AGRILIGHT joint project receives government funding
New ideas for the frame structure of agricultural machinery
Friedeburg /Clausthal/Hannover/Spelle, 24 June 2021 - How can the often very heavy frame of large agricultural machinery be sustainably further developed while significantly reducing the weight of the frame structure? The joint project ‘AGRILIGHT’, in which Maschinenfabrik Krone, M+D Composites Technology GmbH, Leibniz Universität Hannover and Clausthal University of Technology are involved, is looking into this question. The project is being funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy with almost 1.8 million euros. The four project partners involved have now been notified accordingly.
In the course of the ‘AGRILIGHT’ project, the very heavy frame structure including the adjacent functional units of a Krone forage harvester will first be analysed and rebuilt and comprehensively tested in a function-integrating lightweight construction kit made of glass fibre and carbon fibre composites (GRP/CFRP). The particular challenge here lies in the combination of the various new materials, some of which differ fundamentally in their mechanical, electrical and chemical material properties. At the same time, fibre composites require different manufacturing processes, but also offer new shaping possibilities, such as those known from the aviation industry.
As soon as an initial functional model of the new frame has been constructed, it is subjected to extensive tests in special test benches that simulate real-life use. The test results obtained here can then be used to make well-founded statements about the potential suitability of the lightweight frame for series production.
If the project partners succeed in making the frame significantly lighter using new composite materials and new moulding, this would be a groundbreaking step for the entire agricultural machinery industry: a lower overall weight of the machine would also have the effect of significantly reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The AGRILIGHT team could thus make an enormously important contribution to sustainability in agriculture.
