Harvesting Giants | Exceptional Engineering | Free Documentary

[Music] this Factory in Mokpo bug off in bavaria manufactures the world's most powerful tractor a juggernaut with more than 500 horsepower and wheels measuring 2 meters 35 across [Music] the challenge we face is to build tractors of all sizes from a wide range of materials huge agricultural machines made in Germany that so harvest and shred on fields worldwide power and high-tech for the field and enjoyment in the cockpit driving a shredder is such a great feeling I love it a parade of the biggest and most modern farm machines at the world's top specialist trade fair maneuvering with absolute precision assembling with muscle power the agricultural machines weigh up to 14 tonnes and getting them in the right places is a logistical feat and worst of all the machine could tip over and be badly damaged marked or bergdorf in Bavaria is home to one of the world's biggest manufacturers of farm machinery it makes machines for every use from small versatile tractors for the grape harvest to gigantic combine harvesters for fields of wheat or corn for 88 years now the Bavarian firm has been building everything farmers need for tilling their fields quickly and comfortably it was back in 1930 that the brothers Hammond and Sava fence built their first tractor the diesel horse it had just six horsepower today high-performance machines make plowing a pleasure the latest model is a real farming giant a 14-ton er it's 517 horsepower engine gives it a top speed of 60 km/h the 1050 Vario is currently the world's most powerful standard tractor [Music] it's manufactured in these huge workshops at the headquarters of Germany's biggest producer of agricultural machinery a total of 3,200 staff are employed on an area of 400,000 square meters that's the size of 57 football pitches some 16,000 tractors are built here every year [Music] seven different models are manufactured on just one production line one after another [Music] the heart of every tractor is the engine and transmission block this one alone weighs four tons as much as three small cars the engine is a twelve point four liter 6-cylinder unit from ma n [Music] plant manager pay to be best off first checks the unit then production can begin ount Adan the transmission at the front is the frame for the engine the engine provides the power and the transmission distributes it the relatively large element here is our fan unit then we have the front axle and here the hydraulic tank over the next three hours the unit will pass through 29 assembly stations then the world's most powerful series built tractor will be ready first the data cables are fitted to the engine and transmission block the high-tech tractor contains many kilometers of cabling and sensors throughout they constantly monitor what the tractor is doing at any given moment all this information is relayed during operation to a central computer in the cab at this station the tractor is fitted with its air and particle filter and the catalytic converter which ensures that later on in the field the environmentally harmful pollutants emitted by the diesel engine like nitrogen oxides and particulates are reduced an 800 liter tank ensures that the tractor can handle any job for at least 12 hours without stopping to refuel all the components come from a logistics warehouse which is also located on the huge site the right part for the respective model is supplied at precisely the right time the wide range of components required are delivered in the standard way but we don't have enough space to store them all at each belt so it takes a lot of logistical expertise and intelligence from our staff to get the right part to the belt at the right time at this station the driver's cab is positioned on the engine block [Music] it is manufactured and preassembled at another Factory depending on the equipment it weighs up to 1.2 times all the fitters are specialists who have completed three and a half years training as a farm machine mechanic car mechanic or mechatronics technician the cab is secured by 14 huge bolts seven on the left and seven on the right [Music] for the tough demands of operating in fields the cab must be mounted securely this important work step is also known as the marriage I'm figuring with cars marriage means installing the engine in the vehicle with us it means linking the cab to the tractor in the next assembly section the fitters install the battery case they then hook up the entire electrics [Music] [Applause] next the engine bonnet is attached followed by the radiator hoods one on each side of the tractor at the next station the tractor receives its fluids diesel and hydraulic oil and cooling water [Music] a series of tests is then carried out to ensure that the indicators and the headlines for instance are functioning correctly [Music] and to see that the windscreen wiper works staff then check the steering system and the onboard electronics you've ever crispier what knock them down after the software has been downloaded the various electronic functions on the tractor attested the axles are adjusted and checked along with all the electronic components and all other functions the new tractor has to pass more than a hundred tests before it is allowed to leave the factory [Music] during assembly the new tractor has to go through seven quality controls amongst other things for the transmission and the hydraulic and electrical systems many parts can only be checked before other components like the wheels are fitted all the results are collected in a computer system only if the tractor passes all the tests is it released for the next assembly phase if an error or defect is detected the tractor is taken to the rework section to be repaired and checked once again by specially trained staff the next work step is one