ocorrido durante o período 1960-1980, a crise que enfrentou entre 1980 e 1990, bem como sua posterior recuperação com o início dos anos 2000. As principais conclusões que este trabalho chegou foram que, a evolução desta indústria nos países estudados se deu de forma diferenciada. Enquanto no caso norte-americano o setor se desenvolveu de forma mais autônoma, isto é, sem tanta interferência estatal, no caso brasileiro somente pode-se pensar o desenvolvimento desta indústria levando em consideração a intervenção estatal, tanto por meio de incentivos para a criação da indústria quanto por meio do crédito subsidiado que fomentou as vendas. No caso norte-americano a indústria se desenvolveu através da capacidade inovadora de seus empresários, sem a intervenção direta do governo. Quando esta ocorreu deu-se em termos de políticas agrícolas que, ao sustentar o preço dos produtos agrícolas via política de preços mínimos, induziu os produtores rurais a se tornarem mais produtivos, adotando as novas máquinas existentes. Outra conclusão foi que durante as décadas de 1980-1990 tanto no Brasil quanto nos Estados Unidos o Estado se manteve ausente, tanto em termos setoriais quanto em termos de política agrícola, mesmo período no qual ambos os mercados de máquinas enfrentaram graves crises Tal indústria somente voltaria a se recuperar em 1990, no caso americano, e nos anos 2000 no caso brasileiro. Nos Estados Unidos a recuperação foi acompanhada por uma nova onda de inovações, principalmente com o surgimento da eletrônica embarcada e com a agricultura de precisão. Tal tecnologia chegaria no Brasil por volta dos anos 2000, dando novo ânimo ao setor, juntamente com o novo programa de financiamento lançado pelo governo brasileiro para modernização da frota agrícola, o MODERFROTA, que impulsionou as vendas de máquinas. Em termos mundiais os Estados Unidos consolidaram-se como difusores de progresso técnico e exportadores de máquinas, enquanto o Brasil, ainda que seja um importante produtor entre os países em desenvolvimento, não chega a ultrapassar a marca de 1,1% em relação as exportações mundiais. / This paper aims to conduct a study of the evolution of the agricultural machinery industry in two different markets: the North American market and the Brazilian. Examining how this industry developed taking into account factors of industrial structure, as well as issues related to economic and agricultural policy. This paper used a descriptive analytical methodology, starting work with a theoretical review of industrial and agricultural policy factors that can influence the industry and the market of agricultural machinery. After this literature review begins the study of industries in the countries cited. First was analyzed the case of the United States, since the formation of the sector to the current stage of development of that market. Subsequent chapters did the same analysis, but with a view to the Brazilian case, emphasizing the importance that the State had in shaping the agricultural machinery industry and the role it has played to stimulate sales of tractors and other machines through the agricultural investment credit. Analyzing evolution of the Brazilian industry from its birth, its peak occurred during the period 1960-1980, the crisis that faced between 1980 and 1990 and their subsequent recovery with the early 2000s The main conclusions that this study came were that the evolution of this industry in the countries studied occurred differently. While the American case the industry has developed more autonomously, ie, without much government interference in the Brazilian case the development of this industry was influenced by state intervention, both through the creation of incentives for industry as through subsidized credit that boosted sales. In the American case, the industry developed through the innovative capacity of their business, without the direct intervention of the government. When this occurred was given in terms of agricultural policies, to sustain the price of agricultural products via the minimum price policy, induced farmers to become more productive, adopting the new existing machines. Another conclusion was that during the decades of 1980-1990 both in Brazil and in the United States remained absent from the state, both in terms of sectors and in terms of agricultural policy, the same period in which both markets faced serious crises Such machinery industry only back to recover in 1990, in the American case, and in the 2000s in the Brazilian case. In the United States recovery was accompanied by a new wave of innovation, especially with the emergence of embedded electronics and precision agriculture. Such technology would arrive in Brazil around the 2000s, giving new life to the industry, along with the new financing program launched by the Brazilian government to modernize the agricultural fleet, MODERFROTA, which boosted sales of machines. Globally the United States consolidated as diffusers of technical progress and exporters of machinery, while Brazil, even though it is a major producer among developing countries, does not quite surpass the mark of 1.1% over exports world.