@IAgrE
LandwardsThe professional journal for the Institution of Agricultural Engineers
IAgrE Professional Journal www.iagre.org Volume 75, Number 1 - Spring 2020
See iagre.org for the latest information
In this issue... █ Natural partners in STEM training █ Recommended reading █ Provision of power – engineering █ Practice: how to build a plough in action █ Membership matters
AGRICULTURE HORTICULTURE FORESTRY ENVIRONMENT AMENITY Landwards Spring 2020 Summer 2019 Landwards TECHNICIAN GRADE NEW ROUTE INTO IAgrE FAMILY
DAIRY EQUIPMENT TECHNICIAN The Technician grade of IAgrE Membership is for those who are qualified at a vocational or technical level. They may have completed an apprenticeship or extended diploma. Alternatively they may have gathered technical training at work or participation on an IAgrE approved training programme such as Parlour Safe. To qualify, you will be working in industry and will have built up experience and career development in the workplace. You will be keen to be part of the IAgrE family and seeking a cost effective way of getting involved and benefiting from being part of the community of professional engineers.
The IAgrE Technician Grade for Parlour Safe Technicians. If you are registered under the Parlour Safe scheme and have attended training courses at Reaseheath or Hartpury Colleges you are eligible to apply for IAgrE membership and use the letters TIAgrE after your name and on your business card as a way of demonstrating your high standards to your customers and colleagues. If you have completed the training and assessment at Parlour Safe Category 3 and above you can also apply to become a professionally registered engineer. This will permit you to use the title of Engineering Technician and join the growing number of engineers who use the letters EngTech as a demonstration of high standards and professionalism.
To apply and find out more: Go to the IAgrE website and complete the Application Form iagre.org/ technician. With your completed application form, you will also need to provide a current full and detailed CV which describes in detail your working history and experience. We will need copies of academic certificates and details of education/training. For further information contact Alison [email protected] or 01234 750 876 Landwards Spring 2020
Contents:
Agricultural engineering Practice: - Soils 24-25 The Douglas news and views 4-7 The first line of defence Bomford Trust 36-37 Perspectives from the people against flooding How the DBT is supporting and profession the profession
Practice: - how to build The presidents musings 7 a plough 26-29 Council meeting 38-39 Jane Rickson’s last take from Pottingers plough factory is a The latest council meeting from the top thoroughly modern example of Cranfield University production engineering
CEO 9 Membership matters 40-51 Ed Hansom holds forth Profession: – maintaining The latest movements, and your core competence 30-31 branch reports Stressing the importance of CPD Practice: - Provision of power 10-17 How Rolls-Royce apply engineering Book Club 32-35 principles to real world problems Recommended reading on tractor design and farm buildings
Profession: - Natural Partners 18-23 Forest engineering supports STEM teacher training
Landwards is published on behalf of the IAgrE by FarmSmart Publishing Limited. Editor – Andy Newbold 01539 620255 [email protected] Design – Kate Mason, Smart Design and Print www.smartdesignprint.co.uk The views and opinions expressed in individual contributions are not necessarily those of IAgrE or the editor. Landwards is compiled from information received by IAgrE, but no responsibility can be accepted by the Executive, the Publishers or the Editor in respect of errors or omissions. The editor does reserve the right to edit any material submitted for publication. Material from this publication may be quoted or reported on condition that full credit is given to Landwards and to the author together with the date of publication and volume number. In the interest of factual reporting, reference to trade names and proprietary products may be inevitable. No endorsement of the named products or manufacturers is intended and no adverse criticism is implied of similar products which are not mentioned. © The Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE) ISSN 1363-8300 Company registration no. 648071, Charity no. 257303 Book Club - Pages 32-35 Photo courtesy of www.farmingphotography.co.uk 3 Landwards Spring 2020
engineers and engineering outside of the membership, focus on the Editors my own particular parish. profession and your development. I want to showcase how agricultural However, it’s quite a different matter engineering is a force for good in Welcome mulling over how to take forwards wider society. such a strong and respected magazine as rookie editor. It would be remiss to not mention or credit the great work that Chris You, the readers are, in the main, Biddle has done, and the fantastic members of the IAgrE, and as foundation he has left as outgoing agricultural engineers are a wide editor. I’m grateful for Chris’s steer and varied bunch. I often refer to and advice during this period of agricultural engineers as the ‘swiss handover. army knifes’ of the engineering community. Or, to the chattering I welcome your feedback. classes of Cumbrian upland dinner Over the last 27 years or so of parties, ‘the folk you need on a Andy Newbold desert island’. IAgrE membership, I have enjoyed Editor receiving and reading the quarterly [email protected] edition of Landwards. It has been my My aim for Landwards is to reflect window into the world of agricultural the many and varied interests of
monetise their data, whilst making it fundamentally depend on the ability A Data Marketplace easier for data-consumers to find the to easily exchange data. This requires could solve agriculture’s information they need. new linked-data supply-chains that big problem seamlessly connect data-producers This has attracted significant and data-consumers throughout attention. Agrimetrics has close links the food and farming system. The with AHDB, DEFRA and the NFU, Agri-food Data Marketplace is the and boasts Microsoft as a strategic closest yet to making this a reality.” Agrimetrics, a UK Agri-Tech Centre partner. Airbus, the aerospace giant, with public backing, has launched has already made satellite-derived the agri-food sector’s first Data field attributes available through The Members memories Marketplace, which promises Data Marketplace; these attributes can be used to calculate irrigation https://iagre.org/ to reward data-owners, whilst members-memories accelerating innovation. requirements and develop methods for countering lodging. Airbus are IAgrE realises that the memories Agriculture has a big data joined by The Centre for Ecology of its members form a “living problem. The sector desperately and Hydrology (CEH), Soil Grids, The history” of the Agricultural needs to improve productivity Met Office, Natural England, The Engineering legacy in the UK. and sustainability. Data-driven Environment Agency and others. When we send 50- and 60-year technologies promise solutions to certificates to members we these challenges; unfortunately, BASF, the world’s largest chemical ask them to send us their many of these promises have been manufacturer, has used the data to reminiscences and in the last hollow. develop a water stewardship tool few months Sarah has been that gives field-specific guidance on adding them to the Members’ “The problem is two-pronged,” when to spray. wHen2gO simplifies Memories page of the website. says Dr David Flanders, Agrimetrics a complex regulatory area and is This is a fascinating insight CEO. “Agri-businesses are – often an example of how data-driven into the history of Agricultural justifiably – reluctant to share their tools can improve sustainability Engineering and if you have data. Meanwhile, organisations lack and farm profitability. Barfoots, memories and photographs to the information they need to build the UK food and farming company, share (selectively) we would new solutions. This has prevented have used the data to create a love to receive them. meaningful innovation. Data-driven predictive harvest model to reduce manufacturers have, for example, waste and inefficiencies across their Do take a look at the page and increased production by 50% and cut international supply chains. take a walk down Memory waste by 20%.” Lane – from early careers with “Robotics, artificial intelligence, Bomford & Evershed Ltd, to In response, Agrimetrics, the carbon farming, predictive models, a tour of Spain with a Radio National Agri-Tech Centre for farm-to-fork traceability and Controlled Tractor our members Innovation in Data Science, is natural capital accounting are have experience of a broad overhauling the way agricultural often-highlighted when discussing spectrum of engineering life data is shared and accessed. The the future of agriculture,” concludes and it is well worth taking a few Agri-Food Data Marketplace enables Dr Matthew Smith, Agrimetrics Chief minutes to savour our history. data-owners to safely share and Product Officer. “However, they
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Advanced engineering centre opens at Reaseheath College One of the most sophisticated technical education centres of its type in Britain has been officially opened at Reaseheath College in Cheshire.
The £8 million Centre for Advanced Engineering and Agri-Technology has been created specifically to deliver next generation skills in precision engineering, precision farming, service engineering and diagnostic testing.
The initiative, part of a total £80 million investment across campus, was supported by a capital grant from Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Head of Agricultural Engineering “This new Centre for Advanced created in partnership with leading Tim Gibbs said: “This ground Engineering and Agri-Technology agricultural engineering companies, breaking centre combines all is an excellent example of how many of which have donated top aspects of agricultural innovation, academia and industry can work class machinery and equipment. mechanisation and advanced collaboratively to move agricultural engineering under one roof. It engineering well and truly into the The specialist facility is enabling allows us to teach and develop 21st Century. These facilities will Reaseheath lecturers to deliver efficient modern farming ensure that Reaseheath students technical training on the latest crop techniques including precision land are fully prepared to meet the production systems and science management and precision farming. technological and engineering subjects such as data mapping to This will enable us to meet increased challenges of a rapidly changing agricultural engineering students. demand for specialist training from industry.” our industry partners, and to equip Features include workshops and a our students with the skills they will Also present at the launch were technology suite equipped for the need for their future careers.” Agricultural Engineers Association teaching of computer controlled council members and technical automation and high end precision Reaseheath Principal Marcus Clinton trainers from leading manufacturers engineering. Equipment includes added: “The funding from our including CLAAS, CaseIH, New tractor simulators, GPS and other LEP partners emphasises that this Holland, JCB, Kuhn, Manitou, advanced agricultural engineering government understands the need Kverneland, Househam, Krone, systems. for specialist technical skills training Vaderstad and Teagle. to meet employer needs and drive The centre is now fully operational productivity. I’d like to thank the As well as being represented, the and Reaseheath is looking to expand LEP for its continued support and companies sent sophisticated its agricultural engineering courses indeed all our committed and valued machinery which were demonstrated to include Level 4 and Continuing industry partners and our highly as part of a unique Technical Training Professional Development (CPD) for skilled staff, all of which enables us Day for full time students and those already working in the industry. to provide a pipeline of talent to apprentices. These included the service important and increasingly world’s fastest tractor, built by JCB Additionally, the college plans to STEM driven sectors who require and driven to a record breaking 150 cater for Advanced Apprenticeships students with the skills and mindset mph by motorsports personality Guy in agricultural and construction plant for tomorrow as well as today.” Martin, and Vaderstad’s industry engineering through the teaching of leading superfast seed drill. advanced farming techniques and Ed Hansom, CEO of the Institution of management. Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE) stated:
average) did not get to the Editor Worlds fastest tractor fast enough for the last issue. STOP PRESS [Or perhaps that should be “How do you stop a 5t tractor Congratulations to Project Manager doing more than 150 mph?”] Alex Skittery (HAU and Douglas Bomford Trust alumnus) and his Unfortunately, the news that JCB’s young team again anyway. We hope ‘Fastrac One’ raised the (tractor) land that his career will continue to be on speed record to 153mph (135mph the fast track too.
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Coronavirus: shortages may be on the way With financial markets in turmoil, lockdown, and after a full production Dr Jonathan Owens, logistics expert shutdown it will take a while to get from the University of Salford up to previous working capacity. within the supply chain has been Business School, looks at why the seriously disrupted. As such, we have coronavirus is having such a huge “Also, it is difficult to raise production read reports about vital components impact on business and what can be to the full level when only 50 to such as key fobs being shipped out of done to mitigate the risks. 80 per cent of workers are present China in suitcases. due to the earlier mass migration Dr Owens said: “The spread of the because of the Chinese New Year “We are seeing no big breaks in the Coronavirus to the west means and are unable to return due to supply chains yet, but what is arriving there is a much greater chance of China lockdown. With a reduced at our ports now may have been noticeable disruptions in the global workforce there are now additional ordered five to six weeks ago. So, if supply chain network. Most supply operational sterilising phases to be we do see shortages this will be in the chains continually have disruptions added for the manufacturers before coming weeks. Looking to alternative of sorts and these are sometimes they ship goods, and these needed sourcing is not the immediate factored into their planning, and to be set up quickly. answer, as this is more a medium to they survive. long term solution. In addition, it “Then, because of the numerous is not clear how long it would take “However, in this instance given that quarantine checkpoints installed to get an alternative source in place mostly the flow of our manufactured regionally, we are seeing a stockpile and operating efficiently within the goods is East to West, and although of empty shipping containers that are existing supply chain. Also, due to the slowly Chinese manufacturing not able to get from the ports and spread of the Coronavirus, we may companies are returning, much of load up. Subsequently, the normally find ourselves in a similar situation the country is still on quarantine balanced flow of shipping containers with this source.”
