The maintenance of agricultural machines is one of the crop field yield pillars. The performance of the seeders, self-propelled sprayers and other pieces of equipment depends on directly of the care with the mechanical, hydraulic, and electronic systems.
Neglecting this process impairs the durability of the parts, increases the fuel consumption and increases the risk of operating failures, directly impacting on the crop field yield.
More than specific repairs, the maintenance should be seen as a constant and planned practice — that today is easier thanks to on-board technologies, sensors and connected systems.
In this complete guide, you will understand the main types of agricultural maintenance, when apply them and how the Stara Precision Agriculture solutions help to prevent issues and protect your pieces of equipment in the crop field.
What is it and the purpose of the maintenance of the agricultural machines?
The maintenance of agricultural machines is a set of technical procedures to protect, inspect and correct in advance the machinery used in the field.
It ensures the full functioning of the mechanical, electronic, and structural systems — keeping the equipment operating safely and efficiently during the entire harvest.
More than solving issues, the maintenance purpose is to prevent them from happening. In high demand situations, such as the soil preparation, sowing and spraying, any unexpected stop may cause delays, input waste, increase the fuel consumption and up to productive losses. For this reason, its function is strategic:
- anticipate issues;
- protect the durability of the parts;
- reduce operating costs;
- protect the investment in agricultural technology.
When well structured, the maintenance becomes a competitive differential feature, ensuring more availability of the machines, prediction in the schedule of the crop field and the farmer can sleep well at night.
Types of maintenance on agricultural machines
The most common maintenance services in the field can be classified in three huge categories: preventive, corrective and predictive. Each one has different characteristics and purposes — and the ideal is that they are applied as an additional service.
Preventive maintenance
It is the most popular approach for those who seek stability and predictability. The preventive maintenance involves scheduled maintenance services based on the usage time, season cycles or the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Including tasks such as oil change, inspection of filters and lubrication of components.
At Stara, this type of action is carried out in the scheduled maintenance, a specialized service that anticipates interventions based on the machine operating hours.
When the machine reaches 100, 500 or 1000 operating hours, the Topper agricultural controller system sends an alert to the operator’s screen and to the dealer.
The schedule is automatic and the technician moves to the farm with a specific checklist according to the machine model and a complete kit of genuine spare parts.
This process reduces the stopped machine time, ensures the correct application of the inputs, and makes sure of the equipment efficiency throughout the harvests.
See more: Preventive maintenance: a complete guide for agricultural machines | Stara
Corrective maintenance
Unlike the preventive maintenance, the corrective maintenance happens after the failure has occurred. An unexpected electric issue could happen, the hydraulic component could be locked or a structural part could break.
Despite required for some situations, the corrective maintenance should be the exception, not the rule. It is because of the repair costs are usually higher, the stopped machine time is longer and the operation impact is major.
According to Simone Rosati, the technical team specialist in the Stara Maintenance Program, the main difference between the approaches in the action time:
The Stara Maintenance Program is a preventive maintenance. It happens before the failure, based on the operating hours of the machine. The corrective maintenance is when the machine breaks down — it’s a loss, not only for the spare part cost, but for the time spent for the job.
Predictive maintenance as a strategic differential feature
The predictive maintenance is a preventive approach evolution. Instead of following only the fixed intervals of time or hours, it’s based on the sensors and indicators to prevent failures in advance.
In practice, agricultural technology systems monitor temperature, vibration, noise, or pressure — identifying a performance that is not a standard and that may represent an actual wear.
With this, the farmer can take actions at the right time, avoiding unnecessary replacements and optimizing the usage of the components.
Stara applied this process to the Topper system, which sends automatic alerts about the perfect moment to have the maintenance service based on the actual usage of the machine.
The predictive maintenance is the next step, with sensors that show when something is about to happen. Stara has it in part on Topper, which alerts the operator about the operating hours and the need for maintenance, adds Simone Rosati, technical team expert of the Stara Maintenance Program.
What’s the best moment to have the maintenance of the machines done?
