1.

1 Find the theoretical machine capacity in hectares per hour (acres

per hour) using the unit factor system described in Laboratory

Exercise 1 for a 3-m (9.8 ft) width-of-cut mower observed to travel 100

m (328 ft) in 52 s.

Given:
w=3m
d = 100 m
t = 52 sec

Find:

Theoretical machine capacity

Theoretical machine capacity (Tc) = Speed of travel(S) x width of

implement (w)

100 m 3600 s 1ha

Tc = 52 s
x 3mx
hr
x
10000 m 2

Tc = 2.08 ha/hr

1.2 Show that the constant in the equation for theoretical capacity in

acres per hour for metric machines is really 4.047 instead of 4.

Find:

Constant for acres/hr

1 Problem Set
 Theoretical machine capacity (Tc) = Speed of travel(S) x width of

implement (w)
2 2
S km 1000 m (3.28) ft 1a
Tc = xw mx x 2
x
hr 1 km 1m 43560 ft 2

Sw
Tc = 4 . 047 a/hr

1.3 A 5-m (16.4-ft) width-of-cut self-propelled combine makes an

average stop of 4 min every time its 2-t (73.3-bu) grain tank is to be

unloaded. This stop includes the time for adjustments, lubrication,

refueling and the operator’s personal time. The gross yield of the field

is 2.1 t/ha (31.17 bu/a). Material losses are measured as 0.1 t/ha

(1.48 bu/a). The operating speed is 4.8 km/hr (2.98 MPH). The time

for turning on a headland at the ends of the 400-m (1312-ft) field is

15 s. The average actual width of cut is 0.95 of theoretical. Find:

a. Theoretical field capacity

Tc = sw

4.8 km 1000 m 1h a
Tc = hr
x5m x x
1 km 10,000 m 2

2. 4 ha
Tc = hr

b. Effective or actual field capacity

SwL E w
Ec = C L+ DSwL E +C St
1 w 2

2 Problem Set
 Solving for the unproductive time (D) in hr/ha

4 min 1unload 2 tons 1 h r

D = unload x 2 tons x h a x 60 min

D = 0.067 ha/hr

4.8 x 5 x 400 x 0.95

Ec = ( 10 x 400 ) + ( 0.067 x 4.8 x 5 x 400 x 0.95 ) +(2.777 x 4.8 x 15)

Ec = 1.90 ha/hr

c. Field efficiency

Feff’y = Ec / Tc

1.90 h a/h r
Feff’y = 2.4 h a/h r
x 100 %

Feff’y = 79.17%

d. Percentage of time loss

Percent time loss = 100% - 79.17% = 20.83%

e. Material efficiency

Meff’y = Net yield / gross yield

2t /h a
Meff’y = 2.1t /h a x 100%

Meff’y = 95.24%

3 Problem Set
1.4 Enter Eq. 1.3 into a programmable calculator or computer for easy

and rapid repetitive solutions. Find the most sensitive variable in the

equation by determining the largest percentage increase in the

effective field capacity upon entering in turn a 20 % improvement

(increase or decrease in value) for S, w, L, E w, D, t and size of grain

tank. Use data in problem 1.3 as base values.

Note : Calculation involves 20 % improvement in value

Tank

S w L Ew D t size C
4.8 5 400 0.95 0.06667 15 2 1.9
5.76 5 400 0.95 0.06667 15 2 2.2
4.8 6 400 0.95 0.06667 15 2 2.22
4.8 5 480 0.95 0.06667 15 2 1.91
4.8 5 400 1 0.06667 15 2 1.98
0.0533

4.8 5 400 0.95 3 15 2 1.95

4.8 5 400 0.95 0.06667 12 2 1.91
0.0555

4.8 5 400 0.95 6 15 2.4 1.94

Improvement of 20 % in values changed its capacity. The increase of

its width and effective swath causes the effective capacity to increase

also but the increase in unproductive time has caused the decrease in

effective capacity.

1.5 Self-propelled windrowers are capable of reversing their drive

wheels independently while their rear wheels swivel. What would be

an optimum dimension for the horizontal distance between the cutter

4 Problem Set
 bar and the drive axle to permit a perfectly square turn? Express the

answer in terms of cutter bar width; would any of the standing grain

be backed over by any part of the windrower during this turn?

Some of the crop will be back over during the turning of the

windrower.

1.6 A pulled PTO-driven 3-row harvester is used in a row crop planted

in 500-mm (19.68 in.) rows. The field is 400 m (1312 ft) long and was

planted with 12-row headlands to enable the field speed of 6.5 km/hr

(4 MPH).

a. What is the width of the optimum land for this operation? (Express

in terms of the number of implement trips.)

fw S e
Optimum Land Widt h=
√ Sp

Se =S p

Optimum Land Widt h=¿ ((400m – 12m) X 1.5 m)1/2 = 24.12m

48 rows/3 row harvester = 16 implement trips

5 Problem Set
 b. If the field is 300 m (984 ft) wide, how many times will it be

necessary to break through the field to establish a new land?

W 2 Sp
n=0.5+
√
4 fw Se

SP = S e , effective width of plow = 500mm x 3row =

1,500mm = 1.5m

Length of furrow = 400m – 12 rows headland @ 1m/row

= 388m

n=0.5+ √ ¿ ¿ ¿

n = 6.72 or 7 breakthroughs

c. What is the maximum yield that would just fill a wagon of 4-t (4.4

T) capacity in one trip across the field?

