Agricultural and Food Engineering

The Combine Harvester:

Aleksandr Rybalko

The modern combine harvester has boosted efficiency for farmers all around the world when it is time to harvest a crop. The machine is very versatile and gets its name because it combines four separate harvesting operations—reaping, threshing, gathering and winnowing—into a single process. It is used when harvesting a range of crops such as wheat, rice, oats, rye, barley, corn (maize), sorghum, soybeans, flax (linseed), sunflowers and canola.

The invention was originally pulled by horses but tractor-drawn combines became popular after World War II when farms began to use tractors. The time savings and consistency of crop harvesting was enormous! Because combine harvesters have saved humanity a lot of work, they are recognized as a major engineering invention of the global industrial revolution.

IN 2017 a family owned farming operation in the US set two Guinness World Records by harvesting 1111 tons of maize in eight hours and then 1620 tons in 12 hours using a Claas Lexion 760 Terra Trac combine harvester with a 16-row corn front. Can you imagine how much time that would have taken with people and a horse?

Explore more technical details:

• A Brief History of the Combine
• Combine Harvester

Agricultural engineers work across several industries, but most are related to the growing of food and its processing, packaging and distribution. This means they work around the globe…and even in space as the international space station needs to provide food for astronauts too!

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They also work on teams related to developing alternative energies and biofuels, improving and automating farming equipment, and irrigation systems. As the world population increases, there is more demand for efficiency in food production, which makes this field valuable all around the world.

Agricultural engineers can find employment around the world in government and research facilities, as well as national agricultural government departments. The following is just a sample of some companies, outside of government, so you can explore the type of projects worked on globally:

• BASF
• Bayer AG
• Caterpillar, Inc.
• CLAAS Group
• Dole
• Heinz
• John Deere
• Monsanto
• New Holland
• Purina Mills
• Rain Bird Corporation
• Yara International
• YTO Group Corporation

For most engineering careers:

• a bachelor’s degree is required
• a master’s degree may be recommended for those specializing or interested in management
• students may also start with a related associate degree and then move on to a bachelor’s when they have settled on a degree path.
• many students are required to participate in a co-op program while at university to gain real world experience in their chosen field.
• education doesn’t really stop…engineers need to stay current as technology changes and materials and processes improve over time.
• many professional societies offer certificates and coursework to support continuing education for their members.

Students specializing in agricultural engineering will learn to integrate engineering analysis and design with biology to address challenges in the production, processing, packaging, and distribution of diverse agricultural products. It requires knowledge of a range of subjects which may include field machinery design, soil science, plant physiology, avian biology, engineering hydraulics, and entomology.

There is overlap with other engineering fields. For example, mechanical and environmental engineering skills are required for some jobs in agricultural engineering. Mechanical engineering skills such as product design are useful in the creation of farm machines, and environmental engineering skills will assist someone working on wastewater management in farming.

Students who specialize in food engineering combine basic principles of engineering (fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and mass transfer) and math and science. They will complete advanced courses in food chemistry, microbiology, food processing operations, and engineering design.

It is important to select an engineering degree that has been accredited to meet basic standards. Find out more and browse TryEngineering’s global database of accredited engineering and computing programs.

Agricultural engineering has had a global impact through the development of irrigation systems which have helped the growth of crops which have saved people from starving around the world.

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Irrigation brings water to crops through engineering solutions such as pipes, canals, sprinklers, underground tubing, or other ways. In places where there isn’t sufficient rainfall, or where an unexpected drought places crops at periodic risk, man-made systems can save crops and help feed people living nearby. It allows a food source to be more reliable.

While historically many civilizations have found ways to reroute rivers or store water, more recent engineering advances have incorporated technology and sensors to make systems more efficient. For example, sensors can determine exactly how much water is needed in a field, rather than a farmer estimating the need over many acres or relying on weather forecasts. More control over a crop can help improve yield as well and produce a bigger crop to feed more people in a shorter period of time.

Find out more:

• Smart Irrigation
• More Crop Per Drop

Clubs, competitions, and camps are some of the best ways to explore a career path and put your skills to the test in a friendly-competitive environment.

Clubs:

• Many schools have 4-H clubs or organizations where students can learn about farming practices, equipment, and food production. This is a great way to get some early agricultural engineering experience. 4-H also offers summer programs related to agriculture and civic engagement.
• A gardening club will provide some pre-university experience in plant growth experiments and challenges.

Competitions:

• Many universities have poster competitions for undergraduate students related to the subject they are studying. Some of these are available online. Check to see if a university is offering any poster sessions related to agricultural or food engineering and see what the students are working on! An example from University California Davis is here.

Camps:

• TryEngineering Summer Institute, US: Attend the TryEngineering Summer Institute to further your core engineering skills.
• Many universities offer summer engineering experiences. Reach out to your local university’s engineering department to see what they offer, and if any are focused on agriculture. Universities offering agricultural or food engineering will be more likely to offer summer engineering experiences in this field.

Did you know you can explore agricultural engineering in your community? Consider the path from farm to table for one or two products you like to eat.

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  Where is rice grown? How is it grown? How does engineering assist with the growing and harvesting of rice? How is rice sold and packaged? What is the shelf life and is it enhanced in any way?

• Consider carrots. Where are they grown? Is there a local farm that sells carrots? What environmental challenges does this farmer face? Can they grow carrots year round in your area? If not, how do they extend the growing season where you live? How do they harvest carrots? How are the sold? If you wanted to order 1000 carrots, where do you think you would have to buy them from?
• Milk is a product that requires animal care, processing, a process to help the milk retain freshness, and a speedy and safe way to delivery to local or regional areas. What impact do you think engineering has had on bottling milk? Some milk containers are opaque while some are in glass bottles. Why did engineers recommend opaque containers in some instances? Why would that make a difference?

Find out more:

• Milk Bottling system by SMF Germany
• Robot ‘duck’ could help Japanese rice farmers keep paddy fields clear of weeds. You can watch a video of it working here!
• BBC: A staple food to withstand disaster

Be sure to reach out to professional societies focused on agricultural engineering where you live. Not all will offer membership to pre-university students, but most offer groups for university students, and certainly offer online resources to help you explore the field.

A nice example is ASME FutureME, a member-based community tailored to early career engineers (millennials, graduate students and young professionals with 0-10 years of work experience).

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Some examples of groups focusing on agricultural and food engineering:

• American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
• Asian Association for Agricultural Engineering
• European Irrigation Association
• International Commission of Agricultural Engineering
• EurAgEng