MEASURING MACHINE CAPACITY

System of units

Before learning on how to measure capacity, it is important to know the

common units of measure.

Item measured US unit Metric unit

Distance inch, feet, yards milimeter, centimeter,
miles meter, kilometer
Time second, minutes, hour second, minutes, hour
Area acre hectare ( 1 acre=0.4047 ha)
Temperature degree Fahrenheit degree Celcius
Volume gallon liter
Weight ounces (oz), pounds (lb), gram, kilogram
and tons
Force ounces (oz), pounds (lb), Newton
tons
Power Horsepower (hp) Kilowatt (kW)
 What is capacity?

 Capacity is a rate of performance. The unit for

capacity is quantity per time.
 Depending on the kind of machine, the
performance or capacity will be measured in:
i. hectares per hour - most common measure of
machine performance.
ii. tons per hour - Harvesting and processing machine
 Why capacity is important?

i. It is important for efficient farm managers to

understand how to estimate capacities of the machine
they plan to buy.
ii. To select the power units and equipment that can
complete important operation on time (timeline is
important).
iii. To avoid the added expenses of larger- than- necessary
machines.
iv. To schedule field operations, power units, and labor,
v. To estimate machine operating cost
 Three possible methods how to measure
machine capacity :

1. Field capacity (acres or hectares per hour)

2. Material capacity ( kilogram per hour or
hundredweight per hour)
3. Throughput capacity ( pounds or tons;
kilograms or metric tons per hour)
 How to measure machine capacity
i) Field capacity

 Most commonly measure of machine capacity

 Calculated by dividing area with time
 Unit : Areas per time e.g: ha/hr
ii) Material capacity

 A measure of material, such as silage or grain harvested by a machine

per time.
 Unit: Weight per time e.g: kg/hr
iii) Throughput capacity

 Is the rate of handling a total weight of material, or total amount of material

passing thorough the machine per time
 Unit: Weight per time e.g: kg/hr

Note: Total weight of throughput capacity includes desirable and undesirable

material. In case of combine, the kilograms per hour would include grain, chaff,
straw and any material that enters the header

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 Example 1

A tractor with 3.5 meter wide tillage implement is plowing

paddy field at speed of 92 meters per minute. Calculate the
field capacity of the tractor.
(note: 1ha = 10000 m2)

C=SXW

C = capacity, in ha/hr

S= speed, km/hr

W= width, m www.knoeledgebankirri.com
 Example 2

It is determined that a 5m combine paddy harvester is

traveling 1.5m/s. In one minute’s time 50kg of grain are
collected in the grain tank and 60kg of materials are
discharged out of the rear of the machine.

Calculate:
i. Field capacity
ii. Material capacity
iii. Throughput capacity.
 Example 3

A combine with 6.1-meter wide header is combining paddy at speed

of 92 meters per minute. In a one minute time periods, 454
kilograms enters the header. Of this amount, 227 kilograms enter the
grain tank and the remaining 227 kilograms of material is
discharged through the combine.

Calculate these following capacities:

i. Field capacity
ii. Material capacity
iii. Throughput capacity
 Theoretical Field Capacity

 Theoretical field capacity is the maximum possible capacity

obtainable at a given speed, assuming the machine is using
its full width.
 It represents the maximum field capacity that can be
obtained.
 The theoretical field capacity can be calculated by using the
formula below:

TFC (ha/hr) = Speed (m/hr) * Width (m)

10,000
TFC (ha/hr) = Speed (km/hr) * Width (m)
10
 Formula Theoretical Capacity

( in US units)
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑,𝑚𝑝ℎ 𝑋 𝑊𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ,𝑓𝑡
 Theoretical Capacity (acres/hr) =
8.25

( in Metric Units)
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑,𝑘𝑚/ℎ𝑟 𝑋 𝑊𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ,𝑚
 Theoretical Capacity (hectares/hr)=
10
 However, theoretical field capacity can not be sustained for
long periods of time because of failure to use its full
operating width of the machine (overlapping) and any field
conditions will be interrupted by turns, filling hoppers,
breakdowns and many other time delays.

