TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

International Development, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

A Cinderella Story: The Early Evolution of the American Tractor Industry

The arrival of motorization, from before the beginning of the twentieth century, has changed agricultural production and the whole economy by dramatically reducing work force and improving productivity. Yet the negligence of research on the history of farm mechanization is surprising given that the history of economic growth has been strongly affected by farm mechanization. In this paper we study the evolution of a major agricultural input, and the cause for much of farm development, the farm tractor. We explore the history of the early tractors and the mechanism behind the birth of new technologies that pushed agriculture forward. We use a unique data set of the United States tractor industry through which we analyse the evolution of the tractor industry, its major innovations and identify fundamental breakthroughs. We believe that our paper is the first where the history of the development of tractors is presented in the fundamental context of innovation, where we use the industry life cycle and technology evolution.Agriculture; Industry Life-cycle; Innovation; Tractors; History.

A fuzzy-QFD approach for the enhancement of work equipment safety: a case study in the agriculture sector

The paper proposes a design for safety methodology based on the use of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method, focusing on the need to identify and analyse risks related to a working task in an effective manner, i.e. considering the specific work activities related to such a task. To reduce the drawbacks of subjectivity while augmenting the consistency of judgements, the QFD was augmented by both the Delphi method and the fuzzy logic approach. To verify such an approach, it was implemented through a case study in the agricultural sector. While the proposed approach needs to be validated through further studies in different contexts, its positive results in performing hazard analysis and risk assessment in a comprehensive and thorough manner can contribute practically to the scientific knowledge on the application of QFD in design for safety activities

Design of University Small-Scale Dairy Processing Facility

This project was assigned to research the feasibility and value of implementing a dairy processing facility on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The facility would process milk produced from cows under the same roof and will serve as an educational experience for Nebraska dairy farmers, UNL students, and K-12 students in the Lincoln-Lancaster County area. If the project is successful and replicated across the state, this facility could have a significant impact on the reduction of milk transportation costs in the Nebraska dairy industry. The project began with researching milk processing methods and steps from production to consumption. Shortly after this step, information on milk consumption patterns was collected from UNL Dining Services to determine demand on campus. Every unit operation requires certain equipment to effectively ensure the safety and quality of the final product, and mass balances from UNL milk consumption data were used to size equipment and storage capacity. Engineering firms were then consulted to gather information on equipment specifications and prices. Equipment costs and operating costs (estimated with the help of Dr. Howell and other university dairy operations) were entered into a Monte Carlo simulation to analyze return on investment and a breakeven point. The results from the costs section showed that the fixed costs (equipment and engineering) for the milk processing would be about $1.2 million. The Monte Carlo simulation showed that the project would not turn a profit for 10-12 years, and approximately 2.25 million gallons of milk would need to be processed and sold to recover initial costs. Overall, the project successfully displays data that can be interpreted by the client to decide whether to move forward with the project and the appropriate scale for the project at UNL

A Town Meeting on Energy : Prepared for Interior Alaskans

On March 26, 1977, an all-day Town Meeting on Energy was held at the Hutchison Career Development Center on Geist Road in Fairbanks, Alaska. This event was sponsored by the Alaska Humanities Forum in cooperation with the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District; the Institute of Water Resources at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks; and the Fairbanks Town and Village Association. This publication reports the activities during and the information resulting from this town meeting.Published through a grant from the Alaska Humanities Forum under the auspicies of the National Endowment for the Humanities

Design process of a low cost tractor

The concept of a South African tractor is not new but due to import options, there was never a known / well established South African brand. Due to the shrinkage of the South African mechanical manufacturing industry by nearly 40 % in the last years, a successful tractor design and manufacturing will contribute toward the much needed job creation. Due to its complexity the project is a combination of outsourced components and newly designed parts. The integration of design establishes the layout of the tractor with the aid of virtual 3D solid modelling. The design aim is to produce a tractor able to provide adequate power for an existing Grader machine at a lower cost than the actual market offers for similar power rating tractors

Power Tag-Axle Traction Assembly (P\u27TATA)

Project P’TATA encompassed the design of a selectively-powered tag axle for 6X2-configured Class-8 on-highway tractors, to aid the vehicle in regaining traction during reduced-friction events. For increased fuel savings, 6X2 (1 driving axle, two unpowered axles) configured tractors are preferred over their 6X4 (two driving axles) counterparts; however, the loss of a powered axle renders 6X2 axles more susceptible to slipping events, where the amount of torque required to maintain non-slipping contact with the road exceeds the abilities of the single drive axle. For this and other reasons, the 6X4-configured tractors are chosen despite the fuel efficiency benefits of the 6X2 configuration. Therefore, improvement of the 6X2 tractors’ ability to escape from slipping events should improve driver safety and enhance the tractors’ competitive edge in the market. The design process began with determination of the tag axle torque required to drive the truck out of a slipping event, and a comparison of different power transmission methods. After choosing a transmission method, the electronic control and mechanical systems were designed to so that a motor could engage the axle, transmit power, and then disengage. Using existing and custom-modeled parts, a 3-D model of the system was assembled in CAD software, and a scaled down prototype was constructed to test the control system. An electro-mechanical add-on system was designed to meet the criteria presented by Daimler Trucks of North America. This assembly, shown in Figure 1, employs one DC motor to power the tag axle. A Bendix drive allows for engagement between the motor and the 40:1 reduction worm gear box that multiplies the motor torque. Electricity is pulled from the tractor’s standard battery bank. The electronic control system monitors the wheel speeds at the tag and driving axles, and identifies slipping conditions based on a minimum difference between those speeds. Flowchart and block diagrams of the electronic control circuit were drawn up; parts were ordered and the prototype was built based on these drawings. Once the prototype control circuit was functioning properly, a circuit board was prepared and readied to accept the components of the control circuit. The circuit board was then tested, first for proper wiring and then to ensure proper operation. The final design provides 1120 ft-lbs of torque to the tag axle, remains lightweight at 99.5 lbs compared to the 380 lb differential used in a 6x4, and remains cost-effective with an estimated materials price of $798.42 out of the allotted$1500 (rough estimate not including manual labor). It is capable of driving the truck at 15 mph out of slip on a 4% gradient of sleek ice. The add-on also does not require significant alterations to the existing tag axle design. The design meets the given criteria, but the industry advisor advanced some further design optimization requests that should be considered in future design iterations. The team recommends the implementation of a higher voltage 3-phase electric motor because they provide more horsepower and would require a lower gear reduction for the system. The Bendix-driven engagement mechanism may need to be redesigned to ensure reliable operation. Ultimately, the success of the system must be validated, both by computer stress simulations and by physical testing with full-scale prototypes, prior to large scale manufacturing and implementation

Future heavy duty trucking engine requirements

Developers of advanced heavy duty diesel engines are engaged in probing the opportunities presented by new materials and techniques. This process is technology driven, but there is neither assurance that the eventual users of the engines so developed will be comfortable with them nor, indeed, that those consumers will continue to exist in either the same form, or numbers as they do today. To ensure maximum payoff of research dollars, the equipment development process must consider user needs. This study defines motor carrier concerns, cost tolerances, and the engine parameters which match the future projected industry needs. The approach taken to do that is to be explained and the results presented. The material to be given comes basically from a survey of motor carrier fleets. It provides indications of the role of heavy duty vehicles in the 1998 period and their desired maintenance and engine performance parameters