First Agricultural Engineering Apprentices to undertake end-point assessment (EPA) Building relationships and driving Casement explained that AGCO is technology at the cutting edge of focused on growing its markets. the food production and agricultural “One-in-four tractors sold in the UK engineering sector is the cornerstone and Ireland is currently an AGCO for a successful career in one of the brand, but the next step is to make most important industries in the that one-in-three,” he said. world, the latest graduates of the renowned AGCO Apprenticeship “It is essential we continue to build Scheme were told during a lavish confidence in our dealerships, and Matthew Read & Mark Casement awards ceremony at the Forest of you are now at the start of that route Arden Hotel, near Birmingham. in your careers,” Mr Casement told the newly qualified apprentices. “The As the first agricultural engineering level of technology is at the cutting apprentices in the country to have edge, and that transformation will completed the recently introduced continue over the next 10 to 20 years, and rigorous end-point assessment and you are the lifeblood of that (EPA), 14 AGCO engineering progression,” he explained. apprentices passed through the tough new national apprenticeship Mr Casement spoke of AGCO’s William Ogg & Mark Casement standards in 2019, and were commitment to performance and recognised during an awards service being key to delivering the ceremony that saw joint-winners ambitious sales objectives. “We have In its 21st-year, AGCO’s industry named for the overall Apprentice of fantastic dealerships and partners, recognised dealer apprenticeship the Year Award. and building relationships at all scheme, in partnership with levels is crucial to the integrity of WCG, combines classroom and Matthew Read of Brian Robinson the industry. We always want to workshop-based training at WCG’s Machinery in Northallerton, create long-term bonds with our Moreton Morrell campus, with North Yorkshire, and William Ogg customers,” he added. practical on-going training at the of Peacock & Binnington (P&B) apprentices’ dealership. were named joint winners of the Martin Hamer, Manager, National Apprentice of the Year title, receiving Sales Fendt UK & Ireland added, Also collecting awards during the their awards from AGCO Director “We can’t sell a second tractor to a ceremony were Ryan Thorne of CJ Cox, of Distribution Management UK & customer if the first has not been Dominic Pender of Wilfred Scruton, Ireland, Mark Casement. serviced and maintained to the Andrew Ford of TNS and Kyle MacBain highest standards. I would like to of Chandlers Farm Equipment. Addressing the guests and graduates thank you, for making my life as a during the presentation, Mr salesman much easier!”
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Presidents Musings
Agriculture Bill 2019/20: https:// publications.parliament.uk/pa/ bills/cbill/58-01/0007/20007.pdf Health and Harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit: https://assets.publishing.service. gov.uk/government/uploads/ system/uploads/attachment_data/ file/684003/future-farming-envi- ronment-consult-document.pdf 25 Year Environment Plan: https://assets.publishing.service. gov.uk/government/uploads/ system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/693158/25-year- environment-plan.pdf
The new Agriculture Bill: what’s in it for agricultural engineers? The new Agriculture Bill will replace landscapes”. According to the Bill, materials…but are these emerging the Common Agricultural Policy these innovations should also products cost-effective? All of these (CAP) as the country leaves the EU. “prevent, reduce or protect from ideas sound promising, but whether The new Bill has been described as environmental hazards”. You only they can bring the expected benefits “a historic opportunity to radically have to see the devastation caused will require more robust evidence reshape domestic agricultural by Storms Ciara and Dennis this from agricultural engineers. policy”, comparing it with the 1947 year to realise the importance of Agricultural Act, which sought soil and water engineering in upper The agricultural machinery to dramatically increase food catchments. industry is supported by the Bill. production after the Second World Funds will be provided to “invest War. The main difference is that A number of targets mentioned in equipment, technology, and farmers will be paid for ‘public in the Bill can only be met by infrastructure….in the form of goods’, such as environmental or more R&D in applied agricultural grants, loans, loan-guarantees, or animal welfare improvements, rather engineering. For example, the Bill capital allowances”. This support than receive payments largely on the calls for lower ammonia emissions, could be used by a farmer to area of land farmed. protection of sensitive habitats and invest in equipment that both controlled nitrogen deposition. increases productivity and delivers So how will the Bill affect UK In forestry and horticulture, the environmental benefits. For example, agricultural engineering? Will it bring introduction and spread of harmful finance could be used to purchase new opportunities for our industry? plant pests and disease needs to be precision equipment for slurry How can agricultural engineers help addressed. In livestock production, application to reduce use of chemical implement the Bill successfully? better rearing of rare and native fertilisers, lower costs and lower breeds or species is needed, because ammonia emissions. Agricultural engineers are best these genetic resources “could placed to develop innovative sustainably increase food production The Bill recognises that agricultural ways of delivering environmental or improve capacity to adapt to productivity has risen dramatically benefits and ‘public goods’ under climate change or new diseases”. since the 1940s, reflecting the the legislation. We will need The Bill promises more financial technological advances in agricultural to design innovative systems support for soil protection and engineering, including mechanisation (including technological advances improvement, by using innovative and agronomic practices. Given in farm machinery, field agronomy products (such as soil conditioner/ the present need for food security and soil management) to deliver improvers, plant bio-stimulants, and environmental protection, the “clean air and water, resilience fertiliser inhibitor/additives, growing contributions of agricultural engineers to climate change, abundant and medium and blended fertiliser) to are as important now as they have diverse wildlife, and attractive have less reliance on non-renewable ever been.
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Head to https://www.sciencedirect. The managing editor of Biosystems Biosystems com/journal/biosystems-engineer- Engineering, Dr Steve Parkin, has ing to view the full article list of kindly summarised a selection of the latest edition and to find out papers published in the last three Engineering more about depth and breadth of issues, which will be of interest to articles accepted for publication. IAgrE members.
Reduced subscriptions are available to IAgrE members. Go to https:// Biosystems Engineering, owned by the iagre.org/biosystemsinformation for IAgrE, and the official scientific journal details of the preferential rates for of EurAgEng, is published monthly both paper and electronic versions. with occasional special issues.
Biosystems Engineering analysed using a gradient-based method Volume 186, October 2019, Pages which allowed to identify the most 156-167 influential design parameters. Within the range of variation of the design Fluorescence imaging for rapid parameters explored in this study, the monitoring of translocation behaviour maximum power delivery efficiency was of systemic markers in snap beans for found for a tractor having equal kinetic successfully conducted for real-time automated crop/weed discrimination rolling radii of front and rear tyres, no weed control in tomato and lettuce. The Wen-Hao Su, Steven A. Fennimore, lead of the front wheels and the centre results demonstrated that robots could David C. Slaughter of mass shifted towards the front axle. automatically detect and distinguish University of California, Davis, USA However, if the front tyres kinetic rolling 99.7% of the crop plants with no false radius becomes smaller than that of rear positive errors in dense complex outdoor Investigating the translocation behaviour tyres and if there is lead of the front scenes with high weed densities. of fluorescent markers is significant for wheels, the tractor centre of mass has to the effective application of the markers be shifted towards the rear axle to attain Biosystems Engineering in weed and crop differentiation. Snap the maximum overall traction efficiency. Volume 188, December 2019, Pages bean was used as a model plant to study 320-330 the systemic movement of Rhodamine Biosystems Engineering B (Rh-B) in specialty crops for weed Abatement of ammonia emissions from control. A fluorescence imaging system Volume 187, November 2019, Pages dairy cow house concrete floor surfaces was developed to monitor the uptake 278-291 through additive application and translocation of Rh-B from dyed Crop signalling: A novel crop John P. McIlroy Karen L. McGeough snap bean seeds to bean plants. The recognition technique for robotic weed Ronnie J. Laughlin Rachael Carolan proposed crop signalling approach based control Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, on Rh-B emission was able to classify Rekha Raja, David C. Slaughter, Steven Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK snap bean plants from different weeds A. Fennimore, Thuy T. Nguyen, Vivian L. Winter housing of dairy cows and (e.g. burning nettle, groundsel, and Vuong, barley). The results demonstrate that beef cattle is common practise in fluorescence imaging technology is a Neelima Sinha, Laura Tourte, Richard F. north-western European countries such rapid and effective approach to studying Smith, Mark C. Siemens as the UK and Ireland. In cattle housing, the real-time translocation behaviour University of California, Davis, CA, USA urine and dung are deposited over a of a signalling marker in a crop system. University of California Cooperative large floor surface area from which Based on the unique fluorescence Extension, Watsonville, CA, USA ammonia (NH3) emissions may rapidly property, visualisation of the marker in University of California Cooperative occur. The application of additives to vivo specialty crops grown from Rh-B Extension, Salinas, CA, USA this emitting layer has the potential to treated seeds provides potential for their University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA significantly reduce NH3 volatilisation from cattle housing surfaces. A dynamic successful application in early season Automatically distinguishing weeds from weed discrimination. flow-through chamber based study the crop plant is a complex problem was carried out to determine the NH3 since weeds come in a wide variety of Biosystems Engineering abatement potential of 10 additives colours, shapes, and sizes, and crop applied to dairy cow slurry covered Volume 186, October 2019, Pages foliage is often overlapped or occluded concrete surfaces under simulated 214-227 by weeds. Current technology, cannot northwest European winter housing A theoretical study of the parameters reliably and effectively perform the conditions. Experimental data suggests affecting the power delivery efficiency differentiation task in such complex that targeting a slurry pH of 6 at the of an agricultural tractor scenarios in real-time. A technology housing floor stage can significantly to make crop plants machine readable Nicolò Regazzi, Mirko Maraldi, reduce NH3 emissions from fresh and reliably distinguishable from weeds excreta. Of the tested additives, alum Giovanni Molari for automatic weed control has been University of Bologna, Italy was the most successful at abating NH3 developed. Four different techniques emissions from slurry; particularly after The aim was to identify the key design have been investigated and developed to 6 h (76% NH3 abatement), where the parameters affecting the power delivery make smart crop marking systems such efficacy of alum was greatest relative to efficiency of an agricultural tractor and as a) systemic markers, b) fluorescent the other acidifiers. Alum was followed to quantify their effect on the tractive proteins, c) plant labels and d) topical by calcium chloride (69%) and sulphuric performance. To this end, numerical markers. Indoor experiments have acid (41%). Actisan, a commercially simulations were performed varying been conducted for each method. Field available bedding disinfectant was several tractor design parameters. The experiments, using plant labels and the another successful NH3 abatement results of the simulations were then topical markers methods, have been option (59% after 6 h).
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spaces where fumes are a safety received a ‘Satisfactory’ (the highest CEO’s issue. level of recognition they award) across every one of the categories Reflections New strategic plan they reviewed. The first Executive Committee meeting of 2020 took place on the Future members 15th January and our new strategic I have recently returned from plan for the next three years was Reaseheath College where I approved. Members will start to see spent the day talking to cohorts some of the output from this plan of students studying on various later on in the year when we hope to courses offered by the College. roll out our new mobile App, which These young men and women are is currently under development. the future of the Institution and as Looking more long term, I am very such we must learn to engage with keen to engage with companies and them in ways that best appeal to organisations over the next three them (hopefully the new IAgrE App years to see how we can best serve will help). Our message, however, young agricultural engineers and is still the same, namely that the environmentalists at the start of their IAgrE is their professional ‘home’ careers in this exciting and diverse and that we can support them industry. I also want to meet those throughout their career by providing mid-career agricultural engineers information, facilitating networking and environmentalists who have opportunities and recognising As I write this article the New Year, just “never got round to joining” – a their professionalism. I was also and indeed the new decade, is phrase I have heard many times in delighted to accept the invitation already over one month old. January my travels. from the College to open their 2020 was quite a busy month kicking impressive, new Centre for Advanced off with my first visit to the (very In the office we have also been busy Engineering and Agri—Technology impressive) LAMMA show at the NEC preparing all of the documentation on behalf of the Institution. in Birmingham on the 7th and 8th. necessary for our forthcoming visit by the Engineering Council on 17th 2020 has started with a ‘bang’ and This show was a great platform for March to renew (hopefully) our looks as though it will continue the IAgrE as we presented the Ivel licence to award EngTech, IEng and apace for the rest of the year. We Award to JC Machinery for their CEng registration to those of our are ‘living in interesting times’ but Vredo CDS System. The President members who meet the appropriate increasing our membership will and I were also treated to a glimpse registration criteria. Thankfully these be my mantra. Leaving the EU will into the future when we were shown visits are 5-years apart because the bring with it challenges but I am the new, all-electric tractor offered work required in preparation can determined to ensure that your by Reesink. Apart from its zero be quite arduous. We did have a Institution continues to give you emissions, this small but powerful similar visit from the Society for the what you need to move your career tractor was much quieter than those Environment in December last year forward. I hope the new decade has powered by an internal combustion and whilst it was a nerve-wracking started well for all of our members. engine and, therefore, could operate experience (being my first licence well in livestock housing or confined review by this eminent body) we
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Practice: Provision of Power
Photo courtesy of www.farmingphotography.co.uk
Provision of Power on rail, land and air Recently Landwards was invited for a look around Rolls-Royce Distributed Generation Systems (DGS) in Winsford, Cheshire. Not only did we get to peer under the bonnet of a fascinating engineering undertaking, but there are lots of lessons for agricultural engineers.
At Winsford they offer three specific services: 1) Land power, the development, maintenance and ensuring availability for service of approx Who are Rolls-Royce DGS? 33,000 pieces of mobile power generation and associated • A wholly owned subsidiary of Rolls-Royce plc, which is split hardware for the MOD. into three business divisions, Civil, Defence and Power Systems. Rolls-Royce Distributed Generation Systems is a 2) Rail - maintenance and routine part of Rolls-Royce Defence. overhaul of MTU train engines with UK regional rail companies. • Based on a single site at Winsford, Cheshire. 3) Historic aero works – production • C 50 employees of spare parts and overhaul/ • 5000 square metres of workshop, test environment and a rebuilding to OEM spec of Merlin small area of offices. and Griffon engines.
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What’s under the hood of a mobile generating unit, with the air cooled Deutz diesel engine in blue.