 Yet, it is a valuable information. It gives the maximum

capacity which can be used as a basis for evaluating
performance of machines and their operators.
 Example 4

Suppose a tractor pulls a 4.27m wide disk at 8.0km/hr. What is the theoretical
field capacity?
8.0 km x 1000 meters = 8,000 meters
hr km hr

8000 meters x 4.27 meters = 34,160 meters2

hr hr
34,160 = 3.42 hectares/ hr
10000

TFC (ha/hr) = Speed (km/hr) * Width (m)

10
= [8 x 4.27]/10
= 3.42 ha/hr
 Effective Field Capacity

 The effective field capacity is the measure of a machines ability to do a job under actual field
conditions

 The effective field capacity is always less than the theoretical capacity.

 The machine cannot operate at its theoretical capacity at all times while it is in the field due to the
following factors:

i. Turning and idle travel;

ii. Operating at less than full width;
iii. Handling seed, fertilizer, chemicals, water or harvested materials;
iv. Cleaning clogged equipment;
v. Machine adjustment;
vi. Lubrication and refueling during the day;
vii. Waiting for other machines;
viii. Waiting for repairs to be made

 The best way to determine the effective field capacity (EFC) of a machine is to make an accurate
check of the number of acres (hectares) actually covered or tons handled over long period of time.
 Example 5

If a 4.27m disk actually covers 28.3 hectares while

operating for 10 hours, its effective field capacity would be:

28.3 hectares = 2.83 ha /hr

10 hours
Effective Field Capacity in Weight per Hour

A forage harvester that could harvest 150 tons in a 10-hour

day with no breakdowns or other delays, its effective field
capacity is;

150 = 15tons/hr
10
 Field Efficiency

Field efficiency is defined as the percentage of time the

machine operates at its full rated speed and width
while in the field
 Field Efficiency

So, from the previous case, in example 4 and 5 the

field efficiency is:

Field efficiency = 2.83/3.42 x100% = 83%

 To get the true picture of the effective field capacity for the
season, the same disc is used for two calendar week period and
we might have different figure such as below: :

Total calendar days =14

Total working hours = 8
Total hours in field = 112 hr
Total hectares covered = 195 ha

So, Effective field capacity = 195 ha/112 hr = 1.74 ha/hr

Thus the Field Efficiency for two weeks period is

(1.74/3.42) x 100 = 51%,

( range field efficiency for disk plowing =70–90% or

typical is 85% by ASABE)
 Selecting Machine Size

From the formula of Theoretical Field Capacity, the

machine size can be determined by estimating the time
available and determining the speed of the operation.

Width (m) = Field capacity (m2/hr)

Speed ( m/hr)
 Determining labor needs

With the knowledge that we have on machine capacity,

the expenses of labor cost also can be determined.

Example:
A producer can hire a person at $11/hour. The effective
field capacity for cultivating is 10ha/hr and you have
200ha to till. Calculate the labor cost.

Labor cost = 200 ha x $11/hr

10 ha/hr
= $220
 Questions

 Assume a 6 rows 30 inches row corn head

equipment combined is working at a speed of 3.2
km/hr with long row well organizes unloading
pattern and no break-down. Field study indicated
that FE of 70% achieved. Find EFC
 Width = 30 in x 6 rows
= 180 in = 4.572 m
 TFC = width x speed
= 4.572 m x 3200 m/hr
= 14,630 m2/hr
1 hectare = 10,000 m2
 TFC = 14,630 m2/hr
10,000 m2
= 1.46 ha/hr
 FE = EFC x 100
TFC
 EFC = FE x TFC
100
= 0.7 x 1.46 ha/hr
= 1.022 ha/hr
 Questions