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo realizar um estudo da evolução da indústria de máquinas agrícolas em dois mercados diferentes: o mercado norte-americano e o brasileiro. Deseja-se analisar como esta indústria se desenvolveu levando em consideração fatores da estrutura industrial, como também questões relacionadas à política econômica e agrícola. Utilizou-se uma metodologia analítica descritiva, iniciando o trabalho com uma revisão teórica dos fatores industriais e de política agrícola que podem influenciar a indústria e o mercado de máquinas agrícolas. Após tal revisão teórica iniciam-se os estudos das indústrias nos países citados. Primeiramente analisou-se o caso dos Estados Unidos, desde a formação do setor até o atual estágio de desenvolvimento daquele mercado. Os capítulos subsequentes fazem a mesma análise, mas com vistas ao caso brasileiro, dando ênfase na importância que o Estado teve na formação da indústria de máquinas agrícolas e o papel por ele desempenhado para estimular as vendas de tratores e demais máquinas através do crédito agrícola para investimento. Analisou-se a evolução da indústria brasileira desde seu nascimento, seu auge ocorrido durante o período 1960-1980, a crise que enfrentou entre 1980 e 1990, bem como sua posterior recuperação com o início dos anos 2000. As principais conclusões que este trabalho chegou foram que, a evolução desta indústria nos países estudados se deu de forma diferenciada. Enquanto no caso norte-americano o setor se desenvolveu de forma mais autônoma, isto é, sem tanta interferência estatal, no caso brasileiro somente pode-se pensar o desenvolvimento desta indústria levando em consideração a intervenção estatal, tanto por meio de incentivos para a criação da indústria quanto por meio do crédito subsidiado que fomentou as vendas. No caso norte-americano a indústria se desenvolveu através da capacidade inovadora de seus empresários, sem a intervenção direta do governo. Quando esta ocorreu deu-se em termos de políticas agrícolas que, ao sustentar o preço dos produtos agrícolas via política de preços mínimos, induziu os produtores rurais a se tornarem mais produtivos, adotando as novas máquinas existentes. Outra conclusão foi que durante as décadas de 1980-1990 tanto no Brasil quanto nos Estados Unidos o Estado se manteve ausente, tanto em termos setoriais quanto em termos de política agrícola, mesmo período no qual ambos os mercados de máquinas enfrentaram graves crises Tal indústria somente voltaria a se recuperar em 1990, no caso americano, e nos anos 2000 no caso brasileiro. Nos Estados Unidos a recuperação foi acompanhada por uma nova onda de inovações, principalmente com o surgimento da eletrônica embarcada e com a agricultura de precisão. Tal tecnologia chegaria no Brasil por volta dos anos 2000, dando novo ânimo ao setor, juntamente com o novo programa de financiamento lançado pelo governo brasileiro para modernização da frota agrícola, o MODERFROTA, que impulsionou as vendas de máquinas. Em termos mundiais os Estados Unidos consolidaram-se como difusores de progresso técnico e exportadores de máquinas, enquanto o Brasil, ainda que seja um importante produtor entre os países em desenvolvimento, não chega a ultrapassar a marca de 1,1% em relação as exportações mundiais. / This paper aims to conduct a study of the evolution of the agricultural machinery industry in two different markets: the North American market and the Brazilian. Examining how this industry developed taking into account factors of industrial structure, as well as issues related to economic and agricultural policy. This paper used a descriptive analytical methodology, starting work with a theoretical review of industrial and agricultural policy factors that can influence the industry and the market of agricultural machinery. After this literature review begins the study of industries in the countries cited. First was analyzed the case of the United States, since the formation of the sector to the current stage of development of that market. Subsequent chapters did the same analysis, but with a view to the Brazilian case, emphasizing the importance that the State had in shaping the agricultural machinery industry and the role it has played to stimulate sales of tractors and other machines through the agricultural investment credit. Analyzing evolution of the Brazilian industry from its birth, its peak occurred during the period 1960-1980, the crisis that faced between 1980 and 1990 and their subsequent recovery with the early 2000s The main conclusions that this study came were that the evolution of this industry in the countries studied occurred differently. While the American case the industry has developed more autonomously, ie, without much government interference in the Brazilian case the development of this industry was influenced by state intervention, both through the creation of incentives for industry as through subsidized credit that boosted sales. In the American case, the industry developed through the innovative capacity of their business, without the direct intervention of the government. When this occurred was given in terms of agricultural policies, to sustain the price of agricultural products via the minimum price policy, induced farmers to become more productive, adopting the new existing machines. Another conclusion was that during the decades of 1980-1990 both in Brazil and in the United States remained absent from the state, both in terms of sectors and in terms of agricultural policy, the same period in which both markets faced serious crises Such machinery industry only back to recover in 1990, in the American case, and in the 2000s in the Brazilian case. In the United States recovery was accompanied by a new wave of innovation, especially with the emergence of embedded electronics and precision agriculture. Such technology would arrive in Brazil around the 2000s, giving new life to the industry, along with the new financing program launched by the Brazilian government to modernize the agricultural fleet, MODERFROTA, which boosted sales of machines. Globally the United States consolidated as diffusers of technical progress and exporters of machinery, while Brazil, even though it is a major producer among developing countries, does not quite surpass the mark of 1.1% over exports world.