Mobile power assets A range of distribution and generation equipment made and managed by Rolls-Royce DGS. Rolls-Royce DGS develop, manufacture and maintain a broad range of distributed power generation equipment including: • A large fleet of mobile power generators; • The auxiliary power units for the Ajax armoured fighting units; • Diesel generator sets for navy vessels – auxiliary power, not propulsion; • 25kW variable speed power units for the Watchkeeper UAV system;
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Practice: Provision of Power
Consequently, Rolls-Royce DGS equipment will be in service, or at Land power design the equipment to meet harsh least available for use, for perhaps The traditional core business of environmental, climatic, noise and 20-30 years in these contracts and Rolls-Royce DGS involves looking Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) the onus is on Rolls-Royce DGS to after c 33,000 specific assets, standards. maintain it accordingly. ranging from a large fleet of mobile power generators, down to the As a supplier to the Ministry of Generation game interconnecting cables to distribute Defence (MOD) for some 20 years Diesel engines are the prime mover the power, and everything in or so, there are long term hardware for the generator sets, which between. These assets are wholly supply, lease and maintenance produce DC power as standard and owned and maintained on long term contracts in place to look after these can convert to AC as required. contracts by Rolls-Royce DGS. assets. The generators use permanent These solutions are designed There is a long tail of support in magnet alternators as a way of to operate off-grid, be mobile place with these contacts to ensure ensuring power density (i.e. the and in a military environment, that the provision of power is smallest footprint for a given power and for military customers. maintained with these assets. The
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‘Rolls-Royce DGS are looking at ways on non-invasively testing tyre integrity as a way of extending the service period’
output), which aids transport and third is available for deployment the condition of carcase wires was manoeuvrability. at short notice and the final third to cut open a tyre, instead they is awaiting, or in the cycle of were routinely replaced on a time Using a variable speed generator maintenance and overhaul. basis. Rolls-Royce DGS are looking at to hit the required output also ways of non-invasively testing tyre enables fuel efficiencies, that the Given the length of some integrity as a way of lengthening the generator can be ‘wound’ up and contracts this cycle of overhaul service period. down depending on load. Remember and maintenance creates some transporting fuel in a conflict zone interesting challenges, particularly can be a dangerous occupation, so for some items one might routinely reducing the need is all to the good. overlook, such as the tyres on the generator sets. Tyres generally do Maintenance challenges not wear out, but over time the In round terms, about a third of the wires inside the carcase can break generating equipment is in active and the rubber can deteriorate. service at any one time, another Historically the only way to check
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Practice: Provision of Power
Rolls-Royce), to go after service, Northern Trains in Manchester, Rail repair and overhaul work for rail Wales and West in Chester and As a result of the success of power packs in the UK and Eire. West Midlands Trains in Birmingham Rolls-Royce Power Systems selling provides a great opportunity to train power packs (some hybrid) Northern Rail (now being run by the become the partner of choice for into train manufacturing companies, Department for Transport DfT under these rail companies. a new market for engine overhaul Northern Trains name) ordered and routine maintenance has been £500m of the class 195 trains in stimulated. October 2018, which have the Editors note: Thanks to MTU rail power packs, so there is a Andrew Biggs of Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce DGS have partnered with long term future maintaining and DGS for kindly taking the time Rolls-Royce Power Systems - who overhauling these units. to show us around and explain supply new power packs for trains about the business. using MTU engines (also owned by Being located equidistant between
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MTU train power unit
Northern Rail Class 195 train powered by MTU engine units, approximately 58 units are in operation now (of a total of 98 units ordered) , with an expected working lifespan of 35 years.
Electromagnetic compatibility testing As all of the distributed generation products are designed and developed in-house, Rolls-Royce DGS have invested in their own EMC testing facility. This has: • Reduced development lead times; • Maintained in-house control of EMC testing; • Ensures compatibility of components without the time and expense of third party testing; • Become a resource available across the whole Rolls-Royce group.
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Practice: Provision of Power
planes (ie Lancasters, Hurricanes, decent replacement parts (either old Historic P51 Mustangs, and Spitfires) and ‘new’ stock, or workable part worn). aero works putting several hundred engine hours on the engines annually. This opportunity enables Rolls-Royce This is a new area with Rolls-Royce The Griffon was the last in a line DGS to get back into the piston DGS. Rolls-Royce piston aero engines of v12 aero engines produced by aero engine business. Rolls-Royce (the Griffon and Merlins) are still Rolls-Royce, from November 1939 originally built the engines, own the in-service globally, and need routine with production ceasing in 1955. plans and IP, so they can produce service, repair and overhaul. new parts and commence service Third party aero engine maintenance and overhaul work on these engines. There are companies, organisations specialists are keeping these engines and charities still flying historic airworthy, but are running out of
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Photo courtesy of Tim Felce
Rolls-Royce still own an airworthy Spitfire powered by the 2050 hp Griffon engine.
Rolls-Royce still own an airworthy and overhaul of engines alongside clean, with the engine suspended Spitfire powered by the 2050hp the manufacture of spare parts to on a jig. By this point the author was Griffon engine, alongside two spare original specification. breathless with excitement about engines. They have a requirement being in the presence of a Griffon to look after the 3 engines which The opportunity exists for engine and was even allowed to support the company Spitfire. Rolls-Royce DGS to raise the bar touch it! The company’s IP includes all the and offer something other third drawings, the test schedules and party specialists can’t deliver Key learning - Rolls-Royce DGS have technical documentation to be able with genuine spare parts, and identified opportunities to exploit to maintain, overhaul and produce overhauled engines built and tested their existing capacity in a different parts to original manufacturers to the manufacturer’s original part of the business. This helps them specifications. specifications. to have a more balanced portfolio across land, air and rail. As engineers It made commercial sense to use The aero engine area of the are we exploiting our full capability the existing investment as a new workshop was behind a locked and competence? What else can we business venture. Rolls-Royce can barrier in a ‘No FOD’ (Foreign Object do? go to the market to offer service Debris) zone, which was scrupulously
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Profession Natural Partners
Back to school Natural Partners is an established programme for training STEM teachers about the importance of forestry and forest products within the context of the Scottish Curriculum. At the end of September, Andy Newbold donned his walking boots and went for a walk in the woods.
First some background, the 3 An event at the Royal Botanic Partners programme existed and programme consists of three Garden Edinburgh coordinated by explained to the group that we elements: Forest Research but run by the were there to understand how D & T students to demonstrate trees fit in to the key teaching 1 A 1-day field trip to students to their assessed work from 2 above. themes of sustainability and global Glentress Forest (which the author citizenship. The day was intended to took part in). Thus, on a slightly overcast day, I find help the students as new teachers myself at the Glentress Forest Park to ‘think outside the subject box’ 2 An assessed piece of work, which in the Tweed Valley in the Scottish and recognise how the themes and takes a different form depending Borders. Just myself, waterproofs, subject matter work across the on the subjects. This forms a major sandwiches and about 100 student curriculum. part of the Design and Technology teachers from the Moray House (D & T) and General Science School of Education (a part of Whilst the context of the day was students assessment. Edinburgh University). forestry and forest products, the lessons learnt can be applied to any First up, Sally York from Scottish situation the future teachers are Forestry, framed why the Natural working within.
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‘The issue is that teaching works in subject boxes, but the real world does not’ Sally York, programme coordinator
Shelter building You can only survive for: Each group were given a pet ‘stone’ • 3 minutes without air to keep warm and dry with the • 3 hours without shelter watering can being used to ‘proof’ • 3 days without water the shelter design. • 3 weeks without food We all headed off up into the woods, • 3 weeks without company, as we broke into small groups of 5 or 6 are social animals. people which were interdisciplinary, • 3 seconds without wifi ( for some!) ie maths, geographers and DT teachers. Then tasked with building a shelter for each groups stone, using only the materials available, whilst taking account of the slope, prevailing weather and available resources.
It was interesting to note the differing approaches of the different student teachers, between getting stuck in, discussing options, foraging for likely building materials etc..
At this point we were taught the Each group were given a pet ‘stone’ to keep warm and dry with the watering can ‘rule of threes of survival’ being used to ‘proof’ the shelter design.
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Profession Natural Partners
Next the teachers were split into were encouraged to consider the groups and rotated around the advantages and disadvantages of following activities: interdisciplinary learning and see other perspectives. We also noted 1. Exploring - not all who down our thoughts on what had wander (wonder?) are lost impacted from the programme and Steve McLeister from Moray House how it could be used within teaching launched this by explaining that this going forwards. was experiential learning at its best. As individuals, we were to head to 2. Decision Making a quiet area of the forest and either Robin Fuller, a planning forester continue walking or sit to think for from Forestry and Land Scotland, Robin Fuller about an hour and see what took us through the potentially came up. conflicting interests at work in the forest environment.
This was a role-playing task where the students were split into smaller groups, to consider one aspect from the environment, economy, timber, recreation and society.
The aim was to identify the tensions and the common ground between the differing needs in and of a forest environment. Each group Steve McLeister had to agree their approach and present how they would meet their This opportunity for self-reflection responsibilities whilst managing was intended to embed the thinking these tensions. of cross disciplinary learning and how forests fit into teaching. We
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3. Bridge building Again as multi disciplinary groups, Led by FEG members Steve Penny, the students were issued with some Forest Research and Graeme White, lollypop sticks, clothes pegs, scissors, Forestry and Land Scotland, this task string, a tape measure and a lego car was about appreciating the versatility along with a briefing about the need of wood as a building product and to build a bridge to carry the car. At working within the constraints of the this point the author had to restrain supplied kit to produce a bridge. his enthusiasm for getting involved.
After a brief introduction Graeme Needless to say there was a tight demonstrated a timber arch made time deadline and limited resources from lollipop sticks and how much (does that sound familiar?) and it load it could take as an example was fascinating to watch the groups of practical engineering with basic working to identify options, (copy materials. other groups ideas!) and get stuck in with the materials available. Steve Penny
The task was about appreciating the versatility of wood as a building product and working within the constraints of the supplied kit to produce a bridge.
Graeme White
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Profession Natural Partners
Some very different results from the same materials.
About the Natural Partners Programme The Natural Partners Programme The aim is to demonstrate Forestry Engineering Group and focuses on the Professional how trees and sustainable Scottish Forestry. Graduate Diploma in Education forest management can be (PGDE) STEM students from the used in teaching and learning. University of Edinburgh Moray Particularly within the context of House School of Education. sustainability.
The programme started in 2012 The programme is organised with Design and Technology by the Natural Partners students, but now encompasses collaboration: the University of other STEM students and Edinburgh Moray House School Geography. of Education, Forest Research,
The history of the Natural Partners programme The IAgrE Forestry Engineering By 2012 they were working with This all combined into the Group (FEG) wanted to do teachers and recognised: Natural Partners programme. something in forest education. • the need to educate on Alongside this Forest Research The model is to reach as many forestry and forest products; (who Steve Penny works for) school age children as possible needed to run a couple of • The lack of knowledge of through teachers. The best way events a year. Steve discovered the wider use of trees, woods to reach teachers is through the in 2009-10 that working with and forests; curriculum, their training and student teachers was a great by showing that trees, woods • The need to work within the way of doing this. Initially this and forests can meet their curriculum but ‘out of silos’ involved going into schools, but curriculum objectives. this was very resource intense.
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The teacher trainers view We spoke with Russell White, into a practical working context’ Strand Leader for Design and Russell said. ‘This enables the Technology for initial teacher students to integrate trees, education at Moray House, and woods and forests into the asked what does the Natural curriculum, whilst learning about Partners programme mean to sustainability. The programme Moray House? addresses the big themes of society.’ ‘It brings together all the Russell White elements of the STEM agenda
What does this mean to me as an agricultural engineer? • Knowledge crosses disciplines • There can be potentially and skills can be applied in many conflicting priorities on a situations. project. These tensions need to be managed to get the best • We do not (& should not) work in outcomes. silos. • How do we and our work engage • Sustainability should be at the with wider communities? heart of an engineer’s activities. • We have transferrable skills which are valuable to society.
Summary It was very encouraging to be a part The challenge is how we can of a successful embedded method replicate this, or support activities Key fact - Did of STEM training which incorporates to deliver similar outcomes across elements of forestry engineering wider agricultural engineering. you know that with the next generation of teachers. 100 years ago 4% of Scotland was covered in trees, that figure is now 19%.
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Photo courtesy of Andrew Ward Practice: Soils
Soil effectively acts as a sponge to take in these extreme rainfall events
Soils: the first line of defence against flooding We have witnessed some of the “Soil is so important because it not be able to cope and that’s when worst flooding on record in the UK, effectively acts as a sponge to take in we get surface run-off that gathers with damage costing the country these extreme rainfall events that we in the valleys and can cause some up to £1.2 billion a year because are seeing across the country at the of the flooding we are seeing at the of erosion, compaction and loss of moment. But for soils to be really moment. organic matter. effective they have to be healthy, able to receive the rainfall, retain it We can change the pore structure by Jane Rickson Professor of Soil and release it gently and slowly over how we manage soils. For example, Science at Cranfield University a longer time span,” says if we put very heavy machines and President of the Institution of Professor Rickson. onto soils while they are wet this Agricultural Engineers takes a look will compress the soil leading to at what’s happening in our fields What is healthy soil? compaction, meaning you have and why healthy soils can help in the There is a lot of debate about what got rid of the air spaces that could fight against flooding. we mean by a healthy soil. Soils have otherwise be filled with water. So it’s physical, biological and chemical very important to avoid compaction properties and these interact to by trying not to go onto the land ensure the soil is well structured. if it’s too wet. But the ‘window of workability’ (when the soils are not Some soils types will be very too wet to traffic) may be shortened effective at absorbing and draining by more frequent rainfall events that rainfall such as sandy soils and others are predicted, especially in winter. such as clay or compacted soils, Professor Jane Rickson which have small pore sizes, may Cover crops can really help too
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because their roots grow down into be able to manage their land for the soil and help bring in structures some time to come. such as root canals which act as conduits for the water. Some of these issues are likely to become ‘the norm’ according to Impact of Flooding future climate change predictions for Flooding can cause huge impacts the UK. on agricultural land. For example, if Agricultural engineers are you have a saturated soil profile you well placed to identify ways haven’t got any air space and roots to mitigate and adapt to the can suffer if they are not able to get effects of increasing rainfall, oxygen. Wet soils are also going to through innovate machinery affect your soil biology and nutrient design and better field cycling because the microbes can’t engineering. break down nutrients. Soil surface structure is affected by sediment being deposited on top of existing soil, which can lead to sealing of the soil surface, leading to more surface flow and flooding.