of the most important the new tractor gets its wheels complete with tires the front wheels each weigh 400 kilograms the rear wheels 800 diameter 2 meters 35 by comparison a normal car tire measures just 60 centimeters across there are tires for road or off-road use a tire for use in fields needs a lot of tread so that it can grip for road use as a construction vehicle for instance less tread is required wheel assembly is precision work laser guided electric forklifts transport the wheels straight to the tractor it is jacked up 12 centimeters later the wheels will be secured to the tractor by 12 huge wheel nuts the wheel brings the power into contact with the ground the choice of tire is of crucial importance because depending on the task it determines how effectively the engine power is transferred to the surface now the super tractor can move for the first time under its own power on this roller test rig it has to show for the first time what it can do and whether all the work on the vehicle has been carried out properly weighing many tons the Colossus is anchored with steel chains to make sure it doesn't break away the test run takes six minutes the tractor is accelerated first 240 been to 50 and then to 60 kilometers per hour in each case full braking brings the tractor to a standstill [Music] this tractor has passed the test the engine and the brakes function as required the tractor is now complete all that is required is the final inspection the first check is to see whether all the lights have the legally required luminosity here at the end of the assembly line the light tunnel this factory turns out around 8 tractors a day mostly for customers in Europe but we also have clients in South Africa North America and in a few off-the-beaten-track countries the final inspection takes about 20 minutes the function of every component is checked again one last time are all the components in the right place have they been properly secured does the tractor have any scratches or defects the future owner must take possession of a perfect tractor even if the rigors of everyday operation will soon leave their traces [Music] the underbody is checked to make sure all the hoses are correctly in place and nothing is hanging down the tractor has passed the final inspection over the next few days it will be sent to a farm in northeastern Germany above all agricultural machines have one purpose in life to do hard work at present around a million tractors and agricultural machines are in service in Germany 200,000 of them were manufactured at this huge Factory in the alloy region of Bavaria nearby hoyt in Upper Franconia it is time for the corn harvest contractor benjamine Enslin hires out his equipment and staff to farmers in the region who don't have any large machines of their own and for whom buying one would not be financially viable [Music] today these four men are going to harvest a field 11 hectares in size a [Music] quick briefing beforehand for me the most important thing with the field of corn is the quality of the shredding it's vital for the farmer and for the biogas that the husks are well cracked because they are the source of the biogas energy that's the next thing that's important is for the driver to know the fields sometimes they contain boundary stones so you really need to watch out especially on the perimeter and it's important for us to work as a team for each man to know where the shredder is going and how the machines should be filled these are essential issues they're a matter of priority to me and so is quality work the four-man team has arrived with two tractors with trailers an additional tractor and a field chopper [Music] this gigantic field chopper can process 120 tons of corn an hour [Music] the tractors with the trailers always have to travel exactly parallel to the shredder this calls for great concentration from the drivers otherwise the vehicles might collide I need to keep an eye on what he is indicating and on the cutters it's all about concentration the field chopper weighs 18 tons it is 7 meters long and 3 metres wide it's 650 horsepower engine consumes 45 litres of gas an hour the shredder and the tractors are fitted with ultra modern technology like GPS the positioning system is mainly used during sewing when centimeter accuracy is called for in order to make optimum use of the arable area by comparison we're harvesting is concerned the drivers visual judgment is important because he sees best where obstacles might lie on the ground in the tall corn if they are not discovered in time the row of 10 sharp cutters in front of the chopper could be damaged today's corn harvest by the way will be used entirely to generate energy electricity and heat will be produced in a biogas plant the difference between forage corn and energy corn is determined by the chop length as it is known depending on what it will be used for the corn is cut into either longer or shorter lengths today corn has become the most important plant for producing biogas it provides high yields is easy to plant and grow and presents no storage problems right now our cutting length is six millimeters we can store two lengths in the computer if I see that the corn is getting thinner I dropped to four millimeters that's exactly biogas material the thinner the corn the shorter should be shredded and the greener the corn the longer the cut lengths should be at the moment we're using six millimeters on the material is coming out of the machine very nicely today the men will be working on the field for 11 hours and harvesting around 1,400 tons of corn [Music] it's not that much class it's great fun and driving a shredder gives you a super feeling it's just fantastic sitting on a shredder like this you're the boss the top man it's so cool driving through villages because other people on the