Validation of Procedures for Market Screening of Non-Road Machines

For the precedent project “In-Service Monitoring of Non-Road Mobile Machinery”, supplementary activities in the given project have been performed. The aim of the present project was to give an extended validation of the proposed procedure for market screening of non-road machines. The same machine and agricultural processes were transferred from the field application into a re-producible test bench, for the validation of the process without environmental influence. The present report demonstrates the reproducibility of the agricultural cycles and maneuvers on the test bench. The reliability on results of field and test bench measurements were discussed from the point of emission standards. The same tractor, as in the former project, was used to avoid differences in the results due to manufacturing. The important conclusions are: For the cycles: • Measured cycles from the field test can be transferred very well. When sufficient data is recorded. • For the used tractor class, the DLG standard cycles are representative and comparable with the field measurements. • Other agricultural machines of a different type and performance class should be examined to see whether the cycles are also representative here. For the tractor: • Heating the exhaust gas after treatment in idle is not to recommended. • The powertrain of the tractor allows to maintain engine speed in a constant range, even when tractor velocity changes. • When performing tasks under full load the tractor has very low emissions • Implemented right, the OBD signals are sufficient to obtain the performed work of the engine For the procedure: • Cycles measured in the field can be transferred effortless • The deviation in results between field and dynamometer are small • The “DLG” standard cycles represent the intend task very well. • The performed cycles on dynamometer are reproducible as expected. Further research topics are proposed. Some of them are: • Testing other tractor applications for statistical hedging. • Extension of this research field to other types of machines and processes. • Further analysis for a universal load-speed cycle for PTI procedures. • Contacts and exchange of experiences with JRC ERMES, with other research institutes and with manufacturers

Einfluss der Leistungssteigerung auf die Emissionen bei landwirtschaftlichen Fahrzeugen

Im vorliegenden Bericht werden die Einflüsse der heutigen Leistungssteigerungsmöglichkeiten auf die Emissionen von landwirtschaftlichen Fahrzeugen dargestellt. Hierzu wurde ein Traktor mit zwei handelsüblichen Tuning-Sets ausgestattet. Leistungs- und Emissionsverhalten des Traktors wurden in einem ersten Schritt im Originalzustand, mit den beiden Tuning Sets sowie mit einer Abschaltvorrichtung für das SCR-System stationär an der Zapfwellenbremse vermessen. Anschließend wurde der Traktor im Originalzustand sowie mit den beiden Tuning-Varianten für Transport- und Feldarbeiten eingesetzt, dabei wurden die Emissionen mittels PEMS gemessen, um einen allfälligen Effekt auf die Emissionen nachzuweisen. Die Tuning-Sets führten zu Mehrleistungen von rund 20%. Ebenfalls wurde das Fahrzeug mit abgeschalteter SCR Vorrichtung, ohne weitere Probleme (z.B. Aktivierung des Notlaufprogramms) in Betrieb genommen. Emissionen, insbesondere die NOx Werte lagen auf vergleichbaren Niveau gegenüber der Variante ohne Tuning. Vergleichbar fiel das Verhalten des Kraftstoffverbrauches aus, bis auf eine Messung konnte keine wesentliche Steigerung gegenüber dem Serienstand festgestellt werden

Market Surveillance Concept for Non-Road Mobile Machinery

This project carried out by BFH-TI and BFH-HAFL contributes to the field of in-service monitoring (ISM) as required for non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) according to Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 (Stage V). Based on the 2018 pilot project, additional field studies were conducted, but with another test tractor. The aim was to further investigate and improve the practical implementation of ISM. Various field tasks were chosen to cover a broad spectrum of load and dynamic cases for the engine and exhaust aftertreatment system. The possibilities to simplify the practical process of ISM were also investigated and presented. In addition, various workshops were planned and conducted with the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) on the subject of ISM, considering not only technical but also legal aspects. A further component of the project was the exchange of information with other experts in the field of emission measurement in NRMM and other stakeholders on the topic of ISM. The views and additional perspectives on ISM of experts and stakeholders are also presented

Continuous tractive force measurement and performance evaluation in working horses – a pilot study

