Agriculture and agro industry

An agricultural machine rarely works under stable conditions. Temperature swings from frost in the morning to heat by midday, dust gets in everywhere, and load shifts from idle to full power in seconds when the machine meets uneven terrain or a heavy crop. Components that must hold up under those conditions need margins that account for vibration and fatigue, not just the static load stated on the drawing.

We therefore pay close attention to transitions and radii in the design, because that is often where a fatigue crack starts after thousands of load cycles in the field. When we see a sharp internal corner that is not functionally necessary, we flag it before the part goes into production, so the customer avoids claims that only surface after a season of operation.

Dust and moisture also place demands on fits around bearings and seals. Too tight a fit can bind as temperature rises, while too loose a fit lets in dirt. We work with fit tolerances proven in similar applications and adjust them if the customer's own field experience points elsewhere.

Agricultural machines sold in the EU must be CE marked, and part of that documentation originates from the sub-supplier's production. We provide material certificates, measurement reports on critical dimensions and batch-level traceability, so the machine builder can fold our documentation into their own technical file without having to chase information that should have come with the delivery from the start.

In warranty cases, traceability is essential for deciding whether a fault stems from material, machining or field use. Because we archive production data per batch, we can quickly identify which steel batch a defective component came from, and whether other parts from the same batch are in circulation. That cuts the case handling time down from weeks to days for the customer's quality department.

We tailor the documentation scope to the task. A simple bracket does not require the same paperwork as a load-bearing shaft part, and we agree the level with the customer before the series starts, so documentation matches actual risk rather than becoming an unnecessary cost driver.

Many of our customers in agriculture are themselves designers developing new machines or upgrading existing models. We are often brought in early, offering input on what can be machined economically and where a small design change can remove a separate fixturing step or an expensive special fit without compromising the machine's function.

Confidentiality is a natural part of that cooperation. New machine concepts are commercially sensitive long before launch, and we are happy to sign a non-disclosure agreement before drawings are sent. Access to customer files is role-based internally, so only staff working on the task see the design.

We never reuse a customer's solution on another job, not even in anonymised form. That applies to geometry, fixturing methods and the process-specific adjustments we have developed for a given customer, and it is part of the trust long-term relationships in agriculture are built on.