4t 10,000 m2
x =68. 73 t /ha
(388 m x 1.5 m) ha

1.7 A round baler spends about 1 min total in stopping forward

motion, backing away from the windrow, wrapping the bale with twine

and restarting baling. Assuming a throughput of 9 t/hr (10 T/hr) in a

field yielding 2.25 t/ha (1.0 T/a), determine the field efficiency. The

windrows have been made from two 3-m (10-ft) swaths and are laid in

a circuitous pattern. Neglect any downtime stops. An individual bale

6 Problem Set
 weighs 450 kg (1000 lb). What forward speed is necessary to achieve

the throughput capacity?

t h eoretical capacity
Field efficiency = actual capacity

450 kg 1hr 60 min 3 min

Theoretical capacity = x
bale 9000 kg
x
hr = bale

3 min 1 min 4 min

Actual capacity = + =
bale bale bale

3
Field Efficiency = 4 x 100 %=75 %

Forward speed

450 kg 1ha 1 bale 60 min 10,000m 2 1 1 km

Fs = x x
bale 2,250 kg 4 min
x
hr
x
1h a
x
6m
x 1000 m

5 km
Fs = hr

1.8 The fertilizer hoppers on a planter will hold 90 kg (198 lb) for each

row. The required fertilization rate is 340 kg/ha (303 lb/a). Row

spacing is 1 m (39.4 in.) and the length of the field is 800 m (2625 ft).

Under such conditions, 54.4 kg (120 lb) would have to be added to

each hopper at the end of each round. Less time would be wasted if a

procedure could be arranged that would allow the fertilizer hoppers to

empty further before refilling. Evaluate the following proposals.

a. Go 1 ½ rounds with fertilizer stored at each end of the field.

7 Problem Set
 Solving for the fertilizer requirement per round

340kg/ha x 1 ha/ 10,000m2 x 1m-row width x

800m/trip x 2trips/round = 54.4kg/round

 1 ½ rounds x 54.4 kg/round = 81.6 kg fertilizer per fill,

but having 2 fertilizer facilities is more expensive

b. Add extensions to the hoppers to allow 2 complete rounds.

2 rounds x 54.4 kg/round = 108.8 kg per fill of fertilizer

which is 21% increase in the capacity of the hopper and

therefore can cause variation in weight that might affect the

overall efficiency of the machine.

c. Divide the field into lands with row lengths one-fourth the original

and place fertilizer supplies at each end of the new lands.

800m/ 4 = 200 m/ length of land

54.4 kg/ 8 ( 1 round is equally divided into the four lands ) =

6.8kg/round utilizing 200m length or new land

Since the capacity of the hopper is 90kg, it takes 13 rounds per fill

or an equivalent of 88.4kg of fertilizer.

However, like the first proposal extra supply facilities can be

expensive

d. Buy more-concentrated fertilizer.

Good solution but may not guarantee to the fertilizer requirement

or analysis of the field.

e. Place the fertilizer supply in the middle of the field only.

8 Problem Set
 Will have a total round of 1 ¾ if placed in the middle of the field

having a total fertilizer content per hopper of 95.2 kg which means

it has an overfill of 5.2 kg

This is the most practical method since it only require one fertilizer

facility and therefore lessen expenses.

1.9 Sketch the shape of the cycle diagrams for machine systems made

up of:

a. One forage harvester, 1 forage blower and 1 truck

b. One SP baler with bale thrower, 3 wagons, 2 tractors and an

auxillary engine-driven bale elevator

9 Problem Set
Forage Truck Forage
Harvester Blower
 Wagon 1

S.P. Bale
Wagon 2 Elevator
Baler
c. Two SP combines, 3 trucks holding 4 dumps each, 1 grain

elevator(show just one transportation

Wagon 3 loop; indicate others)

10 Problem Set
Tractor's Path
1.10. In Fig. 1.19 what unloading time would cause the unloader

performance to just match the potential transport performance?

What would be the new Ts?

Let x = the required unloading time

Transport cycle time = unloader cycle time

10 + 5 + 5 + 1 + x = 4 * x + 4
T2 T3
21 + x = 4x + 4
Elevator

x – 4x = 4 – 21 Truck (T1)

x = 17/3
T2
SP
x = 5.67 min.
T3 Therefore
SP new Ts = 10 + 5 + 5 + 1 + 5.67
Combine =
Combine T3
T2 2
1
26.67minutes T3
T2 T3 T2

1.11. Suppose Fig. 1.20 is a silage harvesting system. Find the capacity

system if the loads carried by the wagons could be increased by

50% and 2 unloaders were used. With the exception of loading and

unloading times the other data remain the same.

Total system becomes 2 sub-systems of 1 U, 1 H, and 2 wagons

with one tractor.

Ts = 42 min. (shuttle tractor limits) or 2.857 loads per hour for

each sub-system. Total system capacity is 5.714 loads per hour,

1.14 loads/ man-hr

11 Problem Set
 Using the original loads of Fig. 1.20, as a base capacity (6.66), the

capacity of the larger capacity wagon system is 1.5 x 5.714 or

8.571 loads per hour, -- or a 28.58% increase in performance.

Analysis of Cycle Time

Harvester = 2 + 15 + 4 + 2 + 15 + 4 = 42

Unloader = 9 + 11 + 1 + 9 + 11 + 1 = 42

Wagon 1 = 2 + 5 + 9 + 1 + 5 + 1 + 4 + 15 = 42

Wagon 2 = 4 + 1 + 15 + 2 + 5 + 9 + 1 + 5 = 42

Ts = 42 minutes

60 min/42 min = 1.43 x 2 wagons = 2.86 loads per hour for 1

system

Total system capacity = 2.86 x 2 = 5.72 loads per hour

With 5 laborers, 5.72/5 = 1.14 loads/man-hr

12 Problem Set