The flooding is having a real impact on farmers who may have to re-sow some of their crops because of flood damage. Here is the irony because you can’t use machinery on wet soils to alleviate the damage: you have to wait until they dry out. Ponds of water remaining on the surface for Photo courtesy of Andrew Ward weeks mean farmers won’t actually
Enrich your career with a Cranfield MSc in Environment or Agrifood By studying for a postgraduate qualification at Cranfield you will learn from industry leading academics through research informed teaching. • Exclusively postgraduate university, • Full and part-time MSc and CPD study options available, • Exceptional near-industrial scale facilities, • A selection of our Environment and Agrifood courses are accredited by the Institution of Agricultural Engineers.
To find out more about our Environment and Agrifood courses visit: E: [email protected] T: +44 (0)1234 758082 www.cranfield.ac.uk/environmentandagrifood
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Practice: How to build a plough
Pottingers Vodnany plough factory in Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic
A very modern plough factory Austrian machinery manufacturer technology and techniques to plough a logistics centre (for just in time Pottinger have been building ploughs production. sub-assembly deliveries to their for over 40 years. Andy Newbold Austrian factories at Grieskirchen), First the history lesson. In April was fortunate to be able to spend machine testing and final dispatch. 2000, Pottinger rented a factory a couple of days last year at their in Vodnany, and began building Pottinger make around 1700 ploughs Vodnany, Czech Republic, plough and ploughs, shortly thereafter they annually at Vodnany from two to cultivation equipment factory. acquired an 11Ha site and started nine furrows, with 600 variants of Forget anything you may think their current factory development. the Servo plough being available. about the idea of ‘beating metal’ Some 41M Euro’s later there are into ploughshares for a start. 35,000 sq m of buildings on site, This business is very serious including dedicated assembly lines, about applying the best possible
About Pottinger Pottinger are an Austrian family owned and run manufacturer of agricultural machinery, both for grassland and arable farmers. Founded in 1817, They have 1892 employees, operate in 32 countries worldwide with a turnover of nearly 400m Euro’s.
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The laser cutter works out the best arrangement for the mouldboards on screen prior to cutting.
Ready and waiting, this German steel is racked and waiting to head The robot laser cutter works though each sheet of steel, then off down the production line. vacuum lifts and stacks the flat mouldboards before the next stage.
Since 2013, Vodnany has been the first plough factory in the world to use the ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH high temperature, low pressure carburizing system. The mouldboards are heated to 1050 0C for 9 hours to open the steel structure and allow the carbon to enter this structure to a depth of 2.2-2.4mm. These mouldboards have a hard and resistant surface whilst still maintaining a ductile and flexible core.
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Practice: How to build a plough
The purpose built logistics centre despatches both completed products and subassemblies for their Austrian factory at Grieskirchen.
Every year 1700 ploughs leave Pottingers Vodnany plant in the Czech Republic.
Next the mouldboards are heated in a furnace to approx 9200C for over 30 minutes.
The pressing process - From the furnace they are pressed into the final shape.
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The finished mouldboard. Large – mouldboards are routinely subject to rigorous checks to ensure consistent quality.
In a separate area the headstocks are cut and welded, prior to Plough legs heading into the powder paint system. painting.
Here a 7-furrow reversible auto reset servo plough is on the The finished articles awaiting dispatch. assembly jig awaiting legs and mouldboards.
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enhance one’s professional Instead we believe that the quality of competence. Most people think of one’s CPD is much more important Profession: CPD being restricted to attendance than the quantity. However, we will at conferences, courses and recommend (if pushed) that IAgrE CPD seminars; organised visits; writing members should aim to complete articles or technical papers and a minimum of approximately 30 further education, distance or hours of CPD per year. This, however, open learning. However, CPD is is very much offered as a guide to much broader than that and can, assist our members. additionally, include involvement in IAgrE committee work, attending Straightforward approach IAgrE technical meetings, The IAgrE already uses the work-related secondments and Engineering Council’s online exchanges, reading or private study CPD planning and recording tool as well as on-the-job learning. ‘mycareerpath’ as a member benefit and a simple way for members to Increasing emphasis record their CPD. The Engineering All Professional Engineering Council has also developed an Institutions licensed by the auditing facility for Institutions to Engineering Council and all work alongside the recording area professional bodies licensed by of mycareerpath. The IAgrE has, Maintaining your core the Society for the Environment therefore, chosen mycareerpath to competence (the IAgrE is licensed by both) have collect members’ CPD records. steadily increased the emphasis on Continuing Professional CPD in recent years. Development (CPD) should be a familiar phrase for all engineers. It We are now obliged to monitor a can, however, conjure up images of randomly-selected sample of our How do I record a bureaucratic institution policing members’ CPD records each year to my CPD? its membership for any indication of ensure that they comply with the You can record CPD non-compliance. Ed Hansom, IAgrE registration requirements. through the Members CEO deals with some myths. ‘log in area’ of the IAgrE This sounds like an onerous task but website. Members It is a pity that CPD has such a ‘bad Institutions have been given freedom who wish to use this as press’ in some quarters. Maintaining to interpret this obligation that best their CPD planning and one’s competence through a suits their members. Thus, the IAgrE recording tool should process of CPD has always been a promotes CPD to all its members contact Sarah at HQ for requirement of IAgrE membership and has adopted what it considers details about how to set up as well as a registration requirement to be a pragmatic approach to an account and to log on with both the Engineering Council the registering and recording of (email Secretary@iagre. and the Society for the Environment. members’ CPD. org); more information is What’s more, it is what professionals The IAgrE has decided to see this also available on the IAgrE do. Surgeons, for example, are as a great opportunity to add real website: iagre.org/cpd. mandated to complete a minimum value to the CPD ‘cycle’ of planning, amount of Continuing Professional doing, recording and reflecting. IAgrE Education (CPE) each year if they members who are asked to submit wish to remain employed by the their CPD record will, in turn, receive NHS. (I hope that comes as a relief to valuable feedback on what they have our members!) CPD is becoming ever done and what they are planning to more important to IAgrE members do. as the vehicle to demonstrate an individual’s ongoing professional competence and commitment IAgrE committment to the profession. Members are Additionally, the IAgrE is committed encouraged to send their CPD to providing a wide range of CPD records to the IAgrE for review and activities to its members as well as comment. a system for all members to register their CPD (so that we can provide Good news feedback and support). The IAgrE does not use a monitored points or The good news is that CPD covers hours system as this is considered a wide range of activities which a rather mechanistic approach.
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Key areas of CPD The three key areas of CPD which are generally considered appropriate cover:
A. activities which develop technical expertise and knowledge relevant to one’s profession.
B. activities which extend the technical and managerial skills beyond one’s normal field.
C. activities which develop professional life skills and knowledge such as languages, finance, law etc.
Most importantly we are all doing CPD regularly in order to remain competent in our jobs. Equally a sound record of CPD has been proved to enhance career prospects, contribute to business performance, help to support job satisfaction, improve employability and ensure employees deliver a high-quality service. IAgrE members who submit their CPD record will receive valuable feedback on what they have done and what they are planning to do.
Managing Editor required for Biosystems Engineering
Biosystems Engineering is a peer reviewed journal owned by the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE) and published by Elsevier. It is an international journal and the official scientific journal of the European Society of Agricultural Engineers (EurAgEng).
IAgrE is looking to contract a Managing Editor in the team of two Editors (Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor) and three Associate Editors that operate the journal. The Managing Editor will work with the Editor-in-Chief (who will then be Steve Parkin), taking responsibility for aspects of the management and strategic direction of the Journal, and editorial responsibility for about 600 submissions p.a., some of which will be handled by the Associate Editors.
The successful candidate will need: • A high degree of proficiency in written English, either as first language or high fluency as second language • To be technically experienced in significant aspects of the engineering or physical sciences associated with agricultural or other related biological systems • To have a history of publication in international peer-reviewed journals • Have significant experience as a reviewer for such journals • Be experienced in decision-making in relation to scientific research.
As much of the work related to this position will be internet based, access to a good internet connection is essential.
Expressions of interest (with a CV) should be submitted to the Chief Executive of the IAgrE, in the first instance, by Friday 3rd April 2020.
Email: [email protected]
Postal Address: The Chief Executive, IAgrE, The Bullock Building (Building 53), University Way, CRANFIELD, Bedfordshire MK43 0GH. United Kingdom.
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Book Club
Good ag engineering books are like buses, none for ages and then two in short order. Whether you have a professional interest in tractors or farm building design, or just fancy flicking through to remind yourself of the principles, both of these books are a worthwhile read.
Fundamentals of Tractor Design by Karl Theodor Renius This explains the level of engineering mechanisation for over thirty years. Getting down to the fundamentals, detail applied in delivering the With roles such as Manager of the book provides a detailed optimum tractor, and the journey Advanced Engineering and also Tractor understanding of a tractors the tractor has been on to become Development at Deutz tractors all interaction with the soil. A the machine it is today. Mike underpinning his high “horse power” combination of diagrams and Whiting engaged the diff lock and hit bracket Curriculum Vitae. example calculations gives us the the throttle… “cook’s tour” of wheel slip and Working from first principles tyre technology. Information is As with many other agricultural Using his engineering principles Karl provided on how soil compaction engineers, I’m sure there have been takes us through milestones in tractor testing is undertaken with tractors, many instances when you think history including Harry Fergusons and importantly reference to both you’ve taken a tractor to its working 1925 patent referring to depth control wheeled and tracked machines. limits. Have you ever considered how for implements. We gain an insight The high exposure to road use is the design team pre-empted your into how the global manufacturers also factored in with the effect of exploits in the field amongst all the manage multi-million dollar budgets inflationary pressures and braking cost, performance, adaptability and to develop a new range. Useful facts specifications. safety constraints? on the cost allocation across the specification highlight the pecking Running gear German born Karl has worked at order of engine, transmission, cab We all take four-wheel drive as the highest levels of agricultural and quality control. the default option when selecting
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Photo courtesy of John Deere
If you have read (or written a new or recent book) which members will benefit from, please let the editor know.
a power source, however Karl closed and open centre hydraulic Operator comfort explains the impact on overall tractor transmissions. As the operator still plays a big performance. Bringing the reader part in the tractors efficiency, the into the early 2000’s, the book ISOBUS and CVT designer’s considerations and exposes us to newer technology such Complex subjects such as ISOBUS requirements for ensuring safety and as front axle suspension. In-between connectivity and constantly ease of use are referred to in both the maths and formulae there are variable transmissions (CVT’s) text and illustrations. some timely reminders on basic receive detailed explanation by tractor design. Such as the engineers Karl. The depth of knowledge and There are a wide range of people need to consider the implications of understanding continues through to who should be selecting the “add to fitting a front-end loader. the tractor-implement management cart” button with this publication. (TIM) relationship. Utilising the front From students and engineers to The auxiliary services such as power linkage with a cultivator to prepare lecturers and manufacturers of any take off (PTO) and hydraulics receive the topsoil for the drill mounted mounted or towed implement, all full attention detailing the various on the rear maximises the stress would find the almost 300 pages of configurations available. A move to loading capabilities of the tractor detail most useful. With very senior economy specification PTO speeds chassis frame. Although beneath executives from both Deere & Co is a logical progression, although the cab fascia there are potentially – Illinois US, and the AGCO Global the limited room at the rear of the twenty nine operational functions Corporation personally endorsing tractor presents a challenge. The that a combination of manual and Karl and the book, there is little need book uses table formats throughout automatic control, needs to consider for any further recommendations. to explain comparisons such as with one headland turn.
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Book Club
Photo courtesy of www.farmingphotography.co.uk
The Farm Buildings Handbook. Third edition. 2019 An invaluable information source for anyone involved in farm construction. Reviewed by Jamie Robertson. If there was a short list of books design details for livestock and contained is provided by individuals that contain enough hard data and crop storage and finishes with a who have contributed to British guidance to save the UK agricultural comprehensive source list of useful Standards over the years and / industry £ millions per annum, this information. or have years of experience from 192 page volume would be on it. the now defunct R&D sector that The Farm Buildings Handbook, in its Whilst the introduction states that supported the evolution of design third edition edited by Jim Loynes the information in the handbook for farm buildings. BSc, CEng, MIAgrE, is a reference does not seek to replace the advice volume that guides us through the from specialist advisers, the current The Farms Buildings Handbook is preparations of a build project, situation in UK agriculture is that sufficiently clipped in its language to the law and regulations, and into independent advice on buildings is be suitable for producers who require construction technology. Thereafter very hard to find. The attraction of to know what questions to ask the the book tackles specific building this guide is that all the information planners and builders before they
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The Farm Buildings Handbook is a £20 investment that is good for the next decade.
