Agro-Masz innovates farming plows with Strenx® Tube

Agro-Masz, a leading manufacturer of plows and other agricultural machinery, sees growth all around – in the fields and in the business. According to Daniel Witkowski from Agro-Masz, innovative quality equipment that’s stronger yet lighter, and can help customers achieve operational efficiencies, is plowing the way forward. Strenx^® steel is helping the company meet farmers’ needs as it builds a stronger position in global markets.

Modern-day agriculture has become more machine-intensive as farms get bigger to meet the surging demand for food and feed from a growing population. At the same time, many farmers around the world are struggling to meet the challenges of rising energy costs, land and water shortages, and environmental concerns.

This is putting pressure on farming equipment manufacturers, too. But fortunately, heavy and often unsafe machinery is starting to be replaced by new designs that specify lighter weight materials that don’t compromise on durability or strength. So how can companies like Agro-Masz deliver bigger yet more environmentally friendly, lighter machinery?

“With Strenx^® tubes, we can produce stronger and lighter parts and equipment while maintaining all the necessary parameters. So as a producer, we can use less raw material. But what the customer gets is a lighter product that doesn’t break down as often and lets them keep costs down during everyday use. This is possible thanks to Strenx^® structural tube steel in the frames of our plows,” says Paweł Nowak, owner of Agro-Masz.

Much agricultural machinery is still made from steels with a yield strength of 355 MPa or below. But Agro-Masz specifies high-strength Strenx^® Tube 700 at 700 MPa to cut weight while delivering high performance.

“One of the first obvious benefits we noted was a reduction in the machine’s weight,” says Daniel Witkowski from design and purchasing. “Our previous designs required welded reinforcements – which add both processing time and weight to the final product. But now, we use thinner steel dimensions than before to solve these issues. We also get a nice, modern look for our plows.”

Reducing environmental impact with fossil-free steel

As agricultural machinery gets bigger to handle greater loads and meet productivity goals, reducing its weight can aid in minimizing soil compaction, something that can reduce crop yields and farm profits and restrict plant growth. Using Strenx^® structural steel in farming equipment can result in lighter machines that use less fuel and potentially help to reduce this compaction.

A workhorse in the workshop

“When laser-cutting Strenx® Tube 700MLH, the product behaved similarly to conventional steels,” Witkowski says.

All Stenx^® tubes are manufactured using high quality steel from SSAB’s own steel mills. It means that we have full control and traceability from steel production to roll forming and welding to tube. Outstanding batch-to-batch consistency allows for smoother production, lower costs and less re-work at customers workshop. Steel grades, steel properties and composition are specifically developed for tube manufacturing and end user needs. Strenx^® Tubes are manufactured from fine-grained steels for optimized mechanical properties. Steels with low carbon equivalent CEV allowing for better welding properties, no need for preheating, less saw- and tool wear.

Certified My Inner Strenx^® plow attachments are proof of high performance

Agro-Masz is part of the My Inner Strenx^® program since February 2017 with its Agriculture rotation plough. As such, they have proven that they are a manufacturer committed to innovative design, state-of-the-art manufacturing and outstanding product performance.

CUSTOMER BENEFITS

• Strong yet thinner steel tube reduces equipment weight
• Strenx^® Tube properties on par with structural steel, so equipment wears less
• Since Strenx^® allows for lighter plows, they can be made wider
• Can enable more crop coverage with every pass, helping to boost productivity
• Potential for lighter weight machinery to reduce soil compaction and environmental degradation
• Lighter plows in Strenx^® use less fuel

ABOUT AGRO-MASZ

Agro Masz is a leading Polish manufacturer of agricultural equipment including plows, cultivators, seeders, spreaders and rollers. The company was founded in 2006 with headquarters in Strzelce Małe. Since then, the company has become a qualified member of the My Inner Strenx^® program and has seen both steady production and business growth.