road have to get out of the way the tractors take the trailers with the harvest to the farm the corn is unloaded and covered [Music] under the sheeting the energy corn will ferment into energy rich Sailaja after 30 days fermentation in a biogas unit the mass will give off methane gas a gas engine will then generate electricity and heat from it if instead of us really yet star knocking in this Muslim bit I guess we'll have to store around 1500 tons of corn in the silos that's feasible and I'm confident we'll manage it the corn from the field is distributed evenly on the silo and then compacted it's only under the sheeting in airtight conditions that the salaah fermentation process gets underway the compacting in particular is just the right task for the 14 tons super tractor [Music] some supervisors have fields to optimize the machine yard it's the perfect machine for spreading and compacting the corn in the silo in the past we used to do the job with a Fendt 930 work but we now set the standard especially on the big tractor because it's extremely heavy and it's 500 horsepower we have no trouble at all distributing the 40 or 50 cubic meters of corn that are delivered from the field [Music] Rufus how's Ananda Salah in lower Franconia is home to one of the biggest workshops for tractors and agricultural machinery 40 staff service and repair up to 15 machines at the same time this tractor has to be fitted with a new front PTO shaft to which work tools can be attached the transmissions job is to transfer the rotational movement of the engine to the work tool at the front such as a mower that needs to operate at 1,000 rpm converting the tractor which is owned by a local farmer takes a whole day and cost several thousand euros [Music] next the mechanics fit the new front PTO shaft to the tractor later it will drive the mower at the front of the tractor [Music] blew up a bit in just a moment a bit that's it good just a moment the mechanics here trained on agricultural and construction machinery so they're specialists for excavators and tractors lower crane so I can release it good so the belts used to secure the component are removed and underneath you'll have to tighten the hexagon screw there it is the men here don't do conversion work like this every day nevertheless every move has to be perfect [Music] slowly slowly that's not quite right and a bit more to go in a bit more this is a new modern everything is a bit different like the bolts and some of the connections when you work on a new vehicle you've got to use your head a bit it's been quite a while since we last worked on a new model in the tractor shop to work on special extensions takes place exactly in line with assembly instructions because a modern tractor consists of tens of thousands of components whether we're talking about inspections engine conversions or accident repair work at first glance the farm machine workshop looks like an ordinary car workshop it's just that here everything is on a much bigger scale [Music] okay so this vehicle rammed a pile of straw and got dented the radiator grille is pushed in the camera that fits in here was broken so were the lamps so we're going to replace everything so that the tractor looks like new again for tractors combine harvesters and so on the mechanics use tools similar to those found in a car workshop but they're usually a bit bigger here we have a box with ratchets from size 4.5 to size 32 we also have allen key sockets we need all this for the machines we also have ordinary ring spanners from size five to size 50/50 the ratchet wrench is here for loosening the huge nuts and the wheels of a tractor have a diameter of up to 80 millimeters for car wheels the maximum is 17 millimeters what's important with this job is for the tractor to look good again in the field we wanted to refit it but it was already broken we've just stuck it on provisionally it looks like we're going to have to order a new port so that it's okay again this lettering is scratched and can no longer be repaired the men have almost finished fitting the front PTO shaft the tractor owner will soon be able to attach a mower a tough day's work for the mechanics is coming to an end of course heavier than five grams weight could be a problem but we have excellent equipment like cranes leave everything we need the attachment has been fitted now the onboard software just has to be updated modern tractors are true high-tech machines I have to tell the tractor that it now has a PTO shaft at the front and an additional control unit I'll check the software and then if necessary updated [Music] the mechanics now fit the bonnet and add all the fluids cooling water and hydraulic and transmission oil the engine which will later also power the mower is a 185 horsepower water-cooled six-cylinder diesel the tractor has a top speed of 50 kilometers an hour and a total weight of 8 tonnes the fuel tank has a capacity of 400 litres a final engine test seems to be fine the control unit is building up pressure we just have to attend to one or two more details like the side panels the wings the tires then the tractor will be ready to use again in a few days this agricultural Colossus will be back harvesting on the fields in Franconia Agra Technica is the world's biggest trade fair for agricultural machinery held in Hannover every two years it attracts 450,000 visitors they come to see the latest tractors combine harvesters and other special machines the vehicles arrive five days before the fair begins eight specialists make sure the machines are on display in the right place at the right time you've brought the thousand under 724 so let's get them unloaded it's Dennis Heather and Marco nicest job to make sure everything runs smoothly over the next two days a total of 32 machines weighing many tons will arrive at the trade fair