Sowohl im Sport als auch in der alternativen Landwirtschaft werden Pferde wieder mehr als Zugtiere eingesetzt. Auch bei Zugpferden kommt der effizienten Kraftübertragung eine wichtige Rolle hinsichtlich des Wohlbefindens zu. Ziel der Untersuchung war die Einstufung der Leistung von Arbeitspferden im Hinblick auf ihre physische und psychische Belastung. Zwei definierte Zugkraftstärken (1300N und 2600 N = SOLL) wurden bei zwei Zweiergespannen mit Freibergern am gebremsten und geladenen Wagen kontinuierlich, während einer je 30 min andauernden Belastung aufgezeichnet und die geleistete Arbeit der Pferde beurteilt. Die tatsächlich geleisteten Zugkraftstärken, welche aufgezeichnet wurden, entsprachen den IST-Werten. Die Herzfrequenz wurde mit POLAR Trainingsuhren (V800) gemessen. Zur Einschätzung der Belastung einschließlich einer möglichen psychischen Komponente wurden zusätzlich vor, während und nach der Arbeit (0, 15, 30 und 60 min) Blutproben entnommen, in denen Cortisol, Glucose und freie Fettsäuren (FFS) bestimmt wurden. Die Datenauswertung erfolgte deskriptiv und statistisch (gepaarter t-Test, Pearson Korrelationskoeffizient, mit dem Statistikprogramm R, das Signifikanzniveau lag bei p< 0,05). Die durchschnittlichen Zugkräfte entsprachen den Sollwerten von 1300 N bzw. 2600 N zufriedenstellend: IST-Werte Gespann 1/2: 1148 N bzw. 2543 N, IST-Werte Gespann 3/4: 1236 N bzw. 2538 N. Aus den Zugkräften und den Geschwindigkeiten ergaben sich Zugleistungen von 813 bzw. 2095 Watt (1,11 bzw. 2,85 Pferdestärken = PS) pro Pferd bei Gespann 1/2 und 919 bzw. 1934 Watt (1,25 bzw. 2,63 PS) pro Pferd bei Gespann 3/4. Die Herzfrequenzen bewegten sich bei beiden Gespannen bei der Zugkraftstufe 1300 N zwischen 94–124/min und bei 2600 N zwischen 124–171/min. Die Herzfrequenzen halbierten sich bei 1300 N um 50 % 60 sec nach 15 min Arbeit, bei längerer und intensiverer Arbeit stiegen die Erholungszeiten. Cortisol- (nmol/l), Glucose- (mmol/) und FFS-Werte (mmol/l) wiesen auf mittlere bis schwere Arbeitsintensitäten hin. Die Cortisolwerte korrelierten signifikant (p < 0,05) mit der Herzfrequenz (r = 0,64) und FFS (r = 0,53), was auf eine ausgeglichene Aktivierung des adrenergen Systems und der Hypothalamus-Hypophysen-Nebennierenrinde (HPA) -Achse hinweist und eine psychische Belastungskomponente als unwahrscheinlich erscheinen lässt.In both equestrian sports and alternative husbandry horses are more and more used as draft animal. Also in draft horses an efficiant power transmission plays an important role in regard to the animal’s wellbeing. The aim of the study was to classify the performance of working horses regarding their physical and psychological stress. Two defined traction forces (1300 N and 2600 N = target values) were continuously recorded during a load lasting for 30 min each in two pairs of Freiberger horses each on the braked and loaded carriage. The tractive forces that were recorded corresponded to the actual values. The work performed by the horses was assessed. Heart rate was recorded using POLAR training watches (V800). To assess the workload including a possible psychological component, blood samples were additionally taken before, during, and after work (0, 15, 30, and 60 min) in which cortisol, glucose, and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were determined. Data analysis was done in a descriptive and statistical manner (paired t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, using the statistical program R, significance level was p < 0.05). The average tensile forces were satisfactorily in accordance with the target values (1300 N and 2600 N, respectively): actual value pair 1/2: 1148 N and 2543 N, respectively, actual value pair 3/4: 1236 N and 2538 N, respectively. Traction forces and speeds resulted in traction powers of 813 and 2095 watts (1.11 and 2.85 horse power = hp) for each horse of pair 1/2 and 919 and 1934 watts (1.25 and 2.63 hp) for each horse of pair 3/4, respectively. Heart rates ranged from 94–124/min for both pairs at 1300 N and 124–171/min at 2600 N. Heart rates decreased by 50 % 60 sec after 15 min of work at 1300 N, and recovery times increased with longer and more intense work. At the tensile forces in the present work, glucose values of 4.79 mmol/l were measured on average for all horses at 1300 N and values of 4.68 mmol/l were measured at 2600 N. In the case of the older French mountain horse pair of carriage 3/4, an initial drop in blood glucose and a subsequent rise were more pronounced than in the French mountain horse pair of carriage 1/2. The older French mountain horses of carriage 3/4 were fed exclusively hay, while the horses of carriage 1/2 received an additional 2 kg of concentrates per day. The extent to which the low concentrate supplementation of the horses of the carriage 1/2 influenced the glucose metabolism remains speculative. The four French mountain horses achieved average NEFA values of 0.30 mmol/l at 1300 N and 0.53 mmol/l at 2600 N. At a traction level of 1300 N, plasma cortisol levels for the four French mountain horses ranged from 29.3–50.3 ng/ml, and at the traction level of 2600 N, plasma cortisol levels ranged from 24.8–58.8 ng/ml. In comparison, the values were higher in a previous study, where the average plasma cortisol values of nine Warmblood driving horses after 30–40 min of intensive training ranged from 60.72   9.51 to 63.66   10.07 ng/ml (Krumrych et al. 2018). Cortisol (nmol/l), glucose (mmol/), and NEFA (mmol/l) values in the present study indicated moderate to heavy work intensities. Cortisol levels correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with heart rate (r = 0.64) and NEFA (r = 0.53), indicating balanced activation of the adrenergic system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and suggesting a psychological stress component as unlikely

