Development of the construction of agricultural and forestry machines
We carry out work related to the development of the design of tools, machines and equipment used in agriculture and forestry and intended, among others, for:
- soil cultivation and mechanical care of crops,
- sowing seeds and planting tubers and seedlings,
- fertilisation with mineral and organic fertilisers,
- plant protection against diseases, pests and weeds,
- harvesting of agricultural and forestry products,
- post-harvest handling, loading and transporting of crops and consumables,
- farming, storage and processing of animal feedstuffs
- generation of renewable energy.
We are also involved in materials engineering for agricultural and food technology, with a particular focus on innovative metallic materials, polymers, polymer composites and protective coatings.
In addition to the conception and development of new tools, machines and equipment, we also carry out comprehensive tests on them. Tests commissioned directly by manufacturers are most often related to safety in use and the assessment of structural strength, but the offer also includes laboratory and field tests in terms of functionality and quality of operation. Such tests are particularly necessary when introducing modernised or new machines into production. A cursory, usually visual, assessment of a machine’s operating quality carried out by the manufacturers or farmers themselves is usually insufficient. Tests conducted on the basis of internal procedures and standards, are more detailed and, just as importantly, independent. The information from such tests can be used in promotional materials and have the added value of recommending design changes that can be used in modernisation work.
We carry out functional tests on agricultural machinery and equipment, including:
- measuring operating resistances,
- structural stability,
- organic material flow analysis,
- analysis of the course and quality of implemented technological processes:
fertilisation technique
plant protection technique
sowing technique
cultivation processes
- functional testing of mineral fertilizer spreaders consisting of:
- measuring the discharge from the dosing opening,
- measuring the uniformity of the transverse distribution of fertilizer on the seeding line,
- determining the granulometric composition and moisture content of the fertilizer, chute angle and determining the working width of the spreader
- preparation of detailed fertilizer spreading tables for the tested spreaders and fertilizers
- development and implementation of new techniques in the field of fertilization and localized fertilization including precise positioning
- functional testing of manure spreaders for compliance with environmental standards involving examination of lateral and longitudinal distribution, determination of unit flow and determination of working width
- functional testing of mineral fertilizer spreaders consisting of:
- functional testing of sprayers for environmental compliance, which includes evaluation of all assemblies, such as: transverse irregularity, tank scaling deviation, residual working liquid, agitator performance, etc.
- tests of the characteristics of sprayer pumps, where the full characteristics of the pump as a function of speed and pressure are created, and the measured parameters are discharge rate and power requirements
- functional tests of sprayers according to the current ISO and EN standards, consisting in the measurement of transverse irregularity as a function of pressure and the height of the sprayer above the sprayed surface, the measurement of spray angle as a function of pressure, the measurement of discharge rate as a function of pressure, and the measurement of droplet size of the sprayed liquid as a function of pressure.
- testing of on-board computers of sprayers according to current ISO and EN standards consisting in measuring the response of the on-board computer (controller) of the sprayer to a change in operating conditions, e.g. change in driving speed, switching on/off of individual sections, switching on/off of spraying, change in pump rotational speed, carried out on a test stand for on-board computers of sprayers
- measurement of particle size of liquids and solids in aerosols conducted on Malvern Spraytec device, consisting of laser measurement of particles in two ranges 0.1÷900 µm and 1÷2000 µm, recording rapid changes in atomization processes in real time; sampling frequency up to 2.5 kHz
- functional tests of row and precision seeders consisting in the evaluation of sowing quality in the laboratory and during field tests (after emergence) as well as the evaluation of longitudinal (row and precision seeders) and transverse (row seeders) irregularities
- tests to determine seeder characteristics including measurements of seeding unit performance, seeding rate, seed tank capacity, etc.
- tests to characterize the sown seeds by measuring moisture content, weight of 1,000 seeds (TSW), impurity content, density and chute angle
- testing of pneumatic row and spot seeder fans, in order to determine their characteristics
- development and implementation of new techniques in the field of seed sowing, taking into account the precise control of individual units
We cooperate with entrepreneurs, implementing projects co-financed by national funds for science; including agricultural companies, universities and other research institutes.
We invite manufacturers who care about:
verification of their products
confirmation of the suitability of products to changing agricultural technologies
Our expert:
Tomasz Szulc
Tel.: +48 784 638 264 | +48 61 8712 214
E-mail: tomasz.szulc@pit.lukasiewicz.gov.pl
Łukasiewicz Research Network – Poznań Institute of Technology, Centre for Modern Mobility, Division of Agricultural and Forest Machines Development, 31 Starołęcka Street, 60-963 Poznań, Poland