grounds by truck the first arrival is a 517 horsepower 1050 Vario the world's most powerful standard tractor a 14-ton monster just about fits on the low loader there must be no mistakes when it's unloaded or when it's positioned it is vital for the machines to arrive in the order in which they would be positioned in the hole those for the far end must arrive first the big machines which will probably be exhibited at the front will be last that makes it easier for us to get everything in the right position now remained estranged is is real precision work in unloading a machine then his Tampa has to make sure that the wheels do not slip off the narrow loading ramp nearly all the exhibits have already been sold to customers as demo machines so the team has to make doubly sure they're not damaged virtually the entire range of this farm machine manufacturers products will be exhibited on an area of 3000 square meters that means plenty of work for Dennis Kevin and his team take a look the lifting unit just needs to be moved forward a bit this mega tire is about to be fitted to one of the stars of the trade fair the 1050 Vario with twin tires instead of two tires at the rear four will be fitted this will enable the tractor to transfer its enormous power to the ground even more effectively [Music] but with the twin tires the Colossus would not have fitted on the truck that is why they're going to be attached here at the fair including the tire each wheel weighs 800 kilograms one wrong move and the mechanics could easily be injured that's why they use this mobile jack for assembly it's looking good they're perfect don't push it away we should slowly roll it let's first roll it it's not moving if the tires aren't on flush the rims will become tilted I'm trying to lift it up a bit more come down loads it going up just a bit bit more stop - Padma be careful I don't want to the rims are so big that I could fit inside it the wheel has now been secured with several nuts and can no longer shift its position the mechanics can now relax as they attach the rest of the 12 wheel nuts now it's held in place each wheel is 2 meters 35 high and 75 centimeters wide so am i yet launched record and if we lower it a bit how is it on your side fine I'll test looks good but then thought to March lesson here no wait I'll lower it a bit more no not much me move it higher here good it's in after two hours the first twin tire is safely in place now it's time for the other side but before the mega tractor with its twin tires can enter the hall the specialists drive the other machines to the stand the men work from the back to the front because the Fair Hall has only one wide entrance in other words the tractor which is supposed to be right at the front has to enter the hall last everything seems fine I think we could drive it off ok ok I'll guide and you drive that's fine with me it will be shown to the public for the first time at the fair one special feature is its infinitely variable Drive there are no gears caterpillars are used primarily in regions with a lot of rain like Britain because of their bigger contact surface compared with wheels caterpillars can operate much better on wet ground this 431 horsepower model weighs 15 tons more and more tractors and attachments are still arriving as evening approaches after hours of work Dennis tebbis still needs full concentration to safely maneuver one farm machine after another into the trade fair halt if you come in as an angle the accessory unit could slip off the trailer then you need a crane worst of all the machine could tip over and be badly damaged there are a lot of obstacles especially in the hall [Music] good that's where they go that's the little one right that goes there and [Music] that one over there near the box we should be able to reverse into the box things constantly need to be rearranged in order to create space narrow trade fair passages were not made for over wide agricultural machinery the stand builder has his job to do we have to bring in the machines we have to handle the situation as best we can to try and create space the trade fair is still very much under construction that is why there is building material lying around everywhere it makes steering quite a test for Denis Kiba along with the space problem there's another challenge the floor of the exhibition stand the driver mustn't steer while standing still because that would shift the carpet and we'd have to completely relay it so he can only steer when the vehicle is moving air hoses and all the electric cables have also been laid in the floor so we also have to make sure the wheels are not damaging them [Music] it's precision work to get everything exactly where the planners intended this is our central line it was calculated beforehand and we have to align the Machine so that the line is exactly in the middle of it the same thing also applies to the length of the vehicle again there's a specific mark and the machine must also lie parallel to all the other machines I'll just go back straight perfect well the film path looks good [Music] all the firm's machines are now in the trade fair hall apart from the highlight the world's most powerful standard tractor with its twin tires it now has to be eased through the narrow entrance to the hall yeah we're finished we fit it all for problems that was a bit tricky the ground isn't quite flat no but I think we did a good job so let's make sure we can get the machine into the Hall today [Music] the mega tractor is now five metres wide and the entrance to the hall is only a few centimetres wider success the giant is now exactly in position the exhibition stand is complete and visitors are delighted it's not only farmers who are inspired by agricultural machinery so are children and there's a lot on view on an area of 3,000 square meters