The Farm Buildings Handbook. 3rd Edition (2019) Rural & Industrial Design & Building Association (RIDBA), 6-8 Bonhill St., London. EC2A 4BX. ISBN: 978-1-5272-4508-2. A reference volume that guides us through the preparations of a building project, the law and regulations and into construction technology.
start a project. There is also a myriad efficiency of crop storage and livestock associations can be made between the of design details, including 78 tables, production is massive. Engineering contribution of poor flooring and the that are useful to the generalist at all technology has advanced so that, for cost of foot problems. levels from adviser, builder, planner, example, remote sensors in buildings architect, QA assessor and finance can pass live information on the Generational investment manager. The handbook should be CO2 content of a store, ambient An agricultural building is an on the shelf of every large animal temperature alarms, data on feed investment for a generation of use. veterinary practice in the country, intakes from individual animals, and It will often be the single largest so that they can compare the built hormone concentrations of milk from investment a producer has to decide environment on clients’ farms with individual cows. On the other hand a upon. But, unlike the purchase of how the target building “should” ball-park of 50% of all new livestock a piece of field machinery where be if constructed and maintained buildings do not have sufficient all the technology is put together according to good practice. ventilation capacity due to ignorance by experts before purchase, the of design guidance published over 30 producer is often left to choose The impact of building design years and accepted around the world. elements of building design with The impact of poor building design, Respiratory disease in UK livestock minimal or conflicting guidance. construction and maintenance on the inflicts £m’s losses per annum. Similar
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Professional: Photo courtesy of www.farmingphotography.co.uk The Douglas Bomford Trust
See www.dbt.org.uk for more information
Looking back to the future? Douglas Bomford Trust Secretary Alan Plom looks back over the winter months and forwards to the New Year and the next decade: The end of the year is not a quiet As a result, the Trust will be By Royal Appointment? time for the Trust, being a period taking a wider perspective and Our Board meeting in November of evaluation and reflection for our consider supporting more Masters’ was kindly hosted by the Royal Trustees. We traditionally hold our degree-related projects. Agricultural University (RAU), AGM in mid-November, when we where we have sponsored a chair welcome new trustees, discuss our Reflecting the increasing breadth of Applied Farm Mechanisation and strategy and review completed, and interest in developing Management/lecturer in agricultural ongoing and potential new projects agricultural technology, we have engineering, to encourage for funding. recently sponsored projects at a the integration of agricultural wider range of academic institutions engineering into RAU’s courses and We traditionally allocate around than those offering agricultural research. Karen Rial-Lovera has been two thirds (approx. £100k) of our engineering courses - provided they very effective in this role over the total income (arising from around are within scope of our broad aim, past two years and we are pleased £5million invested by the Trust) to ie “to help advance the application that RAU will be retaining the post PhD research projects each year. of engineering and technology to and continue working closely with These are usually co-sponsored with achieve sustainable agricultural, food the Trust after she moves on to other charities, organisations or and biological systems for the benefit pastures new, at Nottingham Trent businesses. However, applications of the environment and mankind”. University. relevant to our core objective to [See www.dbt.org.uk for more develop and promote agricultural information and application form.] engineering have been declining.
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of precision farming. Clive was thing as a daft question” and an early convert, instrumental “you don’t learn until you try” in his family farm adopting were the foundations for their the technology in 1998 and successful research, now evolving he has continued to promote into ‘Hands Free Farm’. Now the benefits and explore working for Map of Ag, Clive is the boundaries of what new keen to see what can be achieved technology can offer. with data to unlock the real potential of machines and crops. Following an Agriculture HND at Harper, Clive received a Nuffield Farming Scholarship to study precision farming in America and About Australia in 2004. Through his own company Precision Decisions The Douglas and in his role as the Department Bomford Trust Meet a trustee... of International Trade’s ‘UK The objective of the Trust Precision Farming Specialist’, Clive is to advance knowledge, Clive Blacker is our latest Trustee, has supported UK businesses understanding, practice, having joined the board in developing technologies and and competence in the November. He is looking forward solutions to manage crops more application of engineering to helping the Trust identify and profitably and has encouraged and technology to achieve mentor the next generation of international investment into sustainable agricultural, engineers to shape our future the UK. food and biological systems for the benefit and is obviously well-placed to of the environment and do so. He is a Fellow of both Clive had the vision to support mankind. IAgrE and the Council of the UK’s the development of ‘Hands Free Royal Agricultural Societies and Hectare’ and his advice to Kit Contact us: is well-known as an advocate Franklin that “there is no such The Bullock Building (Bldg 53) University Way Cranfield Bedford Awards and Scholarships other ways. Even those who are not successful find the experience In addition to sponsoring an Award MK43 0GH for ‘Best Agricultural Engineering helpful in preparing them for future Tel:+44 (0)1234 750876 Dissertation’ at RAU, this year sees interviews. We wish them all well with their career progression. our first scholarships awarded www.dbt.org.uk to RAU students. The Trust’s [email protected] Scholarship Scheme is intended Some of the interesting projects to help develop individuals and funded by the Trust will be described encourage them into a career in in future editions of Landwards. A agricultural engineering. We have selection reflecting the diverse range awarded scholarships for many years of topics and projects funded by to students at Harper Adams, but the Trust are also available on our the competition is open to students website: www.dbt.org.uk . studying a relevant subject, at any university.
It is always a pleasure to meet the applicants and explore their diverse ideas for projects and we look forward to meeting the ’chosen few’ again at their forthcoming Scholarship/Award Presentation ceremonies. (More about them next time.) This is a competitive process and we can’t sponsor everyone, although we have helped some in
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Council Report
Cranfield Universities state-of-the-art, agri-tech facilities, purpose built for the study of soil dynamics, soil management and soil conservation techniques.
Council tour the Agri-Food facilities at Cranfield Cranfield University was the venue for the February Council meeting. After reviewing the minutes of the last meeting and a summary of IAgrE activities, members were divided into groups to discuss how IAgrE can offer better career support with regards to mentoring, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and improvements to the overall registration process. CPD comments: branch events. tool to attract more students onto The break-out groups agreed This data is forwarded to the landbased engineering courses and that the CPD 30 hour threshold is Secretariat who log the event under making membership more attractive nothing to fear as it is just a guide. the individual’s CPD record. All the to college lecturers. It’s all about quality not quantity, member has to do is add a reflection plus adequate planning is key to a about the event. If this scheme is We should also work with colleges successful CPD record. successful, other branches will have to approve more of their courses the opportunity to take part. through accreditation, which will It was also felt that the new IAgrE also help to build new and stronger App (currently being developed) Membership drive relationships. would make the gathering of data Increasing the membership was much easier for members. CPD a hot topic. How do we attract The technical route is not just about listing a series of new members by demonstrating It was also suggested that we need events. What is more important is it will help develop their career to re-examine the Technician grade the impact of the event or activity and open the door to professional to open up career progression and on an individual, which needs to be development opportunities. offer mentoring to guide people reflected in the CPD record. through the process. The guidelines The importance of reflecting on Membership through the for registration need to be examined what the learning has meant and the Engineering Technician level and the process described in simple benefits was also emphasised. was seen as having huge growth steps with support readily available potential. We should be building throughout the journey. The Western branch is trialling a stronger relationships with colleges, scheme that logs members attending selling ourselves as a marketing
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Purpose built soil research facilities After lunch President Jane Rickson on-farm decision making and the led a tour of Cranfield’s state- development of more efficient of-the-art, agri-tech facilities, and sustainable methods of food purpose built for the study of soil production. dynamics, soil management and soil conservation techniques. The glasshouse allows crop growth trials to be conducted in 24 The Agricultural Engineering containers (lysimeters), large enough Precision Innovation Centre – to simulate full-scale, controlled Agri-EPI is a world-leading centre field conditions, including drainage. for excellence in engineering and Soil can be packed to manipulate precision agriculture covering real field conditions, including bulk livestock, arable, aquaculture and density, soil strength and surface horticulture. Cranfield houses a main properties. hub of the Centre. The tour then moved onto the soil The first stop on the tour was a bin and erosion laboratory. The 45m can be used to test the erodibility new glasshouse, built as part of the long, 5m wide and 2m deep soil lane of slope forming materials including CHAP (Crop Health and Protection) is renowned internationally for its soil, waste-rock and ores, and AgriTech Centre. It houses a work in off-road vehicle dynamics. evaluate a range of erosion control phenotyping sensor platform and The soil lane can simulate a variety technologies including mulches, soil offers real-time, pilot-scale growth of conditions such as hard compact conditioners and geotextiles. trials, simulating soil-plant water dirt roads and airstrips, as well interactions in controllable test as agricultural fields. Simulating Following the visit Council members conditions. extreme off-road environments helps were left in no doubt that Cranfield to evaluate machines that interact is a leading University, well on the with the soil from rally cars and The facility can demonstrate way to developing solutions to the agricultural machines to tillage trains how soil quality can change with challenges facing world agriculture. and tyres. different tillage techniques and The work brings together the best test the effects of soil condition expertise, knowledge and insight on crop establishment, root and The soil erosion laboratory simulates from leading research organisations, canopy development, crop yield, soil temperate and tropical rainfall with making sure that the knowledge health and degradation, soil-borne drop size, intensities and kinetic and insight learnt is translated into diseases, weed control and crop energy conditions recorded over a benefits for farmers, growers and the phenotype. This will help inform range of conditions. The laboratory food industry in the UK and overseas.
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Membership Bifrangi UK produce high quality forgings, mainly for the agricultural, plant and mining industries and their customers include: Matters Caterpillar – engine crankshafts and soil engaging parts Cummins Engines – engine crankshafts up to 3 metres in length John Deere – engine crankshafts Yan Mov – engine crankshafts East Midlands Branch Thysson Krupp company – mining conveyor belts Evening visit to Bifrangi UK Lincoln Bifrangi UK produces 35 crankshafts per hour, 24 hours a day. An Italian owned company, (Last year with 90k for one customer). specialising in Forging and Precision Engineering, 12th December 2019 Report by Phil Spencer and has a 16,000t capability! You the floor shakes and there is a spooky need to see it, stand by it and hear noise like something from Star Wars. Less than a quarter of a mile it to appreciate its scale. Bifrangi UK The press lifts and there lies one very from the centre of Lincoln is a are installing a new 32,000t press & large crankshaft. (see picture). piece of Lincolnshire’s agricultural plant, to produce a wider range of engineering history; There has been forgings. Once removed and cooled “engineering” taking place for over each crankshaft is checked for 170 years. Clayton and Shuttleworth We saw the full process of pressing straightness, subjected to vertical built threshing machines there in a large crankshaft. Cold steel bar, heat treatment, crack testing and 1840. Other activities included the measuring 2m x 150mm x 150mm balancing, and then centre point manufacture of railway wagons, was passed through the induction machined and drilled, before being Handley Page bombers and military heater, coming off the conveyor despatched to their sister factory in equipment during World War 1 almost white hot! Skilled operators, Sheffield for full machine grinding. and then various drive shafts for sat in a heat resistant cab, drove a It was stressed that every process is Rolls-Royce to go into Merlin engines robot style handling system to lift the carried out “in house”. fitted to Spitfires and Hurricanes length of steel, transferring it into the in World War 2. Many parts for press dies. The press thunders down, The visit continued with a tour the mining industry have also been of all the rest of the processes, manufactured there. Over the past followed by a final Q&A session, fifty years various owners have and ended with a vote of thanks continued this type of work and for a remarkable evening by Nigel in 2001 the site was purchased by Penlington. Bifrangi. (The photographs do not give the Since then Bifrangi has invested visit justice, however there are some £50m, upgrading and developing excellent videos/pictures on the buildings and specialised forging Bifrangi web site). equipment, along with R and D facilities for new forging techniques.
On the evening of our visit, 28 branch members and guests were welcomed with a delicious buffet by the Finance Director and the Managing Director, Francesca, the daughter of the owner. Our hosts also explained the reasons for their continued investment and plans for the site regarding its capability and capacity of production.