Master’s thesis focuses on the specifics of agricultural machinery accidents. The introductory part defines agricultural machines and its basic characteristics. It also analyzes specific technical regulations that govern the use of these machines in traffic. The experimental part then describes the methodology and interprets the results of conducted experimental measurements on driving dynamics of a tractor with carried accessory. These measurements consist of a break test in straight line, evasion manoeuvre and acceleration while turning left. The focus was given to not just the acceleration values, but also to the influence of the carried accessory, the load on the front axle or the tire pressure. The analysis of the findings made compares the results with the driving dynamics of ordinary passenger cars and provides a detail dissection of the most frequent causes of agricultural machinery accidents.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

In farming operation, machinery represents a major cost; therefore, good fleet management can have a great impact on the producer’s profit, especially considering the increasing costs of fuel and production inputs in recent years. One of the tasks to be accomplished in order to improve fleet management is planning the path that the machine should take to cover the field while working. Information such as distance traveled, time and fuel consumption as well as agricultural inputs wasted due to off-target-application areas are crucial in the path planning process. Parameters such as field boundary size and geometry, machine total width as well as control width resolution present a great impact on the information necessary for path planning. Researchers around the world have proposed methods that approach specific aspects related to path planning, the majority addressing machine field efficiency per-se, which a function of total time spent in the field as well as effective working time. However, wasted inputs due to off-target-application areas in the maneuvering regions, especially in oddly shaped agricultural fields might be as important as field efficiency when it comes down to the total operation cost. Thus, the main purpose of this research was to develop a path planning method that accounts for not only machinery field efficiency, but also the supply inputs. This research was accomplished in a threefold approach where in the first step an algorithm for computing off-target application area was developed, implemented and validated resulting in a computational tool that can be used to evaluate potential savings when using automatic section control on agricultural fields of complex field boundary. This tool allowed accomplishment of the second step, which was an investigation and better understanding of field size and shape as well as machine width of the effects on off-target application areas resulting in an empirical method for such estimations based on object shape descriptors. Finally, a path planning algorithm was developed and evaluated taking into consideration the aspects of machine field efficiency as well as off-target application areas.

Nas últimas décadas, os avanços na agricultura se destacam principalmente por meio da mecanização e pela eletrônica embarcada, a qual otimizou os processos e viabilizou redução de custos. No entanto, a massa cada vez mais crescente e o intenso tráfego desses equipamentos promovem a compactação do solo, resultando em prejuízos ao setor agrícola. Neste sentido, os objetivos deste de trabalho foi desenvolver sensores que permitam avaliar, as pressões exercidas ao solo decorrentes do tráfego de máquinas e implementos agrícolas e empregá-lo em um estudo para verificar os efeitos da esteira metálica instalada sobre pneus de alta flutuação em ambiente agrícola, bem como a variação na força de tração de acordo com o rodado utilizado. Sendo a hipótese 1 do trabalho, de que esteiras conferem menor pressão sobre solo devido à maior área de contato, resultando em menor compactação e a hipótese 2 de que a utilização das esteiras leva a maior exigência tratória. O desenvolvimento dos sensores e a condução do ensaio foram realizados no campus da ESALQ/USP, as esteiras metálicas foram instaladas sobre os pneus de BPAF de um transbordo de cana-de-açúcar preenchido com solo, para simular uma carga 7500 kg. O ensaio foi dividido em 02 tratamentos (Pneu BPAF e Esteira Metálica), com 04 passadas sucessivas do transbordo carregado sobre os sensores dispostos no solo, na horizontal, vertical e diagonal. Foram determinadas as áreas de contato dos dois tipos de rodado, por meio de imagem digital e mensurada a força de tração exercida pelo transbordo carregado e vazio. Com base nos resultados de pressão exercida ao solo, observou-se uma diminuição de 50% da pressão superficial utilizando esteiras metálicas comparada com os pneus BPAF, em contrapartida a força de tração do transbordo utilizando esteira metálica foi 137% maior. Portando conclui-se que o sensor desenvolvido foi capaz de estimar os picos e as pressões residuais exercidas ao solo em diferentes profundidades e ficaram comprovadas as hipóteses do trabalho. / In recent decades, advances in agriculture are distinguished mainly by mechanization and onboard electronics, which enabled streamlined processes and reduced costs. However, the increasing mass and heavy traffic of these equipments promote soil compaction, resulting significant agricultural losses. This work aimed to develop sensors to assess the stress on soil, resulting from traffic and agricultural machinery and, use them in a study to verify the metal tracks effects installed on high flotation tires on agricultural environment, as well as the variation in traction force according to the used tires. This study considered the following hypothesis: 1. metal tracks give less stress on soil due to greater contact area, resulting in less compaction; 2. the use of metal tracks leads to a greater demand of tractors. The development of sensors and trial conduction were held on ESALQ / USP campus. The metal tracks were installed on the tires of the sugarcane transshipment filled with soil to simulate a load of 7500 kg. The test was divided into 02 treatments (High Floatation Tire and Metal Tracks), with 04 transshipment successive passes loaded on the sensors horizontally, vertically and diagonally placed on soil. The contact areas of the two types of tires were determined through digital imaging and the traction force exerted by loaded and empty transshipment. Considering the stress results on soil, there was a decrease of 50% of the surface stress using metal tracks compared to the tires. However the transshipment traction force using a metal tracks was 137% higher. Therefore, the developed sensor was able to estimate the peaks and the residual stress exerted on soil at different depths and the hypothesis were confirmed.