How Grain Handling Technology Evolved with the Introduction of Updated Technologies?

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Every farmer is a gambler. They gamble on the weather and are completely dependent on how the weather turns out to be in order for their crops to flourish and profit from it. The crops can get destroyed due to a storm or they can turn on perfect because of the appropriate weather conditions. This is one thing that the science lacks control in to a considerable degree. Farmers are on the mercy of the weather to either bring them a good year in farming or make them bear a terrible loss.

When it comes to grain storage science has blessed us with incredible technology. Since the industrial age, many progressions have been made in terms of handling crops. Farmers profiting from grain crops have benefitted with better maintenance for the crop and better storage facilities. Here are some of the recent technological advances that science has blessed the grains crops with.

NECO’s COMMANDnet:

Grain drying is only required for as much as 2 months.  Despite that, this process is an important aspect for the farmers as well as the consumers. In case of the failure of a grain dryer machine, the whole operations can come to total halt. Improper dryness can cause the grain to get damaged in the grain storage and can render it totally useless before it is even transported for sale.  People would have to sit through the whole process in close proximity to the machine. This was done irrespective of the time, in order to protect the crop from perishing due to the malfunctioning of a dryer. This phenomenon changed after the introduction of ConnectPort X4 Gateway.

The system was introduced by NECO team and is now equipped in every dryer. It utilizes device cloud then passes on the information to a custom web application of NECO, COMMANDnet. This granted easy access to farmers, dealers and NECO itself. Just like most fields in farming and transportation, trucks are going digital, it only makes sense that grain drying can make use of this technology. Now farmers don’t need to spend all their time being physically present with the machine but instead can get alerts in the forms of SMS or e-mails. They can also have applications in their smartphone, computers or tablets with which they can log in and review the progress.

360 Bullets:

360 Bullets is yet another innovation in grain handling, conserving the nutrients of the grains while providing quality harvest. Prior to the introduction of 360 Bullets to the farmers, the traditional rippers were prone to penetrate the soil by a small percentage. These later affects the crop, which in turn ends up receiving less nutrients than it should. 360 Bullets is although known to be only 1.5% slower than its predecessor, but gets the job done right. It eliminates undisturbed berms and rips the soil deeper than any other ripper. It ruptures the soil surface so that the roots can have a smooth transition to the subsoil’s moisture level. It has the added benefit of having the same horsepower as its forerunners.

Tribine:

With technology improving throughout the years, a lot of old practices in farming have nearly become extinct. Another machine that is changing the game for farmers is Tribine.  This machine has the capacity to eliminate the need of a tractor or a grain cart completely. Adding more to its benefit is its speed, which is faster than the two conventional machines combined. It harbors a 1000-bushel grain bin which can be unloaded in just over two minutes. Its 500 gallon fuel tank provides it with the capability to work continuously for 24 hours. Another innovation that has been made is that the cab floor is entirely made up of glass. This grants a wider range of vision for the surroundings. It also boasts of having a tighter radius for turning than other combines. These features make the machine more desirable and intensely awaited. It is expected to release soon in 2017.

All these inventions are introduced to provide a smoother system of farming and grain handling. These machines make the painstakingly difficult work of any average farmer, less time consuming and more profitable. The machines listed here are capable of doing exactly that. Technology can always be counted upon to better the lifestyle of any industry and therefore should be embraced by all the farmers across the world. It is the perfect way to compete with a market with high demand. 

Essential Tips to Improve the Efficiency of Grain Storage Systems

Source: bloomberg.com

Grain storage plays a significant role in modern agricultural farming, so getting your storage solution right will lessen your workload, improve your efficiency and reduce crop loss in one go. There are several different grain storage solutions you can employ in grain storage, so choosing the right one for your operation is your key to success.

The moment your crop is ready to be harvested, you have several options available to you to store your grain. Many choose to use grain augers to feed their grain storage systems, as they allow grain gathering from floor height upward. Combined with a grain storage system, you have an efficient tool in keeping your crop fresh and taken care of in a timely manner.

Popular Grain Storage Solutions

One of the most popular grain storage solutions is the traditional grain bin that stores various quantities of grain. Traditionally, these bins allow many tons of grain to be stored in a strong circular grain silo that allows for easy filling, access, and disposal into a transportation vehicle down the line.