The forging presses were the real “stars” of the visit and Bifrangi UK are noted for having the largest screw type press in Europe. Designed by the company owner, it is about the same size as a house
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Evening meeting - The Welding but having a moving platform or Dolman MD and co-founder, assisted Institute (TWI) at the Quorn Lodge moving head. This allows two pieces by Patricia Sloneczny CSR Director Hotel Melton Mowbray - 10th Dec of material to be joined continuously (Trish). 2019 - Report by Richard Clarke together at speeds of up to 6 metres Derek Oliver spoke and he is a minute, again with very little AR Demolition operate from Central the senior project leader for the distortion. This same process can Leicestershire and are one of the Electron Beam Section in the Joint be used for a different form of Spot UK’s Award -winning progressive Technologies Group from TWI. Welding, where the rotating head is Specialist demolition contractors. Derek did a sterling job as our pressed at intervals along the work speaker from TWI, quickly getting us piece joining the two parts together. The presentation started with the up to speed on a range of welding/ Typically, this would be used for company history and how it had joining processes either currently on sheet metal of various kinds. developed to what they do today. the market or in their experimental Friction Welding has one more From originally training as a car pioneering days. trick up its sleeve and that is Linear mechanic, Richard borrowed money We were shown the advances in Friction Welding. Linear Friction to purchase a JCB digger for carrying Electron Beam welding, using an Welding uses the principle of out groundwork and was asked by a excellent Power Point with video oscillating one of the two parts of friend to help demolish an old petrol clips. A number of material examples material against the other with force, station to build new homes. Seeing were handed round for inspection. producing enough heat to join them potential in this type of work started together. bidding for contracts to demolish Electron Beam Welding is Derek’s disused factories in the Leicester specialist area of knowledge and Laser Welding and cutting has been area. this type of welding produces some around since the late ‘60s, but with amazing work. To remove oxidation the evolution of time and the use of Examples of work carried out were from the Electron Beam welding robots is much more efficient and given, coming up to the present day, process a vacuum chamber is used. timely. It is both a single sided and a and in particular how the equipment The edges of the material to be non-contact welding process which had evolved for different tasks. No welded are brought close together focuses the energy in a small area jobs are the same, with different and the electron beam is placed on to perform the weld. An inert gas is customer requirements time scales this joint, a molten pool is created required for more reactive materials, and site issues. which can join material up to 200mm but it can be performed without a thick in a single pass. No additional vacuum being applied. Examples of these jobs included filler is required, the material from the demolition of the Nottingham both parts being close enough Laser Cutting, is generally carried BroadMarsh shopping centre. together and molten pool produces out on a moving table or moving Notts Council set limitations on the the welded join. As the energy is laser head, but Derek showed task and Richard explained how they concentrated into a small area, a demonstration video of high overcame each issue. an added benefit is that very little powered hand held Laser Cutting distortion is created. being performed by a suitably safety They were not allowed to close any attired technician. roads! Existing shops were to remain Friction Welding, although has open. No dust! Limits to how much been around a long time, has been This concluded an excellent evening wastes could be taken off site. The drastically improved by automation. which for many of us was a real balance of which was later recycled A combination of force exerted eye opener to the latest welding on site. by a rotating machine tool head is techniques and many thanks to applied to the pieces of material to Derek Oliver of TWI. All this needed new innovative be joined together. Heat is generated special equipment. Modified in this localised area due to friction, Evening meeting – Tuesday 14th 360 excavators with extended this makes the two parts soft and January 2020 booms, high lift cranes, high lift malleable and are joined in a rapid Equipment used in Sustainable tele-handling equipment, with process. Avoiding the liquid pool Demolition special attachments to cut through typically associated with welding, Report by Phil Spencer concrete, steel. Attachments for dust yet making an extremely strong On Tuesday 14th January, first suppression cannons, equipment joint. Examples of this joining are, meeting of 2020 approximately 20 to lift large metal structures, as well engine valve heads to valve stems, members meet at the Quorn Lodge as equipment to crush concrete, turbocharger turbine vanes to the Hotel Melton Mowbray, our regular separate wood and other materials. turbine shaft. venue when its not a visit. Through a series of photographs and time lapse video, they showed other A spin off from Friction Welding is Our Guest speakers representing examples of major demolition jobs: Friction Stir Welding, this uses the A R Demolition Ltd were Richard principles of the Friction Welding • Demolition and site clearance of a
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fire damaged public house. Site to IAgrE Republic of Sean Gorman and Craig England be clear to ground in 24 hours! from Topcon. • Major roundabout and flyover Ireland Branch Sean Gorman, the area sales demolition. Leicester city centre. AGM - New Committee manager for Fendt, spoke about • Work on Kings Cross Underground Appointed how they are becoming a full line station, Central London, without agricultural brand. The company restricting rail or passenger have introduced their new grassland movement. range of equipment, formerly Lely, to the Irish market, they can offer silage • One particular contract required all harvesters, balers, silage wagons as the equipment to be transported well as mowers, rakes and tedders. by ferry to an Island off the Scottish coast to demolition and Fendt tractor sales globally have remove a quarry plant. been on the rise for the last number of years with production hitting There was a number of humorous New committee appointed to IAgrE 16,800 units last year and the stories too. The demolition of two Republic of Ireland branch. Chris O Donoghue chairperson, Robert Shine company’s production is back at its factory chimneys. To make it more vice chairperson, Niamh Foley secretary, peak. Germany is still the company’s interesting, tickets were raffled Francis Quigley PRO, and Colm Egan most important market and about a for a prize to press the button! a treasurer. third of the company’s production spectator area and local news stays within the home market. coverage. Big bang, lots of smoke
but the chimneys didn’t fall! Sean pointed out that from an engineering perspective Fendt have Health and safety is also a top always aimed to be market leaders priority. With all the staff having from breaking the 200hp bracket in qualifications in demolition 1970’s, introducing a 40km/h tractor technology. in 1980’s, and leading the field with the introduction of technologies In conclusion they also demonstrated ACGO’s Sean Gorman and Craig England such as their turbomatic clutch and examples of sustainability and from Topcon with Chris O Donoghue vario transmission. Research and recycling. AR demolition suggested chairperson at the recent IAgrE meeting development are keys parts of the that if you demolish a 200-year-old held in Limerick. company. The R&D budget for 2019 building, almost all of the materials was €73 million, and they have been are reusable. Bricks, wood, stone and There was a good attendance at fortunate to win numerous awards roof tiles, could all be used to build the recent AGM meeting of the for their innovations over the years. another house. However a modern Republic of Ireland branch of IAgrE. building may have a life span of 25 It was held in the Woodlands With the environmental challenges years! And at the moment some of hotel in Adare Co. Limerick in late facing us all Sean spoke about the our modern materials/ insulation 2019. The existing committee of Fendt e100 Vario a fully electric produced are not recyclable. Michael Moroney, David Frizelle and tractor. The tractor is proving popular Michael Ryan opened the meeting with the councils, utilities and some Our speakers were truly professional, and delivered their reports to the stock farmers. It has a 650V high enthusiastic and skilled in what they attendees. The committee members capacity battery and can be charged do. They were able to demonstrate announced their retirement and to 80% in 40 mins. Sean said that that knocking buildings down is a were thanked for their long and Fendt recognise the challenges specialist area requiring the most generous service to the IAgrE facing the agricultural sector and modern equipment and know how. branch. are looking at a wide range of engineering solutions although NB: Time lapse films of some of their An election of new committee a fully electric large horsepower contracts can be seen on YouTube, members saw the appointment tractor is not something he can see search for AR Demolition. of Chris O Donoghue to role of on the market in the short term. chairperson, Robert Shine as vice chairperson, Niamh Foley as Craig England from Topcon gave secretary, Francis Quigley as PRO, an overview of the company’s and Colm Egan took over the role of agricultural division. He explained treasurer. the range of Topcon products available and spoke about how The meeting was followed by two they can offer a wide range of technician presentations by ACGO’s technology from controlled traffic
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to boom levelling control. Their incidents since 1968. During the vehicle. During on-farm maintenance real time nutrient sensing system, last 10 years, 66 people (including 2 of machinery, items raised to gain which uses laser diodes to measure children) died in farm incidents here. access underneath must also be plant reflectance and give nitrogen Of these, 21 involved animals,19 mechanically propped up. It was concentration levels in the leafs, has vehicles or machinery, 12 falls from stated that the rapid-response the largest sensor footprint in the a height, 8 during work with slurry, 4 Northern Ireland Air Ambulance industry. when cutting up fallen trees, 1 when Service, with its ability to provide trimming a hedge with a chain saw emergency stabilisation treatment of He spoke about how the company and 1 suffocated in a silo. serious injury, is now an important are trying to bring all the data and advance for the survival chances of information available from yields, to Engineering innovation (and the people injured in remote rural areas. nitrogen levels, fertiliser applications legislation to require its use) has etc. into one source using the had a beneficial effect in reducing People, including children, being Topcon TAP system. The aim is to farm fatalities. For example, the run over after getting into working make better use of the information enforced legal requirement for farmyard areas, where tractors and by creating a single Digital Ag tractor safety cabs / frames from the telehandlers are manoeuvring, is a Ecosystem. 1970s quickly reduced the number major concern. The ability of the of overturning incident fatalities driver, within the confined cab, The meeting was closed by Chris O by around 5 per year. At the same to see people close to the vehicle Donoghue, who thanked everyone time, the introduction of any new is often limited. Mirrors, if well for their attendance. design needs to be monitored and positioned, are a useful aid but their corrected, if necessary, to avoid the coverage is limited depending on Northern unintended creation of new hazards. vehicle size and shape. The addition One example was the “push down” of cameras and monitors significantly Ireland Branch door handle, on some popular improve visibility which is especially rear-hinged tractor cab doors, which important where it is poor. Safer use of farm machinery was too easy to open unintentionally. HSENI recently carried out a test - Past, Present and Future Inadequate basic maintenance of demonstrating that as many as 28 tractors and machinery can be lethal. people could hide close to a modern Examples include the by-passing, tractor and remain unseen by the rather than replacing, of safety seated driver! More information devices (such as the engine safety about health and safety matters can starter switch) and incomplete PTO be viewed at www.hseni.gov.uk guarding. There have been many fatalities, involving entanglement The future with PTO shaft drives, when using Given the current risks and the need machines such as grain rollers and to improve driver visibility, the future slurry tankers. The available option, Brendan Digney, Peter Frost and Malcolm for improving health and safety Downey at IAgrE on the latter, of hydraulic drive now standards now needs to embrace the offers a safer alternative. application of advanced observation The recent Northern Ireland Branch technology in managing human of IAgrE meeting, held at the Agri Fatal incidents still occur, with a and machine behaviour. Brendan Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) driver being run over, when their Digney, our second guest speaker, Hillsborough featured integrated vehicle moves off without warning. who graduated in December 2019 presentations by both Malcolm This tends to occur when attempting, from Queens University Belfast with Downey (HSENI) and Brendan whilst standing on the ground, his Master’s Degree in Electrical Digney (Machine Eye) around the to start a tractor or because the and Electronic Engineering, has technology aspects of the safer use parking brake is defective or has not already done just this by developing of tractors and farm machinery. been applied firmly. In some cases his Machine Eye system. Growing this may have been due to lack of up on the family farm in Co Down, The statistics strength or dexterity by older drivers. his recognition of the need to Mr Downey is well known to The development of automated reduce the risk of injury around farming audiences in Northern systems for secure parking on some machinery operation has inspired Ireland through his role as Principal of the most recent tractor models is him to use his skills and experience Inspector leading the Health and welcome. to develop the concept. Machine Safety Executive for Northern Eye is now patented and has already Ireland’s agriculture team. He On-farm maintenance won numerous innovation awards started his presentation by If access for work at height is needed throughout the UK and Ireland. It summarising the grim statistic of 519 any personnel cage platform must has taken him, as part of a trade human lives (103 of them children) be designed for the job and very delegation with Enterprise Ireland, lost in Northern Ireland farm securely attached to the lifting to New Zealand. A suite of sensors
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are fitted (or retrofitted) within the other industries where a continuous West Midlands structure of the machine, as well process is involved , such as on a as processing units internally. It can production line, the system can slow Branch Meetings - monitor and protect people close it down to permit checking without to working machinery by measuring the need for an expensive and William Waddilove reports their movement against safe working inconvenient complete shut down. JCB Fastrac its history and limits. Based upon Machine Learning The concept very much closes the principles, it learns from both its boundary of human and machine by development - Wednesday previous and ongoing observations building a co-operative environment 23 October 2019 to continuously refine the process. between the two.
