Master Your Farm Equipment: Essential Knowledge for Optimal Performance

The range of applications offered by modern farm equipment comes with a similarly broad library of parts and maintenance options. Sustaining a base of current knowledge around your agricultural tools is beneficial whether you’re running a newer, small-time operation or scaling up efficiency as a veteran in the farming industry. 

Keeping up with the ins and outs of your agricultural equipment while successfully managing a budget is easier said than done. Balancing parts selection with the cost of maintenance – around an increasingly complex supply chain environment – means every investment in machinery needs to be thoroughly understood and optimized. 

Kor-Pak supplies a comprehensive range of agricultural equipment and tooling components. Here, we’ll be taking a look at five agricultural machinery considerations to best support your farming operation.

Friction

When we think about the efficiency of a machine, we often look at the bigger pieces of the puzzle: the wheels, engines, rotors, bands, and processing systems (blades, fans, etc.). However, the effectiveness of these larger structures is owed to a long list of slightly more invisible properties. Among such internal qualities, friction is a front-runner. 

The friction coefficient of any material you implement in your agricultural equipment can impact the overall productivity of your operation. If your machines are not equipped with the proper friction materials for the soil, agricultural category, or climate, they will be susceptible to increased wear and tear. 

PTO (Power Take-Off) Facings

Power take-off systems channel energy from an engine to another component in the machine system. For example, kinetic/rotating power can be converted into hydraulic power for a pump – negating the need for a standalone hydraulic engine. 

In choosing a PTO and its associated facings, operators should know their applications’ specific horsepower and torque requirements. Speed, sizing, and frictional elements can contribute to problems of excessive heating and component slipping. 

Phenolic Bushings

Bushings are single-element bearings intended to modulate the efficiency of moving parts (like shafts and fans). Phenolic materials have taken precedence among high-load applications for their unique self-lubricating properties and resistance to heat-conduction into other parts of the system. Further, they contribute to structural stability in the equipment and can be engineered for extreme resilience under high heat conditions and exposure to acid. 

Phenolic bushings provide a highly efficient, low-maintenance option that is well-suited for agricultural equipment.

Brake Bands

The relationship between friction and function and its importance to optimal machine operation is established – and your brake systems are no different. During use, brake bands will accumulate tremendous amounts of heat. As a result, improperly specced or unmaintained material may experience a condition referred to as “fading.” Fading is the rapid deterioration of a material’s friction coefficient resulting from excess heat build-up. 

Cost and Maintenance

Agricultural equipment maintenance is a significant component of the overall operational costs inherent to any farming operation. Making well-informed decisions on your materials can contribute to saving as much as $50 an acre.

Kor-Pak is here to help. Contact our team for guidance and consultation on selecting the best agricultural materials for your equipment, and we’ll get you on your way.