The researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM in Freiburg and their associates in the RemBob are working on a project that will bring cheers to the farmers.
Saving fuel while plowing
They are in the process of introducing plowshares surfaced with diamond-like carbon (DLC), which will plough the soil like a hot knife in butter.
The farmers in Germany utilize around 1 billion liters of fuel to complete their farming work. The researchers have found that more than 50% of the energy is wasted in the harrowing or plowing process due to the generated friction between the soil and plowshare. The researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute are trying various types of coatings to cut down the friction level and resultant energy consumption. In some of the tests they could achieve around 30% reduction in the energy consumption. Currently they are working on improving the DLV plowshares.
Currently the researchers are trying with the use of various materials such as tungsten carbide, glass-fiber-reinforced plastic and nitriding steel. They are looking forward for a suitable substrate material that can withstand at least 20 km of plowing the ground before the coating fails.
The other advantages of the DLC coated plowshares include the use of a wider sized equipment, low fuel costs and reduced level of machinery maintenance costs. The smaller lighter tractors induce less level of soil compaction and encourage looser soil to encourage the growth of earthworms and other soil friendly insects to make the soil rich with nutrients. Also the loose soil will absorb more water and retain it for a longer period.