Agricultural Engineering Innovations
The Agro-Forestry Innovations Laboratory promotes the technological transfer of innovations in agricultural and forestry production biosystems, with particular regard to the specific characteristics of mountain environments.
AFI-Lab’s cutting-edge equipment is used in research projects, but also for testing technologies and prototypes, with the aim of promoting the digitalisation of processes, identifying the best solutions to increase the sustainability of mechanised operations, and improving the working conditions of those employed in the sector.
The laboratory’s equipment and the multidisciplinary expertise are therefore used in institutional research, participatory research (for the joint development of technologies with companies in the sector) and the certification of new machines or devices.
Main topics
- The safety conditions of machinery, with particular regard to issues related to extreme mountain conditions
- The environmental impact of agricultural activities, with particular attention to the use of pesticides in orchards
- The energy efficiency of agricultural machinery, including the use of alternative fuels
- The development of technological solutions for the digital transformation of management, and process automation in farms and forestry enterprises
Laboratory Equipment
Platform for stability tests of drive units
Indoor structure for testing and certifying, in a configurable environment, the stability conditions of various drive units (up to 10 tonnes) on a full scale. Consisting of a rotating (360 degrees) and tilting (up to 55 degrees) platform made up of 4 independent, shifting plains, capable of simulating various configurations of uneven ground.
Wind tunnel for assessing sprayer drift phenomena
Space enclosed by movable walls (width 6 m, length 30 m, height 10 m) for analysing drift phenomena associated with the use of full-scale sprayers. Semi-field test environment with the possibility of controlling the air flow speed (in laminar motion up to 5 m/s) thanks to 7 extractor fans with a total electrical power of up to 170 kW.
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Engine test bench
The AFI-Lab is equipped with several instruments that measure engine performance.
Logging cableway system to test forestry carriages
Indoor test facility for cable logging systems, consisting of a fixed column (8 m high) and a movable column (6 m high) supporting a configurable skyline cable with adjustable slope, span, and tension. The system can be used to test different types of forestry carriages and enables real-time measurement of the tension in the skyline.
Facility for testing tractor ROPS
Indoor facility for testing and certifying tractor ROPS (Roll‑Over Protective Structures). The system consists of a pair of electro‑actuators capable of generating a crushing force of up to 200 kN, and an additional actuator for horizontal loads (or inclined loads up to 45°) with a capacity of up to 150 kN. The system is also integrated with an optical real‑time deformation measurement system.
Smart Forestry Carriage
Smart remote-controlled carriage equipped with two electric winches for movement along the carrying cable and for lifting the load. The carriage integrates various sensors, including an inclinometer, a load cell mounted on one pulley, two inclination sensors for the pulley arms, an encoder, and an ultrasonic ground‑distance sensor. The system is used to develop and test new operational and safety monitoring procedures.
PDIA system for image based measurements of droplets properties
Oxford Lasers VisiSize N60 Particle/Droplet Image Analysis (PDIA) system for Image-based measurement of diameter, shape, velocity and direction of droplets generated by spray nozzles. The test bench simulates the hydraulic circuit on agricultural sprayers and provides real-time statistics on the dimensional composition of the spray. The system can measure droplets down to >2µm and up to 15.000 droplets/second. Custom post-processing algorithms developed in-house allow innovative use of the data.
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Patternators to characterize the distribution pattern from sprayer
Patternators are structures meant to characterize the vertical or horizontal distribution pattern of liquid distributed by a sprayer. The laboratory is equipped with horizontal patternators up to 20 m, and two vertical patternators reaching up to 4.5 m, which can characterize the vertical distribution pattern of the machine with a 10 cm resolution. The equipment, provided by Salvarani s.r.l. (Poviglio, IT), is to be used in certification and testing activities as well.