FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURE MACHINERY

Graduate

This course highlights the fundamentals of mechanized agriculture machinery from soil preparation, planting, and crop management to mechanical harvesting. The machines and their unit operation are analyzed with respect functions, work rates, material flow and power usage. The machine performance relating to work quality and environmental effects will also be evaluated. The labs will emphasize on safety, basic maintenance, adjustment, calibrations of equipment and performance testing. This course also covers the variable rate applicators for site-specific application of inputs, auto guidance system, data acquisition and management for intelligent decision making for machines, and precision agriculture technologies. Graduate-level project will be required as defined in consultation with the instructor. This course is not eligible for the PhD-SDE program. Cross-level listed with ENGN 4530; credit cannot be received for both courses. PREREQUISITES: Admission to the MSc SDE program and permission of the instructor Three hours of lecture and three hours of lab per week