Many field work operations are carried out using tractors with The next steps auto-guidance GPS steering. An With the system now patented, the actual example was described of job of certification (demonstrating how over-reliance on it, without that it works in the everyday practical due regard to constant driver world) is well under way. Fund supervision, could lead to disaster raising to take it to the next stage of general commercial acceptance such as contacting a high voltage JCB Fastrac 4220 Stage V 01a electricity pylon with risk to life and is now a priority. The small specialist team, now working to apply and massive damage to the network. In the JCB factory written very refine the latest technology at Machine Eye can be used to sense conspicuously on a wall is a saying Machine Eye, have Invest NI support when such objects are close and take ‘Our customers can get along and have established a Belfast office corrective action. without us. We can’t get along base. More detail can be viewed at without them’. Modern tractors now increasingly www.machine-eye.com and Brendan can be contacted at brendan@ incorporate protective safety Well it must be delivering a clear machine-eye.com or 07588 197395 features to control a wide range of message. The JCB Company is huge! . performance features through their The first speaker Ed Strawson, an A lively interactive discussion central electronic management Agricultural territory sales manager, followed ranging through the system. This is known as the Bosch took us through the history and following topics: based CANbus (Controller Area development of JCB from its first Network) system which (depending • Could the system be copied? - days when Joseph Cyril Bamford on the vehicle specification) controls patent protection is now in place. bought a second hand welder for all critical communications in the • How much will the system cost? £1 and in a rented garage, started machine, more-so on those with -TBA. building trailers from ex WW2 autonomous aspects such as GPS • How long until the first available parts. There is a replica of that guidance. Machine Eye can integrate commercial version will be garage at the factory. He then went to this system, providing another available? -soon. onto building their first tractor layer of data on the machine. In the • The potential to transform safety mounted front end loader. The big human farm-safety context real-time standards and process efficiencies breakthrough came when Joseph situational analysis can establish in other industries. Bamford saw a backhoe on a tractor if someone has entered, or is • Extension to herd management and decided to add it to a tractor approaching, a critical danger area. by monitoring individual animal with his front end loader. behaviours and interactions? The latest technology can view • Local quality control and sourcing From then on the company images in conditions which would of the electronic components. developed at a relentless pace. otherwise not be visible to the • Ownership of the collected data. We are all familiar with the JCB human eye. The systems can monitor brand but do we know the range? I and log routine human movements In conclusion, Peter Frost (Branch certainly didn’t. It extends right up around machines and learn their Chairman) thanked both speakers to battery powered diggers suitable normal routines. It can also recognise for their excellent presentations for use in areas where there are and alert different practices to assess and wished the Machine Eye team clean air zones and there might be a if they may result in an unacceptable every success in this most important, problem with exhaust emissions and contact with moving components exciting and pioneering venture. where noise could be a problem. and take appropriate actions (such as PTO drive shut-off, applying brakes, Robin Carter, Fastrac Engineering sounding an alarm ). Complete shut Manager, took us through the down may not always be required design stages of a new model from if the system recognises the role of the initial sitting around a table an experienced operator. Within
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to produce a one page outline of the work that was being done We were welcomed by members specification though to release there with wheeled and track laying of the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust for volume production. During vehicles for example assessing the who used to work on the site this talk he illustrated it with the grip on very loose and unstructured and now work on the collection`s various models of Fastrac and other surfaces such as sand. This naturally exhibits which are of huge historical equipment and showed how the extends into the testing of developed importance. Ten Institution members Fastrac had evolved through many designs. were divided into two groups and my versions over time. We were even group started with jet engines first. told a little about their ‘world’s All this is related to the areas of fastest tractor’ having achieved over advanced vehicle engineering The collection starts with a Whittle 135 mph (with a little modification) designs. In relation to automotive W2 jet engine, featuring the tortuous and yes it did look a little like the work he spoke about the test route followed by the air necessary latest model. facilities they had for self-guiding to keep the engine compact whilst vehicles both on roads with using a centrifugal compressor. He was supported by Clive Ellard a ‘obstructions’ as well as using Later Rolls-Royce jets followed but sales representative from the local roadside guidance systems. These Bristol concentrated on the Pegasus JCB distributer LQG Agri. are all very exciting developments. Turbo Prop engine intended for the The discussion afterwards covered Brabazon, but which actually found We came away from the meeting subjects like the move to electric applications in the Britannia aircraft, with an enhanced respect for the JCB vehicles and how in some ways it fast naval craft, Hovercraft and as manufacturing and design system may be seen as over enthusiastic stand-by power generators. Versions and an appreciation of them coming and with concern about the future of the mighty Olympus, used in to give us the company story. problems that would occur when the Vulcan and, with afterburners trying to work out how to reclaim Concorde are mixed with various some of the rare metals and experimental axial flow jets. The Speaker – Professor James components within batteries and world beating Pegasus is shown, Brighton, Senior Lecturer electronic components. This even both complete and broken into its extended to speculation about how components to better appreciate the On the subject of ‘Round we would manage with shortages of genius which went into its design cobalt, lithium and other elements. and construction of the engine which
Vehicle Engineering Research’ powered the Harrier. Whilst walking - Tuesday 3rd December 2019 The talk concluded with some films to the exhibition we passed the James Brighton gave an enthusiastic of some of the TV work he had been engine test installations, identified talk about the work he and his involved in and telling us about some by the models they could test, which university were doing. of the behind the scenes design occupy a fair portion of the extensive work and calculations that had been site, still actively manufacturing and He started off by giving us a history done. designing power plants. of the organisation. Silsoe College was established in 1960 (Keep We then turned to the piston engine an eye out for the celebrations in Western Branch collection which was a special tribute 2020!) and from the beginning was to the engineering (although lacking a centre of learning for agricultural - Richard Robinson reports formal qualification) genius that was Roy Fedden. engineering and as I knew took many Visit to the Roy Fedden students from the OND course at Heritage Centre, October 2019 Rycotewood College (I didn’t take He started by designing a very that route). Silsoe College gained successful car the Shamrock whilst university status and became a at Basil Straker and his insistence on detached campus of Cranfield continuous improvement in design University. It is now absorbed into and quality resulted in the company the Cranfield campus. being allowed to produce Rolls-Royce Hawk and Falcon engines together The agricultural aspect is with parts of the Eagle. So as not to also absorbed into a branch compete with Rolls he and Leonard of automotive research and Butler designed the radial Mercury development. In national terms it is and Jupiter air cooled engines. War a very small university but it takes no Western Branch ending brought about a significantly students below graduate level and turbulent time for the business, but so maintains it role at the peak of This collection of Piston, Turbo prop the Air Ministry encouraged Bristol to research and development. and Jet engines is located within the purchase the assets of Cosmos who It has a new and developed soil Rolls-Royce engine facility in Filton, had taken over the aircraft engine laboratory and he spoke about some Bristol. business of Basil Straker.
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An interesting aside here is that Wrekin Branch The evening then followed extreme one of our past Presidents Theo after extreme, in both statistics and Sherwin worked for Basil Straker who - Bill Basford reports measurements. Highlighted were produced a V4 sleeve valve engine stepped drill bits from 42” diameter used as the auxiliary power unit in Deep Sea Drilling, Colin (back to units later) reducing at the Sunderland flying boat. Atkinson, Master Mariner depth to 8” when almost at 4 km depth. Steerable drill bits with small There is an example of the offset angles allowing that function well-respected Bristol Jupiter engine associated with system pressures together with a crankshaft and of 15,000 psi were all shown and connecting rod set showing the described. Taking some 45 days to master and slave rod arrangement 6 months to drill a well astounded common to most radial engines. This most listening as did the speed of set new benchmarks for reliability getting a bit down to 3000m in just and interchangeability and formed 3 hours with very modern control the basis for the Mercury and room conditions and auto assembly Pegasus engines with four valves per of well pipe lengths. cylinder. The dead end development of a diesel radial is on display, but The need for a sophisticated Blow produced insufficient power for its Out Preventer on the sea bed was weight. described and the past failings of inadequate or earlier designs were Fedden could not find a way to make made known when one uncontrolled a good two row radial with four well flowed for 565 days! Critical valves per cylinder, so commenced understanding of the ‘Mud’ fed development of the Sleeve Valve down to the drill bit to extract the engine. We were able to see various spoil mean that on board all rigs engines and actually hold a Bristol there was one person at least whose Sleeve valve, the better to appreciate specialism was ‘Mud’, actually the exquisite development which a carefully controlled fluid both went into the development of the physically and chemically enhanced next, and final, generation of Bristol to suit the geology involved. In fact piston engines. on all ‘rigs’ there are engineers One of the benefits of IAgrE of various specialisms continually The Sleeve Valve proved to be a meetings is that occasionally we go monitoring both function and well nightmare to develop for production, ‘off piste’ into spheres of engineering parameters / condition. hand built engines were wonderful, not normally linked to agriculture. but producing perfect sleeves From the very first slide and words The ability now to have semi from a very special steel was only Colin had us all in his grasp with submerged unit rigs on a pontoon solved after spending huge sums. descriptions of his career from base held by 8 anchors, each Nevertheless these challenges were general cargo ships through dive weighing 20 tonne capable of overcome and one should note that boats to semi-submersible and an holding accuracy to within 2-3 cm in in the late 1930`s about 55% of the array of deep-water drilling rigs. His water depths of 30 + m and winds of world`s aircraft used Bristol built or large audience included everyone above 100 knots barely compared to licence built engines. from 1st year students to long agriculture now with RTK and 2 cm serving members representing the accuracy in our ‘arduous’ conditions. The display includes a Taurus whole range of IAgrE interests. Most The rigs now use 4 or 10 sea bed and pride of place to the Mighty were aware of the many changes in transponders, controlling systems Centaurus, in two forms. One is our industry however Colin mapped sensing from those and GPS to a case with the gear train from changes in the undersea drilling give the accuracy, licences costing Propeller through the two throw industry from 1980 when the norm $18,000 per rig per year! crankshaft to the supercharger drive was a rig displacing 18000 tonnes including the gears to operate the and drilling to 660m to 2001 when Considerable attention was sleeve valves. The other display this had moved to 53000 tonnes reported to safety and training for is a tribute to the Rolls-Royce capable of drilling to 3000m! Later the 120 staff on board including Heritage Trust Volunteers who have developments being even deeper, Catering (vital!) and Geologists, Oil sectioned and motorised a complete heavier and faster. Who really or Gas company representatives, Centaurus. The detail is stunning and thought that a Master Mariner was Climatologists, Mud engineers, of huge complexity – well worth the in overall charge of the rig anyway? ROV pilots as well as all engineers visit on its own! involved in rig function.
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Far Eastern yards (Korea) building the Moving back into agricultural activity rigs and drill ships were described his studies with bale handling where modular builds were made, through to lettuce harvesting all Notice of with associated townships built up, raised robotic and automatic issues Meeting even with a Tesco! Each drill ship to be solved. He questioned the taking about 18 months to complete, trend of many years of ‘bigger is Notice is hereby given at a cost around $850 million. best’ looking at the potential of that the Seventy-fourth autonomous small vehicles and Annual General Meeting Oh yes, those units. Questions ran drones as providing many answers to of the Institution will be thick and fast after Colin’s amazing a wide range of remote sensing and held at Amazone Ltd, talk. The one which brought out the functional activity. Orchard Farm, Hurst Lane, smiles was ‘What units are involved?’ Auckley, DN9 3NW on Well, drilling being basically an Having visited many countries during Thursday 30th April 2020 American development, inches, feet, his Nuffield scholarship he described at 11.00am. US gallons etc. but with North Sea, and showed examples of a wide African and European industries range of crop sprayers, seeders and Agenda now involved using imperial and harvesters. Reporting that 20 million 1. To receive and confirm metric units some strange hybrids hectares have been sprayed so far by the minutes of the have evolved, kilopounds?, a foot autonomous sprayers he recorded seventy-third AGM held divided into 10??. So ended a that technology can currently answer on 2nd May 2019. brilliant evening, one which held all the need though regulation and 2. To propose as an present spellbound with engineering other issues limit adoption in many Ordinary Resolution: achievements. areas of the world. “That the Annual General Meeting The evening closed by demonstrating authorises the Trustees How do we embrace a programmed mini drone safely of the Institution to review members’ Automation in Agriculture? manoeuvring around in the front of the lecture theatre with his personal subscriptions and to Jonathan Gill, a researcher on the ‘Thank you’ notice! make such adjustment, Hands-Free Farm Project and a if any, as may be Nuffield Scholar addressed a packed required with effect audience identifying the many from 1 January 2021”. challenges to automation adoption. 3. To consider and adopt the Annual Report for Describing his early studies involving the year ending 31 a robotic shark whilst at university December 2019. and his later career in sub-sea 4. To receive and adopt exploration was at the time far away the Accounts for from agricultural engineering he the year ending 31 outlined how many of the lessons December 2019. learnt entirely suited him for his 5. To announce current work. nominations for election to Council for the 2020/21 Session. 6. To re-appoint Landers Accountants Ltd, registered auditors, as reporting accountants and to authorise the Executive to fix their remuneration.
By Order of the Trustees
Ed Hansom, Chief Executive & Secretary 20 February 2020
NB: all papers are available on www.iagre.org
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Events East Midlands Wrekin & Branch Contact: Richard Trevarthen Contact: Dave Clare 01952 815097 01509 215109 [email protected] Meetings [email protected] Tuesday 28th April 2020 7.30pm No events listed yet Technical meeting – Flood and drainage Northern Ireland Jenny Gamble of the Environment IAgrE Events: Agency will give a presentation on Contact: Ian Duff the issues surrounding the drainage Thursday 30th April 028 8673 6977 of agricultural land, flood water 2020. 11am – tbc [email protected] storage capacity and flood risk No events listed yet management. IAgrE AGM & Awards AEIC, Harper Adams University, Presentation Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB South East Midlands Orchard Farm, Hurst Lane, Tuesday 23rd June 2020 time and Auckley, DN9 3NW Contact: John Stafford venue to be confirmed 01525 402229 We are delighted to be hosted Summer visit – Middleton by Amazone Ltd at their john.stafford@silsoe-solutions. Engineering – to be confirmed farm just outside Doncaster. co.uk The morning will begin with Tuesday 28th April 2020 the IAgrE AGM and this will Industry Events be followed by our awards 7.30pm TOTAL FOOD 2020 presentation and a buffet Technical meeting : Reducing food lunch. loss and waste through postharvest Total Food 2020 will be a gathering of industrialists, academics, technology policy-makers and charities with All enquiries regarding IAgrE Speaker Marie-Carmen Alamar the common goal of protecting the events, please contact Sarah Gavidia from Cranfield University environment and promoting human McLeod on 01234 750876 or The Upstairs Room, The George, 6 and animal health through waste ... email [email protected] George Street, Maulden, Beds MK45 2DF 15/04/2020 to 17/04/2020 - All Day May 2020 – date, venue and time to East Midlands Conference Centre, University Park Campus, University Branch Events be confirmed of Nottingham Branch visit: Ben Burgess, John East Anglian Deere dealer Tuesday 12 - Weds 13th Contact: David Seccombe May 2020 07766 206208 Western THE PIG AND POULTRY FAIR Tuesday 7th April 2020, 7-9pm Contact: Mike Whiting Stoneleigh Park, Warks. Branch visit – JF Temple [email protected] & Sons No events listed yet Weds and Thursday JF Temple & Sons, Copys Green 20-21 May 2020 Farm, Wighton, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk West Midlands GRASSLAND AND MUCK – working NR23 1NY Contact: Ian Moore forage conservation and muck demonstration. Following an introduction to the [email protected] business, there will be a walking Tuesday 14th April 2020 Grassland & Muck is the leading tour of the farmyard incorporating demonstration event for farmers, Branch AGM - details and time to the cheese making section, farm focusing on grass, forage, muck and be confirmed ... soils at the new venue for 2020, workshop, anaerobic digester, and Ragley Estate, Warwickshire. dairy herd. We would then adjourn Friends (Quaker) Meeting House, 37 to our meeting room for cheese Maidenhead Road, Stratford on Avon Ragley Estate, Alcester, tasting, tea and coffee, questions CV37 6XT Warwickshire. and discussion.