this farm machine manufacture is exhibiting 32 products at the Agri Technica the highlights are a new large combine harvester a new caterpillar tractor and a new loading vehicle [Music] back to the alloy located near the huge tractor factory is this gravel pit it is here the tractors have to show how well they can withstand strain and stress dr. Heinz Birla is a departmental manager [Music] Chevonne pills is a test driver [Music] today they want to carry out a kind of lengthy crash test morning hey good morning everything ready yeah great all the bolts have been checked weathers just right - yeah the weather's good shall we go through the critical points yeah we can do that first there's a critical point on the track rod we'll need to check for any cracks like with the bolts I've already checked them and tighten them with a torque wrench have you checked all the tire pressure may I have is the rear weight 1800 kilos isn't as in the last tests as in the last test the front loader shovel is 2 meters 10 correct before a new or modified agricultural machine enters volume production it is subjected to many tough stress tests the roofing visual check completed all the bolts check nothing's missing great let's start the test is to determine whether the track with its front loader can withstand stresses that are 20% higher than the requirements for work in the field no cracks must appear in are any bolts work loose [Music] first of all Stephan pills fills the shovel with gravel then he reverses at full speed [Music] and slams on the brakes this manoeuvre also exposes parts of the tractor to extreme forces [Music] [Music] they are appointed not to Hubert's who is is a tough indeed excessive test no driver would behave like this normally but we want to cover the entire life of a tractor in a short time to be certain that the vehicle will be able to cope with every strain and load when we deliver it to the customer the aim of the trial is to put the front loader itself to the test as well as the vehicle body the axles and the powertrain the test covers all these areas this tractor has passed with flying colors at the headquarters of the farm machine manufacturer there's also a showroom where the firm's current models are on display the OBS Guggenmos is a farmer he's thinking about buying a new tractor for his dairy operation this is a tractor with a terminal with mechanical and electrical control valves it contains more technology than the 300 model here we have the front linkage you know from your 310 it just has a raising and lowering facility but here we have electric control valves under position controlled front linkage with pressure relief the mower adapts perfectly to the surface unevenness what are the conditions like on your farm yeah we're in the alloy we've got everything from hills to valleys so I'd advise you to go for this technology a new farm machine costs up to half a million euros that's some investment but for their money customers get technology and computer support like in a spaceship the GPS system enables the tractor to drive with two centimeter accuracy and no overlapping so you don't even have to steer the firm now also has caterpillar tractors in its program they're used mainly in regions where the ground is soft because of the greater contact surface a caterpillar can transfer its power to damp ground much better [Music] caterpillars are also the first choice for farming and particularly sensitive ground the large ground contact surface is gentle on the soil [Music] that's the best in England you'll find lots of tracked vehicles in use in England for instance where the soil is moist and farmers have to work with less ground pressure soil protection and the transfer of traction are better with the caterpillar slippers between three and five percent compared with around 10 percent for a wheeled tractor wheel slip occurs during substantial transfer of traction in the field the less slip the better it's like being in a spaceship cool [Music] you don't get that when you walk around here it really grabs you you know it's I'll sit down with my family and check out our finances I think everything looks just fine the final help to making decision is the nearby circular track here customers can test drive any tractor model from here we have the 1040 - a 420 horsepower model from the thousand series the biggest model has 500 horsepower it drives just like any other fence so you're used to it want to give it a try and how I'm looking forward to sitting in it and enjoying the smell hearing the power and the noise and simply zooming off I want to experience it on the road and absorb the whole driving sensation this tractor has a top speed of 60 kilometers an hour it weighs 14 tons this version costs nearly 400,000 euros vodka tonic it was great climbing into this spaceship and when the engine roars your fingertips vibrate you grab the steering you select and put your foot down the force pushes you down into the seat just as if you were taking off in a spaceship [Music] tractors and agricultural machinery made in Germany what started as a small tractor firm is now a global company for years now farm machines from the alloy have been seen on fields worldwide [Music]

Channel: Free Documentary

Views: 2,253,495

Rating: 4.8163471 out of 5

Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, BBC documentary, engineering, documentary (tv genre), fendt, documentary - topic, engineering documentary, agriculture documentary, farming documentary, agriculture technology in germany, farming technology, giant vehicles, mega vehicles, giant tractor, biggest tractor

Id: fREaFJNVPzQ

Length: 47min 52sec (2872 seconds)

Published: Tue Apr 02 2019

Reddit Comments

[u/Horsepowerlive]

Any good might watch it tonight

[u/dirkin1]

Not sure why this is being downvoted. V cool video.