The best moment for the maintenance of the agricultural machines varies according to the equipment type, its routine and agricultural season. Even so, some seasons are more strategic:
- The period between harvests is the most recommended for complete maintenance services and structural inspections;
- Prior to the harvest beginning, it’s crucial to inspect the main system and avoid stops in critical times;
- After long operating hours, it is recommended to check the wear and replace the parts as a preventive action.
Agricultural machines equipped with Topper ease this planning when displaying automatic notifications, reducing the heating time and helping the farmer to keep their fleet in good operation conditions.
Types of agricultural machines and their maintenance needs
Each agricultural machine type has a specific structure, demanding different technical care over time. For this reason, the maintenance plan should be adapted according to the machine model, application, and level of the on-board technology.
Among the main types of pieces of equipment used in the field, we can highlight:
- Sprayers: require frequent inspection of the spray nozzles, filters, boom system, and hydraulic circuit;
- Agricultural spreaders: they have critical points in the transmission gearbox, system of conveyor belts and electronic components.
For machines such as the Imperador Agricultural Self-Propelled Sprayer and the Hércules 6.0 and 4.0 Agricultural Self-Propelled Spreaders, these needs are monitored in real time.
Stara solutions that transform the maintenance in the field
The agricultural machine evolution reaches the connectivity and on-board sensors — and Stara has been a leader in this with monitoring systems that integrate the machine, operator, and dealer.
Topper, for instance, central-aligns the usage information and displays automatic alerts to the agricultural machine operator and to the dealer. If the alert is not solved, the system sends a notification via WhatsApp or through a phone call.
As a result, the operator doesn’t need to be concern if they forget about the maintenance time: the own machine warns the operator. More than that: even if the maintenance is strictly followed and some unexpected issue happens, the monitoring becomes an ally for higher yields.
In addition, using genuine spare parts, such as filter elements with a great retaining capacity (provided in the Stara Maintenance kits) ensure that each component operates at its maximum performance.
The Stara technical customer service carried out by trained professionals in the factory, guarantees that each machine receives exactly what it needs.
Cautions to be considered during the maintenance
Regardless of the maintenance type chosen, some cautions make all the difference to ensure the safety and efficiency of the services:
- Always use genuine parts recommended by the manufacturer;
- Avoid adaptations or the usage of third-party filters with a low retaining capacity;
- Keep the record of the maintenance services updated;
- Make sure the services are carried out by expert labor;
- Refer to the technical manual of the machine and follow the recommended maintenance plan.
This care prevents the agricultural machine performance from being impaired and that the lifespan of the components is extended.
Check list of the maintenance of pieces of equipment in the field: What to inspect
Having a technical checklist is crucial to ensure that all maintenance steps have been followed.
At Stara, each scheduled maintenance comes with an exclusive checklist, developed by the company engineering according to the machine model and number of operating hours.
This document instructs the authorized technicians in the field and include basic tasks, such as oil change, lubricants, filters, and protective products to electronic inspections, firmware updates and performance tests.
And, the periodic checklist (100, 500, 1000 operating hours), it is recommended to daily monitor simple checkings, such as:
- Level of the oil and cooling fluid;
- Calibration and wear of the tyres and conveyor belts;
- Functioning of the electronic and hydraulic systems;
- Leaking or operating failures.
When integrating the checklist to the machine technologies, such as the Topper panel, the process becomes higher efficient, traceable, and safe.
Advantages of the constant maintenance of your agricultural machine
The efficient maintenance reduces the risk of failures and ensures maximum operating performance. It results in higher yields per hectare, less unexpected stops and the machine price in the market is accordingly.
Additionally, when well executed, it reduces the fuel consumption, avoids severe failures, and provides more safety to the operators. For those who work with a tight budget and high demands in the field, these advantages make all the difference in the farm business management.
Conclusion
Having the maintenance of the agricultural machines is more than ensure the equipment good performance — it’s to ensure yield, safety, and efficiency in the field.
When executing preventive practices, using genuine spare parts and having on-board technologies, such as the Topper system, the farmer and the maintenance become allies for the farm management.
At Stara, this care is integrated into the operation, with solutions that anticipate failures and strengthen the crop field production, harvest after harvest.
Did you like the hints and want to find out the agricultural machine that best suits your crop field?
Stop by a Stara dealer and find the most suitable equipment to boost your crop production. Request a quotation.
