Via the sampling head of the CropScan (the black device) the grain is carried to the NIR spectrometer located in the cabin. The NIR spectrometer measures the amount of light absorbed by the protein, moisture and oil in the grains.
of vanes. Near infrared (NIR) light passes through the grain and is carried back to the NIR spectrometer located in the cabin via a fi- bre optic cable. It measures the amount of light absorbed by the protein, moisture and oil in the grains or oil seeds. The more light that is absorbed by each component, the higher the concentration. Samples are measured every 7-12 seconds or around every 15m down the row as the combine strips the grain. The pro- tein, moisture and oil data are displayed on the Touch Screen PC mounted inside the cabin. The CropScan 3300H has been designed for use by farmers to segregate and blend grain in the field. The tabulated data provides the com- bine operator with a continuous stream of pro- tein, moisture and oil results for each sample analysed. The paddock average, bin average and running average of five readings are dis- played for all components. By clicking the field map button, the screen displays a real-time field map for protein, moisture or oil. Another click takes the operator to the trend plots screen. These plots show the progressive re- sults plotted as a time graph. The operator can
use the software to control and direct the grains from the combine into chaser bins, field bins, trucks, silos and bags. The systems shows
Infield Blending
Mark and Jordan Hoskinson farm 8,000 hec- tares at Kikora in the Australian state of New South Wales. They installed a CropScan into their John Deere combine. In one wheat field Jordan noticed that there was a 4-5% varia- tion in protein across the field. Jordan stripped grain from one section of the field where the protein content was up to 15%. He would monitor the bin average for protein as displayed on the PC. He also would monitor the tonnage in the bin. When it reached 5 tonne, he stripped grain from another sec- tion where the protein was 9-11%, and so blending the grain based on protein. When the average reached 13.5%, he would go to the field bin and unload the grain. He stripped this field over several days and trucked every load to the GrainCorp silos at Kikora. Every
the available storage bins and the running av- erage of the grain placed in each storage sys- tem. The operator can select where the grain is
Real time protein maps offer the driver the opportunity to monitor the bin aver- age while stripping grain.
load had been accepted as the so called APH1 grade, paying AUD$ 30 (US$ 20) per tonne more than Australian Premium White grade. The ability to blend generated an estimated $ 40,000 in higher payments.
▶ FUTURE FARMING | 1 november 2019 21
PHOTO: NEXT INSTRUMENTS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
