There is money, resources and time to save during harvesting if the different field operations and harvesting equipment can be coordinated in a more optimal way. In a new research project, researchers will develop tools that can help the farmer with the operations management to ensure an optimal harvest. The Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation has put 5 million into this project.
The agricultural sector has undergone a massive increase in productivity to meet demands for increased production of inexpensive, high-quality food. These demands have resulted primarily in larger and more productive machines. However, on today's complex farms, there is a large and untapped potential related to planning and optimising the interaction between the individual machines instead of simply increasing the size of the machines.
The Department of Engineering, Aarhus University has joined forces with the global manufacturer of agricultural machinery, ACGO, to develop the already comprehensive research in logistic optimisation and operations management related to field operations, specifically harvesting operations. The aim is to create an innovative commercial product that optimises the entire logistic chain in all harvest operations for all of the involved harvesting equipment and systems.
"We believe that the combination of analytical optimisation of logistics and a modelling approach with a system of systems mindset can result in new products that can optimise field operations in the future", says Peter Gorm Larsen from the Department of Engineering, Aarhus University.
In this project, AGCO, that develops and produces agricultural machinery for brands such as Fendt, Massey Ferguson and Valtra, is represented by the Danish research and development department in Randers. AGCO has a clear strategy for the development and implementation of the increasingly advanced sensor and data acquisition technologies in the machines. A data platform will be developed to gather and exchange data with other machinery at the farm. Ideally, the platform should also be able to communicate with external suppliers and buyers of products from the farm to allow automatic ordering of fertilizer and crops as well as automatic sales of corn. These technologies will form the basis for new optimisation tools.
"In the intelligent agricultural systems of the future, it is not the optimisation of the individual machines that are in focus, but, on the contrary, the productivity of the total farming system", says Morten Bilde from AGCO and continues:
"To create value from current and future sensor technologies and data platforms, it is crucial that we develop intelligent and user-friendly systems to support the farmer in his decision-making and machine coordination. We already provide farmers with data and information about machines and crops, but without systems that can use this data stream to contribute actively to optimise production, the value of this minimal. What matters for the farmer are the bottom line economics when the season has ended."
The project partners will not only demonstrate a specific commercial optimisation tool, but will also create the necessary foundation for future development in the area.