Effect on infection resistance of a local antiseptic and antibiotic coating on osteosynthesis implants: an in vitro and in vivo study

The purpose of this study was to acquire information about the effect of an antibacterial and biodegradable poly-L-lactide (PLLA) coated titanium plate osteosynthesis on local infection resistance. For our in vitro and in vivo experiments, we used six-hole AO DC minifragment titanium plates. The implants were coated with biodegradable, semiamorphous PLLA (coating about 30 microm thick). This acted as a carrier substance to which either antibiotics or antiseptics were added. The antibiotic we applied was a combination of Rifampicin and fusidic acid; the antiseptic was a combination of Octenidin and Irgasan. This produced the following groups: Group I: six-hole AO DC minifragment titanium plate without PLLA; Group II: six-hole AO DC minifragment titanium plate with PLLA without antibiotics/antiseptics; Group III: six-hole AO DC minifragment titanium plate with PLLA + 3% Rifampicin and 7% fusidic acid; Group IV: six-hole AO DC minifragment titanium plate with PLLA + 2% Octenidin and 8% Irgasan. In vitro, we investigated the degradation and the release of the PLLA coating over a period of 6 weeks, the bactericidal efficacy of antibiotics/antiseptics after their release from the coating and the bacterial adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus to the implants. In vivo, we compared the infection rates in white New Zealand rabbits after titanium plate osteosynthesis of the tibia with or without antibacterial coating after local percutaneous bacterial inoculations at different concentrations (2 x 10(5)-2 x 10(8)): The plate, the contaminated soft tissues and the underlying bone were removed under sterile conditions after 28 days and quantitatively evaluated for bacterial growth. A stepwise experimental design with an "up-and-down" dosage technique was used to adjust the bacterial challenge in the area of the ID50 (50% infection dose). Statistical evaluation of the differences between the infection rates of both groups was performed using the two-sided Fisher exact test (p < 0.05). Over a period of 6 weeks, a continuous degradation of the PLLA coating of 13%, on average, was seen in vitro in 0.9% NaCl solution. The elution tests on titanium implants with antibiotic or antiseptic coatings produced average release values of 60% of the incorporated antibiotic or 62% of the incorporated antiseptic within the first 60 min. This was followed by a much slower, but nevertheless continuous, release of the incorporated antibiotic and antiseptic over days and weeks. At the end of the test period of 42 days, 20% of the incorporated antibiotic and 15% of the incorporated antiseptic had not yet been released from the coating. The antibacterial effect of the antibiotic/antiseptic is not lost by integrating it into the PLLA coating. The overall infection rate in the in vivo investigation was 50%. For Groups I and II the infection rate was both 83% (10 of 12 animals). In Groups III and IV with antibacterial coating, the infection rate was both 17% (2 of 12 animals). The ID50 in the antibacterial coated Groups III and IV was recorded as 1 x 10(8) CFU, whereas the ID50 values in the Groups I and II without antibacterial coating were a hundred times lower at 1 x 10(6) CFU, respectively. The difference between the groups with and without antibacterial coating was statistically significant (p = 0.033). Using an antibacterial biodegradable PLLA coating on titanium plates, a significant reduction of infection rate in an in vitro and in vivo investigation could be demonstrated. For the first time, to our knowledge, we were able to show, under standardized and reproducible conditions, that an antiseptic coating leads to the same reduction in infection rate as an antibiotic coating. Taking the problem of antibiotic-induced bacterial resistance into consideration, we thus regard the antiseptic coating, which shows the same level of effectiveness, as advantageous