Connected machinery improves agricultural machinery maintenance strategies

The agribusiness sector in Brazil has been showing constant growth and, after the forecast that the soybean harvest in the 2018/2019 period should be higher than that of the United States, until then world leader, now the big news is that soybean production coffee should be the largest in history, with a harvest of almost 60 million processed 60-kilo bags.

The estimate on soybean production was released in May by the United States Department of Agriculture, stating that Brazil should produce around 117 million tons, slightly above the 116 million for North Americans. The estimate for the coffee harvest was released in December by IBGE, indicating growth of more than 33% in relation to the last harvest.To achieve these numbers, the agribusiness sector invests heavily in technology and machinery performance. Large producers have already realized the importance of having modern machines developed to meet the needs and particularities of each type of soil and climate, which vary depending on the region of Brazil, requiring different maintenance strategies.

The agricultural machinery sector alone, used in soil preparation, planting, application of pesticides and harvesting, together with road machinery, is expected to generate US$16,7 billion in 2018, according to Anfavea (National Association of Motor Vehicles). And we cannot leave aside other machinery that makes up the agribusiness chain, such as those used in milk processing, for example.

Agriculture 4.0

The 4.0 concept, which was first adopted by the manufacturing sector, brings to the field a new model of machinery with several embedded Internet of Things technologies, which demand new management and maintenance models, based on the analysis of data sent in real-time information about your performance. This intelligence is essential for experts to implement precision agriculture systems, connecting machines and services.

With the adoption of IoT technologies, agribusiness managers hope to minimize losses, adjust processes and maximize results. With the Internet of Things, the early discovery of a pest attack, for example, allows us to act with pesticides in specific areas, correct processes and avoid losses, as well as guarantee the reliability and availability of machinery, a fundamental strategy to guarantee greater security and efficiency in asset management.

To grow in an environment as subject to variations as the agricultural sector, information is the main input and more than ever it is the data from sensors embedded in machines and equipment that will allow the manager to make more assertive decisions about the operating strategy in the field, maintenance and also about business needs.

Connectivity ensures a better maintenance strategy

The use of innovative technologies in agribusiness depends on connectivity, in which MESH Networks appear as the best option to guarantee the exchange of information. After all, what's the point of investing in sensors and intelligent machines that produce a large volume of data that could be used to improve the maintenance strategy and also production, if there is no way to extract and analyze this information in real time? Without connectivity, all data needs to be extracted, crossed and analyzed manually, losing all the agility necessary to maintain competitiveness, reduce crop losses, and increase the operational efficiency of your assets.

In remote locations, far from large urban centers, MESH Networks appear as the best option to guarantee the exchange of information between devices and monitoring and analysis software. This connection technology consists of radio nodes (points) organized in a MESH (mesh) topology, which connect wirelessly, and without involving a telecom operator or internet service provider, delivering a high degree of scalability, simplicity, collaborative nature and low implementation, operation and maintenance costs.