The agricultural industry provides one of the most valuable services to our nation. It produces the food we eat, and while we don’t see evidence of that service most of the time, we take for granted that there will be fruits, vegetables and dairy products ready for consumption when we go to the store. The work involves hauling heavy loads and employing repetitive motions that farmers must perform over and over to produce the desired results.
Did you know that springs play an important role in agriculture? Farmers employ these tools in a range of equipment they use for their job. We put together this guide to four common agricultural spring applications to help you learn how springs are used in the agricultural industry.
When farmers fire up the tractor to perform a range of duties on the farm, they engage compression springs that provide the force to keep the machine moving. Tractors may pull hay bales one day and perform tillage work the next. Many different parts of the tractor use springs, including the engine and transmission.
Without irrigation systems, farms could not function. Irrigation systems uniformly water the crops, ensuring each section gets just enough water to thrive. Pivot irrigation systems are the most common type, made from a single pipe that sits on many wheels so it can be moved around the land. Keeping each section balanced between the wheels is a top priority, and compression springs serve as the perfect shock absorbers.
Tilling the fields serves a number of purposes, including:
Without a tiller, this process would take days, but machinery has made it much more efficient. Farmers want to till deeply because that provides the most benefit for the land. Tillers have compression springs at their base to ensure they can perform at their best. These springs absorb shock and keep the tiller balanced. Some tillers also include extension springs to keep heavy components safely in place during operation.
Combine harvesters perform three functions in a single pass:
These machines save farmers from having to perform a lot of manual labor. They have equal utility to the tractor, which also provides a range of functions on the farm. As you’d imagine, combines have lots of moving parts. They rely on compression springs and sometimes use torsion springs as well.
You can find agricultural spring usage in many places around a farm, such as on garage doors or hydraulic systems. Baling equipment and wagons also rely on springs for the correct function.
Do you have agricultural machines that need springs? You can choose from a range of options produced by IDC Spring. Our sturdy and durable products will help your equipment function more consistently and can reduce long-term wear and tear on machines that see daily use. Contact us for more information or to request a quote.