 The theoretical field capacity (TFC) of a disc harrow

is 3.0 ha/hr. If its field efficiency (FE) is 65%,
calculate :
a. The effective field capacity (EFC)
b. The time taken to plow a 12 ha field, in minutes
 TFC = 3.0 ha/hr, FE = 65%
a. EFC = FE x TFC
100
= 0.65 x 3.0 ha/hr
= 1.95 ha/hr

b. Time taken to plow a 12 ha field, in minutes

1.95 ha = 1 hr
12 ha = x
1.95x = 12
x = 6.15 hr x 60
= 369 minute
 Questions

 One farmer has a working hour of 8 hrs per day

using a TS90 Ford tractor to plow 25 hectare of corn
farm. If the theoretical field capacity (TFC) of a
moldboard plow is 2.5 ha/hr and the overall field
efficiency is 70%, then can he finish plowing in 2
days time?
 TFC = 2.5 ha/hr, FE = 70%, Area = 25, Working Hours
=8
 EFC = FE x TFC
100
= 0.7 x 2.5 ha/hr
= 1.75 ha/hr
 1.75 ha = 1 hr
25 ha = x hr
1.75x = 25 ha
x = 14.29 hr (required time to finish
plowing)
 Working hour for 2 day = 8 x 2
= 16 hr

 The farmer can finish plowing in 2 day because he

only need 14.29 hr to do the job while working hour
in 2 day is 16 hr
 Calculate the theoretical field capacity of a 20-foot
plow operating at 6 miles per hour. However, under
actual working conditions we might expect an
average 12 acres per hour effective field capacity.
What is the field efficiency?
 W= 20 foot TFC= {( W x S)}/8.25
 Speed = 6 miles/hr TFC = {(20 x 6)}/8.25
 EFC = 12 acres/hr TFC=14.55 acres/hr

 FE= {EFC/TFC} x 100%

 = (12/14.55 ) x 100%
 = 82.4%
QUESTION 2 (March 2012)
A four meter disc plough operating at 8 km/hr. Find
the Theoretical Field Capacity(TFC) and Field
Efficiency (FE) if the effective field capacity is
expected to be 2.4 hectare an hour.

QUESTION 1b (March 2013)

A 6 row corn planter having 30 inches a part is
working at a speed of 3.2 km/h. The FE is 70% . Find
EFC.

W= 6 x 30 inches= 180 inches x 2.54 cm=457 cm= 4.57 m

TFC= [4.57 m x 3.2 km/hr]/10 =1.46 ha/hr

QUESTION 3 (Oct 2012)
Determine the Theoretical Field Capacity in hectares
per hour (ha/hr) for a 20m wide cultivator traveling
at 9.6 km/hr.

What is the effective field capacity in hectares per

hours(ha/hr) for the cultivator in the previous
problems if the operator completed the task in 10 hr
working day plus 0.75 hr time lost for turning,
adjusting and other interruptions for areas of 180
ha?

Based on the calculated values in (a) and (b), find the

field efficiency for this cultivator.
 Factors Affecting Field Capacity

 Machine capacity when measured in acres per hour

(hectares per hour) , is determined by these factors:
1. SPEED
2. WIDTH
3. EFFICIENCY
 Selecting The Best Operating Speed

 Most field machines work best at a given range of

speed.
 For a modern moldboard plow, the best speed is 4
to 6 miles per hour (or 6.4 to 10 km per
hour).
 Speed too slow may cause the furrows to stand at the
edge and not break the soil as desired.
 Speed too fast may leave the field too smooth and
waste power due to added draft at higher speeds.
 Measuring Speed

 It is good to make an accurate speed check

because speed indicators may affected by tire
size, field conditions and other factors.
 Speed is measured in mile per hour (mph or
kilometers per hour(km/hr). Spraying operation
require a precise speed because sprayer must be
accurately calibrated.
 Speed in US Unit

𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒,𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑡 60 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠 1 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒

 Speed, mph = 𝑥 𝑥
𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒 1 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 5280 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑡

60 1
 Numerically : = =
5280 88

𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒,𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑡
 Speed, mph = ( US units)
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒,𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑥 88
 Speed in US unit

60
Speed, mph =
𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙 88 𝑓𝑡

Example: A tractor takes 11 seconds to drive 88 feet.

What is the speed of tractor:
60
- Speed=
11
- Speed = 5.45 mph
 Speed in Metric

60
Speed, km/h =
𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙 16.7 𝑚

Example: A tractor takes 7 seconds to drive 16.7

meter. What is the speed of tractor:
60
- Speed=
7
- Speed = 8.6 km/h