Vicoma is also active in mobility these days. Environmentally friendly mobility even, by providing engineering support for the development of an electric tractor for organic farming. Remarkable about this tractor is the variable track width.
Project: development of electric tractor for organic farming
The weight of a tractor compresses the soil, which leads to a vicious circle: a compacted soil requires more tractive power and therefore heavier tractors, and is also less fertile. This is why in the Netherlands some 60 farmers work with Controlled Traffic Farming: they always drive on the same tracks, GPS controlled.
Vicoma’s role: engineering multifunctional tractor
The agricultural tractor is now also available in an environmentally friendly – electric – version, the Multi Tool Trac, after a design by MultiToolTrac, engineered by Vicoma Multi Tool Trac’ refers to the multifunctional tool tractor. Vicoma’s mechanical engineering team played an advisory role. The designs were checked for reliability and strength using advanced FEM calculation techniques. This enabled us to clearly visualise the focal points of the design. Subsequently Vicoma proposed and implemented the improvements. This led to an optimal end result in terms of both technology and costs.
Result
To ensure more cultivable land and therefore fewer tracks on the land, the MultiToolTrac has a track width adjustment. Wide on land and narrow on public roads. The cab can also be moved over a rail from front to back, and the electric tractor is four-wheel-drive and four-wheel-steer, to enable sharp turns at the end of a plot.