Source: openmarkets.cmegroup.com

Modern grain storage solutions take into account all of the pit-falls of storing large quantities of grain in a single place, such as tackling the issue of bugs and pests, as well as crop loss due to heat and moisture. Modern grain storage bins tackle these problems head on with innovations such as increased side wall strength and ventilation shafts.

Source: wikipedia.org

The ventilation shaft reaches from the bottom to the top of the bin, containing ventilation holes that allow the hot air and moisture in the middle of the grain mound to be dispersed through a flue at the top of the storage container itself. This eliminates the need for grain storage rotation and reduces the amount of crop loss for long term grain storage.

Temporary Grain Storage Solutions

Another popular grain storage technique to use when there is a surplus of the crop, or crops need to be stored for short periods of time, such as awaiting transportation. Differing from a permanent structure, these temporary grain storage solutions offer portability, as well as easy management and use. As simple as the large rings that contain the crop are, temporary grain storage rings allow fast assembly and disassembly, offering a powerful tool for farmers during harvest.

Source: advantec.com.au

Improve Farming Efficiency

One of the best grain storage tips is to use the combination of these elements to swiftly deal with your crop much faster than previously possible. The combination of the portable grain auger and the grain storage bin allow a highly mobile solution to your grain transportation requirements, allowing you to work alone or as a small team to complete your grain storage tasks in a single swoop.

Source: azimagess.com

Increasing your efficiency on the farm is one of the biggest ways to save money as well as your precious time, leaving you to concentrate on other tasks, as well as getting your grain to sale earlier than possible before. This increase in efficiency allows your crop to reach the point of sale in perfect condition, with a total grain storage solution paying for itself in saved time and crop losses in the long run.

Choosing the Best Grain Storage Solutions for Your Crops

Whilst the main benefits of storing grain are evident in the risky business of farming – price fluctuations, overproduction and harvest loss are the main reasons why the majority of commercial farmers use an entire system of grain storage to maximise their crop value and minimise their crop loss. There are a number of dependable grain storage systems on the market, so let’s take a look at some of them, and their uses and benefits. 

Grain storage comes into play for a number of reasons such as overproduction, grain transportation, and to minimise the risks associated with grain storage. The main grain storage system in place amongst large farms aims to keep the grain in dry conditions and minimise the risks associated with grain loss, such as to rot or fungal growth.

Temperature Control, Aeration and Storage

In these grain storage solutions, temperature control, ease of access and the ability to move large amounts of grain from the site to a storage unit and then on to transportation makes the difference. The majority of grain storage is done for a medium period of time, and therefore needs to be kept in a cool, and dry place to ensure the crop is not damaged.

Bulk grain storage silos exist to allow a huge quantity of grain to be stored in an easily accessible unit for future transportation. Maintaining the temperature of the grain storage in harsh weather is a challenge.

Modern Grain Storage Solutions

Grain storage such as Advantec’s “Grain Guardian” is a modern take on the old silo technique, with a few twists. It has a clever aeration system that allows for the movement of air over the top of the silo to take away heat build-up which can cause issues with crop degradation itself.

This innovative method is not where the grain guardian stops, as with rigid sides that include strengthened hoops surrounding the building, there is no internal structure so you can maximise the internal volume of grain stored within.

Temporary Measures

For crop overproduction, temporary measures are needed to store the excess and maintain its quality, in times where other grain storage devices are full or non-functional. In these instances, temporary hoop structures are used to store the grain at ground level, allowing for a temporary solution when awaiting transportation. 

Many farms use temporary grain storage solutions to keep the grain on site and minimise on extra costs of transportation and storage at another site. These temporary measures ensure that the crop stays in optimal condition for a short period of time, allowing storage elsewhere on site at a later date.

Innovative New Designs

For more long term grain storage solutions, a larger grain storage device is needed. Advantec is now using some of the most innovative technology in the industry to create grain-air tubes that allow for the circulation of cool air from within a crop pile itself.

These inventive structures consist of a central pole that has holes punched in it that allow the air from the central pile of the crop to rise to the top of the grain storage silo and out into the air.

The build-up of heat from within the central column of the crop is what turns crop into rotting crop, and with a minimal risk of fungal growth due to the warm air being taken away, these longer term grain storage solutions are best for larger farms, or farms that keep grain for longer periods of time.

It’s important to take the time to select which grain storage solution fits your needs best so you get a high yield and loose as little product as possible. Advantec offers a range of quality options that can help you make the most of your crop and can also tailor a unique solution to perfectly meet your needs.