• #Motors
• #Farm/Agriculture

Motors Products Suitable for Mobile Agricultural Machinery

Agriculture uses many different pieces of machinery, from the simple and low tech to up-to-the-minute intelligent machinery. Machinery is often out and about. This post will take a look at some of the motor products used in mobile agricultural machinery.

We’re talking about machinery used on a whole range of farms and beyond – arable, livestock, mixed, horticultural, fish and probably a few more besides! 

Like any business, an efficient farm seeks to control costs, improve the amount and quality of yield and remain profitable. Action includes, for example, careful investment in machinery and minimising waste by precision inputs of feed, seed, fertiliser and pesticide. 

In agricultural use, you’ll find DC gear motors in precision planting equipment, optimising placement of seeds, plants and trees, and electric valves, pumps and actuators minimising fertiliser and pesticide waste. 

Electric motors are more efficient and accurate in automation than hydrostatic or diesel motors, leading to time saved and waste prevented. They produce fewer toxic emissions and can be charged using solar power. Unlike hydraulic systems, they cannot potentially leak hazardous fluid onto fields. 

DC motors

DC motors provide a solid, efficient and reliable base for simple and more complex agricultural applications. They are used in mobile applications or where low voltage is required to meet safety requirements. They are able to run on solar and battery power and their performance and control options are always improving. 

Common uses of DC motors include:

• pump drive on portable machines – battery powered and high start torque
• food machinery – low voltage to comply with HSE rules
• low duty machine requiring high start torque – DC motors produce up to 3x nominal torque at start.

DC motors can be combined with a multi-functional easy to programme and cost effective drives for basic logic and motor control.

And for up-to-the-minute intelligent machinery, DC motors can be combined with fully featured self-combined motors with gearboxes, encoders and drives with BUS interfaces.

Also in agricultural use  

You might also like to take a look at our: 

• linear actuators – used in cab automation and in operating flaps and doors on farm machinery 
• stainless steel motors and gear motors – used in submersible machinery as the leak-free casing ensures long life underwater
• screw jacks – used in lifting and positioning farm machinery
• solenoids & electromagnets – used to open/close valves, hold work pieces or provide safety locks.

There’s much more to touch on in the agricultural sector – fruit-picking robots, indoor and vertical farming, automated feeding systems, sensors – but they’re for another post. 

In the meantime, specialists in OEM Automatic’s motor business area are always happy to talk over your specific automation requirements in the broad agricultural sector. 
Our Motors Product Specialists are on hand if you have any questions, [email protected] or call 0116 284 9900.