6 tips to simplify harvesting using self-propelled agricultural machines

Modern agriculture requires efficiency, versatility and precision. This is why self-propelled agricultural machines provide farmers with advanced tools enabling them to handle harvesting in an optimized and independent way. Let’s find out all about these self-propelled machines, their benefits and why they are an essential resource for modern agriculture.

What are self-propelled agricultural machines?

A self-propelled agricultural machine is a vehicle with its own engine. It is designed to independently perform specific agricultural work, such as harvesting, ploughing, planting or spraying. Unlike conventional agricultural implements, which need to be towed by a tractor, self-propelled machines move over the fields on their own. Thus, they perform farming work with greater ease. Combine-harvesters, cutters, sprayers and potato-spinners are among the most common self-propelled machines, all designed to combine agility and performance in a single system.

Types of agricultural machines: driving, working and self-propelled machines

Agricultural machines comprise three main categories:

• Driving machines: These are powerful vehicles, such as tractors, designed to generate lugging power and transmit mechanical energy to other machines. They are used for towing and driving working machines but do not perform farming work on their own.
• Working machines:Equipment that performs specific tasks, such as seed drills, ploughs and mowing machines. But they still need to be towed or hitched to a driving machine since they are without their own engine.
• Self-propelled machines: Combine the functions of driving and operating machines. Since they are equipped with their own engine, these machines can efficiently and independently perform specific farming work without requiring a tractor. For example, self-propelled combine-harvesters and sprayers can work directly in the fields, thereby saving time and optimizing the resources.

Advantages of using self-propelled agricultural machines

Use of self-propelled agricultural machines provides numerous benefits which directly reflect on the quality and efficiency of farm work. First of all, they combine the ability to move and the working function in a single system. Compared to conventional implements which need a tractor to tow them, these machines save time and operating costs.

In addition, self-propelled machines include advanced technologies enabling operations to be performed with a high level of precision, thereby improving the quality of the work to a remarkable extent and reducing errors to the minimum.

Another important benefit is that they prevent the soil from being excessively compacted: thanks to their optimized design, focused on weight reduction and uniform load distribution, these machines preserve soil health and reduce environmental impact, thereby encouraging a better crop yield.

Requirements for driving self-propelled machines

Driving a self-propelled machine requires specific skills if safety and productivity are to be ensured. The operators must possess technical and mechanical know-how enabling them to handle the operation and maintenance required by these machines, as well as to resolve any issues that may arise during their use.

Thanks to technological progress, many self-propelled machines are equipped with digital control and monitoring systems. This means that the operators must be able to interpret the data provided, adjust the machine settings to suit the soil conditions and thereby optimize machine performance.

In addition, it is essential to comply with both the specific and fundamental safety regulations to protect the operator and farm work environment, and the safety standards in force focused on accident prevention and correct management of the machine.

Configuration factors

Self-propelled agricultural machines can be configured on the basis of various factors to adapt them to different operating requirements:

• Harvested product: The type of crop affects the choice of machine and its technical characteristics, such as working width and integrated implements.
• Type of soil:The soil also plays a very important role. In order to function safely and efficiently, the self-propelled machines must be able to adapt to different conditions, such as the slope and consistence of the soil.
• Field size and and crop density: Parameters such as crop density and field size can require machines with different power ratings and operating capacities.

Performance effectiveness review of a self-propelled machine

It is essential to consider certain key parameters when assessing the performance effectiveness of a self-propelled agricultural machine.

Precision and work speed provide an essential indicator of the effectiveness of a machine: the more a machine is able to work rapidly and accurately, the higher will be its productivity, while down-times will be reduced and less resources will be wasted as a consequence. Fuel consumption and the need for maintenance are other crucial factors since an efficient machine, which consumes less and requires less frequent maintenance, will be more economical to run over time.

Lastly, a good self-propelled machine must be able to adapt to different environmental and agricultural conditions in order to work with different crops and on various types of soil while maintaining high performance even in variable situations.

The Future of crop harvesting

Self-propelled agricultural machines are a fundamental part of the future of agriculture. Thanks to on-going innovations, such as use of advanced digital technologies, agricultural machines are becoming increasingly “smart”, efficient and sustainable. De Pietri undertakes to develop high quality solutions that meet the needs of the professional farmer and proposes machines able to guarantee optimum results and facilitated field work.

Discover the De Pietri solutions

If you are looking for reliable and technologically advanced crop harvesting machines, De Pietri offers a range of solutions designed to meet your requirements. Whether it is a combine-harvester, cutter, or some other self-propelled machine, De Pietri quality and innovation are at your disposal to improve your crop productivity.