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Sunday 7th June 2020 Saturday 13th June 2020 Wednesday 24th – Thursday 25th June 2020 OPEN FARM SUNDAY ROBOT DAY COVENTRY 2020 LEAFs Open Farm Sunday is farming’s IET Coventry and Warwickshire GROUNDSWELL 2020 annual open day, a chance for Network together with Coventry Lannock Manor Farm, Hertfordshire farmers to open their gates to the University and Culture Coventry plan public, publicising farming and to hold a Robot Day. creating a lasting positive impact to Engineering Faculty, Coventry 18TH INTERNATIONAL RAMIRAN all those who visit. University CONFERENCE - MANAGING Locations across the UK ORGANIC RESOURCES IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT Wednesday 17th June 2020 Registration is now open for this Weds and Thursday 10-11th Conference. THE ARABLE EVENT June 2020 Weston-under-Lizard, Staffs CEREALS – the arable event. 14/09/2020 to 17/09/2020 - All Day Europe’s leading technical event for the arable industry. Thursday 18th - Saturday 21st Cambridge UK Chrishall Grange, Duxford, June 2020 Cambridge, SG8 7NT THE ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOW Ingliston, Edinburgh
Department was focused mainly precision farming. The following Obituaries on work for the sugar beet crop comment, from a former student, and had projects concerned with is evidence of his positive student the design and performance of focused mentoring: precision drills, selective thinning “These were good times when I was machines and the harvesting of Michael (Mike) John O’Dogherty studying at Silsoe and whenever root crops. Mike contributed to PhD, DSc, FIAgrE, Member ASABE Mike was around he would pop projects in all these topic areas into all PhD student offices to catch Mike, who sadly and encouraged approaches that up, listen and give some positive died on the 16th developed an understanding of the encouragement, which was often of January 2020, processes involved as well as the very much needed!” the son of a development of new machines. His policeman, was major contribution related to the As a result of the above he received born in Bideford, analysis and design of a new sugar the IAgrE “Contribution to the Devon on 13th beet topper that formed the basis Land Based Industries Sector” March 1931. of designs that were developed Award in 2010, for his 40 years of After attending commercially, for which he was distinguished service to agricultural Bideford awarded a PhD in 1977. In the early engineering. Grammar School, he obtained 1980’s, the Row Crop Department a degree in Maths and Physics was disbanded, and Mike moved In later life he bought a mobile home from London University (1952) to work on improving cutting in Blue Anchor, Somerset so that he and a degree in Engineering from mechanisms for plant stems as could spend weekends and holidays Nottingham University (1955) part of grass and grain harvesting walking on Exmoor. He finally sold followed by a post-graduate machinery, a topic for which he his house in Bedfordshire to live Diploma in Applied Mechanics from was to be awarded a DSc degree by permanently in his beloved West Sheffield University (1958). Mike Reading University. Country. His son John, to whom we established his early career as a send our condolences, survives him. research engineer/scientist with Upon retirement from the NIAE/ John shares Mike’s love of the West the National Coal Board (Mining SRI he approached Silsoe College Country and plans to continue living Research Establishment) and the of Cranfield University to see if he in Blue Anchor. could be useful? This established Building Research Establishment Dick Godwin and Paul Miller (Fire Research Station). Working a new phase in his career by respectively on improved techniques teaching engineering mathematics, for the cutting of coal and the instrumentation, research methods Mr David detection and extinction of fires. and the physical properties of William Tilbury agricultural materials. In addition to IEng MIAgrE - Mike joined the National Institute his classroom activities as a Visiting died suddenly of Agricultural Engineering (Silsoe Professor he worked closely with - a member Research Institute) in 1969 colleagues in the co-supervision since 1992 as the Head of the Row Crop of over 30 PhD students in soil Department. At that time the dynamics, instrumentation and
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Dornan J Higgs R Sun L Y Membership Drain J Hood G J Swinnerton J Duggan L Hopper R Thomas H Changes Hamilton C J Hughes B L Todd C Hammond R S Huges T C Todd H 1/11/19 to 31/01/20 Henderson D Hutchinson T N Treadgold J W Jackson W G Jackson C Waldram L G McCorry P Jasper W Webb H R McFetridge J Johnson A B Williams K K McKee J J Johnson J P Williams R T Admissions McKinney B Johnston E A Windus J Nesbitt N Kimber R L Withers- Lewis S J Member O’Hagan O Korzeniewski R Flynn D J (Yorkshire) Simpson Z Lapworth H Jungbadoor A P (Mauritius) Telford L C Latham B L Manasseh S A (Berkshire) Leney T J B Readmission Cranfield University Lenharth C T Sambu M S Affiliate Lester J Jepkosgel G Member Longman R Fletcher R T (Western) Walker A (East Anglia) Adamu A Lowe A C G Manasseh S A (Southern) Hanglin G (Cambridgeshire) Agbonghae L V Lunkevich D Technician Harper Adams University Maguire M Heffernan P (Ireland) Acquah C Mason G S Deaths Akaran R McCrea M Students Austin-Davies F G Middleton A G Royal Agricultural University We have recently learned of the Bagley W J S Moxham O Mugford J death of the following members Beech A E Neal D J G and we send our condolences to University of Birmingham Billington K M Nelson C their family and friends: Nieto S J Burlace L G Boyle E Brinkley T M Page O J Tilbury, David William MIAgrE University of East London Cooper C Penlington A a member since 1992 Florius K N Crawley S Perry A (East Midlands) Dakin R Pickard W Reaseheath College Dempsey M Pindoria E Evans T Doolley S J E Ransford F P A Douglas D E F Rawbone J Transfers Greenmount College Farrell C Rendell H M Acheson S Finch M Rigby H A Fellow Armstrong J W Flanagan R J Rietdyk J A Birch R (Trinidad & Tobago) Blackburn M Galbraith W G Rogers J A Member Byrne C Gildersleeves J E Smyth R A McAdam J A (Staffordshire) Cairns C P Gleghorn A W Simpkin B Clements K J Associate Member Hans D Steel R Cunningham S Hayes I (Cambridgeshire) Hawkes A Steyn N B Dickson J T G Affiliate Hewitt M A J Stretch E JBJ
Long Service Certificates - Jan to March 2020 60 years EurIngProf BD Witney FIAgrE 22/11/2020 EurIngProf BS Blackmore FIAgrE 01/02/2020 Mr MA Brown AMIAgrE 01/02/2020 50 years Dr AJ Scarlett MIAgrE 01/02/2020 Mr RT Pringle MIAgrE 09/01/2020 Mr AR Scott AIAgrE 29/03/2020 Dr DWM Pullen MIAgrE 09/01/2020 Mrs JL Smith AMIAgrE 29/03/2020 EurIngProf J Matthews FIAgrE 27/01/2020 Mr W Hancox MIAgrE 27/01/2020 25 Years Mr AE Moore MIAgrE 27/01/2020 Mr CJ Richter AMIAgrE 05/01/2020 Mr CM Blackbrough MIAgrE 27/01/2020 Mr DW Jenkins FIAgrE 25/01/2020 Mr MJ Taylor MIAgrE 27/01/2020 Mr PB Davies-Cooke MIAgrE 27/01/2020 Mr SE Cooper IEng CEnv MIAgrE 27/01/2020 35 years Mr L Kailondo CEng MIAgrE 13/02/2020 Mr AR Kneeshaw MIAgrE 01/01/2020 Dr TW Waine AMIAgrE 20/02/2020 Mr MBH Daud MIAgrE 07/01/2020 Mr RL Grantham EngTech MIAgrE 03/03/2020 Mr PJ Baumber AMIAgrE 01/02/2020 Mr K Gardiner CEng MIAgrE 16/03/2020
50 Landwards Spring 2020
Easton & Otley College Pallaskenry Agricultural College Academic Easton, Norwich, Norfolk, NR9 5DX Co Limerick, Ireland Greenmount College Plumpton College CAFRE, 22 Greenmount Road, Ditchling Road, Lewes, East Sussex, Members Antrim, Northern Ireland, BT41 4PU BN7 3AE Harper Adams University Reaseheath College Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB Reaseheath, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 6DF Hartpury College and University Berkshire College of Agriculture Gloucester, GL19 3BE Royal Agricultural University Hall Place, Burchetts Green, Cirencester, Gloucester, GL7 6JS Maidenhead, Berks, SL6 6QR Institute of Technology Tralee Clash, Tralee, Co Kerry, Ireland Sparsholt College Bishop Burton College Sparsholt, Winchester, SO21 2NF York Road, Bishop Burton, Beverley, Lincoln Institute of Agri-Food Technology, Lincoln University, SRUC – Auchincruive HU17 8QG Lincoln, LN6 7TS Auchincruive Estate, Ayr, KA6 5HW Brooksby Melton College Manchester University University of Manitoba Asfordby Road, Melton Mowbray, School of Electrical and Electronic Winnipeg, Canada, MB R3T 2N2 Leics, LE13 0HJ Engineering, C39, Sackville Warwickshire College Group Coleg sir Gar Street Building, Sackville Street, Manchester, M1 3WE Warwick New Road, Leamington Spa, Gelli Aur Campus, Llandeilo, CV32 5JE Carmarthenshire, SA32 8NJ Myerscough College Wiltshire College Lackham Cranfield University Bilsbarrow, Preston, Lancashire, PR3 0RY Lacock, Chippenham, Wiltshire, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL SN15 2NY Duchy College Newcastle University Stoke Climsland, Callington, King’s Gate, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Cornwall, PL17 8PB NE1 7RU
Briggs Irrigation John Deere Ltd Boyle Road, Corby, Northants, NN17 Harby Road, Langar, 5XU Nottinghamshire, NG13 9HT Commercial City and Guilds Marks & Clerk LLP 1 Giltspur Street, London, EC1A 9DD 90 Long Acre, London, WC2E 9RA Members City Farm Systems Ltd Mastenbroek Ltd 25 Hepplewhite Close, High 83 Swineshead Road, Boston, Lincs, Wycombe, Bucks, HP13 6BZ PE21 7JG David Ritchie (Implements) Ltd National Fluid Power Centre Carseview Road, Suttieside, Forfar, Carlton Road, Worksop, Notts, S81 Ace Aquatec Ltd Angus, DD8 3EE 7HP 16B City Quay, Camperdown Street, Dundee, DD1 3JA Douglas Bomford Trust Orby Engineering The Bullock Building, University Way, Craigmore Road, Newry, BT35 6JR Agri-EPI Centre Cranfield, Bedford, MK34 0GH 1-4 Bush House Cottages, Edinburgh, Reesink Turfcare UK Technopole, EH26 0BA DSL Systems 1-3 Station Road, St Neots, Adbolton Hall, Adbolton Lane, West Huntingdon, PE19 1QH Agricultural Engineers Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 5AS Association (AEA) PlantTech Research Institute Samuelson House, 62 Forder Way, FEC Services Bay of Plenty, New Zealand Hampton, Peterborough, PE7 8JB Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2LS Shelbourne Reynolds AGCO Ltd Shepherds Grove Ind Estate, Stanton, Stoneleigh, Abbey Park, Kenilworth, Fullwood Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2AR Warwickshire, CV8 2TQ Grange Road, Ellesmere, Cheshire, SY12 9DF SSAB Swedish Steel Ltd Alvan Blanch Development Co Narrowboat Way, Hurst Business Chelworth, Malmesbury, Househam Sprayers Park, Brierley Hill, West Midlands, Wiltshire, SN16 9SG Roughton Moor, Woodhall Spa, Lincs, DY5 1UF LN10 6YQ Autoguide Equipment Ltd Teagle Ltd Stockley Road, Hedington, Calne, HSS Hire Blackwater,Truro, Cornwall, TR4 8HQ Wiltshire, SN11 0PS 25 Willow Lane, Mitcham, London, CR4 4TS TeeJet London Ltd BAGMA Headley House, Headley Road, 225 Bristol Road, Birmingham, B5 JCB Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6UK Rocester, Staffs, ST14 5JR 7UB Witham Oil and Paint Ltd Outer Circle Road, Lincoln, LN10 6YQ
51 “ Being CEnv keeps me ahead of the game for professional standards and sharing of best practice”
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OBC Spring 2019.indd 1 01/03/2019 20:00