Innovative Design of a Mechanized Grain Spreader and Leveler for In-Bin Drying Sylos

安大略南部的农业是一个隐藏的巨大产业。这需要学术机构的关注，以提高其竞争力。温莎大学生产和工艺设计研究实验室和Devolder农场公司。正在共同合作，为农业在粮食储存方面不断遇到的问题提出创新的解决方案。收获的谷物需要储存在保持其质量的条件下。它必须被干燥和通风。仓内干燥是农业生产中的一种常见做法。热空气从仓底向上通过储存的湿谷物注入，使水分含量达到质量标准。干燥过程的成功取决于谷物在仓内分布的均匀性和平整度-现有的谷物摊铺机无法完全执行这些功能。根据工业合作伙伴的说法，目前市场上可用的设备并不能完全满足所有标准，特别是在料仓内所需的调平方面。可用的吊具也不够坚固和可靠;因此，在操作期间经常需要频繁的维护和人为干预。由主要研究者领导的研究小组进行了初步研究和调查，研究小组由硕士和博士生组成。很少与公司举行会议，包括实地考察农场，以协调工作和了解更多遇到的问题。初步发现显示了应用本发明的问题解决方法来克服当前问题的潜力，以及由Devolder's使用和销售的当前进口设备所遇到的问题。很少有设计方法被认为是合适的，因此，将结合在一起，形成一个单一的连贯的整体设计方法。一开始，将使用传统的设计方法，在客户和功能要求，设计和工艺参数之间的映射将被执行。俄罗斯创造性的解决问题的方法将在概念层面上得到大量利用。各种计算机辅助设计工具将用于建模。将使用其他设计方法和工具来进一步详细说明所制定的布局。

Agriculture in southern Ontario is a hidden giant industry. It needs the attention of academic institutions to increase their competitiveness. University of Windsor Production and Process Design research laboratory and Devolder's Farms Inc. are cooperating together to come up with an innovative solution for a problem farming industry is continuously experiencing with grain storage. Harvested grain needs to be stored in conditions that maintain its quality. It has to be dried and aerated. In-bin drying is a common practice in agriculture industry. Heated air is injected from the bin bottom up through stored wet grain to bring moisture content to quality standards. The success of the drying process depends on how uniform and leveled grain is distributed within the bin- functions that are not fully performed by available grain spreaders. According to industrial partner, current available devices in the market are not fully satisfying all criteria especially with regards to the required leveling within bins. Available spreaders are not robust and reliable enough too; hence, frequent maintenance and human intervention during operation are frequently resorted to. Preliminary research and surveys have been conducted by a research team led by principle investigator and composed of masters and doctoral students. Few meetings with company including field trips to the farm have been carried out to coordinate efforts and learn more about problems encountered. Initial findings show potential of applying inventive problem solving methods to overcome current problems and issues encountered with current import devices being used and marketed by Devolder's. Few design methods have been found fit and hence, would be combined together forming a single coherent overall design methodology. At the outset, a traditional design approach would be used, where mappings between customer and functional requirements, design and process parameters would be carried out. A Russian creative problem solving method would be heavily exploited at the conceptual level. A variety of computer aided design tools would be used for modeling. Other design methods and tools would be used to further detail the developed layouts.