Massey Ferguson engineers based at AGCO’s Beauvais , France manufacturing facility are working on projects that are shaping the tractors we will see more than a decade ahead. Here, Malcolm Shute who heads the 320-strong Engineering team at Beauvais, provides a fascinating insight into Massey Ferguson’s engineering and future developments.
More power, more control, more productivity, even greater reliability and ease-of-use – these are just some of the key design criteria to come under intense scrutiny by Massey Ferguson engineers every working day.
“There is nothing like the desire to find a technical solution to a problem to trigger innovation in an engineer!” says Malcolm Shute. This is the team that developed the latest highly successful and award-winning MF 5400 - MF 8400 tractor ranges. It is their job to carry on the tradition of innovation that has seen MF equipment lead the field.
“Our team has grown by 40% in the last four years,” remarks Malcolm.“ At Beauvais, we spent more than 40 million euros on research & development and new products in 2007. Investment in innovation is central to our strategy. We are privileged to work with the huge fund of Massey Ferguson design expertise that has been amassed over the years. It’s a fantastic foundation on which to build future innovation and technical success.”
Although it’s not appropriate here to reveal the precise details of future concepts and ideas, some of the exciting areas currently testing the team’s ingenuity include the use of exhaust emission reduction technology, improved driver comfort and ergonomics, greater transmission efficiencies, higher transport speeds, boosted power and alternative fuel sources.
“Emissions have been the subject of a great deal of time and effort in the last few years,” explains Malcolm. “Legislation in this area is an important driving force behind tractor design. At Massey Ferguson, we are using it in a very positive way and not only working to improve emissions but also to improve performance and fuel economy.”
The latest Tier III engine emissions regulations have now been introduced and Tier IV is due in 2011/12. Another round will come four years later.
“One technique coming under the spotlight is Selective Catalytic Reduction which basically takes the nitrous oxide emissions and cleans them up before they exit the exhaust,” remarks Malcolm. “This technology offers improved fuel economy and improved overall performance to create lower operating costs for our customers.”
In the area of operator comfort, the team is highly focused on reducing noise and vibration still further. Continues Malcolm: “We are committed to maintaining our industry-leading position on operator comfort and are carrying out a great deal of research into optimising suspension systems. Indeed, we are poised to install a new state-of-the-art testing facility for this purpose. Among the techniques we are employing are Advanced Control Algorithms. In essence, this creates a computer programme which takes into account the various tractor actions and movements to automatically adjust the suspension to produce the smoothest ride.”
“It is also a key mission to produce tractors that are extremely easy- to-use,” he says. “More and more technology is being added all around the tractor - from GPS to advanced implement controls. It’s our job to make good use of these developments by creating the best possible interface between the driver and his machine. This must be intuitive and straightforward but at the same time, optimise performance.” This is the crucial link that makes it easy for the driver to understand how all the various features work together.
“A continuing theme is the search for greater efficiencies in the transmission and the quest for higher transport speeds,” he adds. “What’s extremely important when looking at higher transport speeds is that they must still enable the machine to be safe and controllable, but above all, not compromise its field performance as an agricultural tractor.”
The use of alternative fuels is a subject that is attracting the attention of all engineers involved in vehicle design and is set to have wide-ranging ramifications for farm machinery development.
“Currently, we are at the stage of Generation 1 Biofuels,” Malcolm explains. “These are derived from agricultural crops like oil-seed rape and can be mixed at different percentages with fossil fuels or used 100% pure. The latest SisuDiesel engines used in MF tractors are biofuel capable. The next stage is Generation 2 Biofuels – fuels made from biomass which constitutes all manner of organic matter such as hemp, maize, poplar, willow and so on.”
“Generation 1 and 2 both employ the concept of liquid fuel to power an internal combustion engine – the infrastructure on which the vast majority of current vehicles are based. However, a key issue is that these biofuels compete for the available land required to produce food. A further idea is to use other renewable energy sources such as wind and wave power to make electricity for the electrolysis of water and thereby produce hydrogen. And, of course, nuclear power may also be used to make hydrogen. We are conducting research into the use of hydrogen directly or alternatively its use to make more familiar liquid fuels, probably alcohols, which could easily be used in the world’s existing liquid fuel distribution infrastructure.”
“Another route is the use of fuel cells. We are working closely with a French research organisation to explore how this technology might impact on tractor design. On-board fuel cells would act like a big battery and be used to generate electricity via a chemical process. This would dispense with the need for an internal combustion engine and, as a result, have a huge effect on tractor architecture. Electric motors would drive the wheels, PTO and ancillary functions. Likewise, you would be able to ‘plug’ an electrical implement straight into the tractor’s electrical power source. The result of all this would be a cleaner-burning, less noisy and more efficient machine.”
“Needless to say, there is still much work to be done in this area and key technological hurdles to overcome. Importantly, the whole conundrum of Energy Return on Energy Invested still has to be fully worked out.”
“No one has a crystal ball that points the way to a certain future on fuel sources and their relation to prime movers but it is vital that we continue to explore all the possibilities in order to ensure the best possible solution for MF machines,” Malcolm points out.
“In conclusion, at Massey Ferguson, our design philosophy pivots around improving our tractors with a mix of continuous evolutionary developments and more major innovative changes. We are working to increase real field performance whilst, at the same time, enhancing operator comfort and keeping our tractors very easy to use and live with.”
ENDS
About AGCO
Founded in 1990, AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AG) (www.agcocorp.com) is a global manufacturer of agricultural equipment and related replacement parts. AGCO offers a full product line including tractors, combines, hay tools, sprayers, forage, tillage equipment and implements, which are distributed through more than 3,000 independent dealers and distributors in more than 140 countries worldwide. AGCO products include the following well-known brands: AGCO®, Challenger®, Fendt®, Gleaner®, Hesston®, Massey Ferguson®, RoGator®, Spra-Coupe®, Sunflower®, Terra-Gator®, Valtra®, and White™ Planters. AGCO provides retail financing through AGCO Finance. The company is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, and in 2007 had net sales of $6.8 billion.
CONTACT:
Paul Lay
Manager, Public Relations & Communications
Tel: +44 (0)2476 851209
