Basics of the Skid Loader: Heavy Agricultural Machinery

What is a skid loader?

A skid loader is a stiff frame machine with mechanical arms that can be fitted with attachments for a wide variety of different tools, including a backhoe, hydraulic breaker, pallet forks, angle broom, sweeper, auger, mower, snow blower, stump grinder, tree spade, trencher, and a wheel saw.

Modern skid loaders come in two varieties, a four wheeled system and a rubber track version. Wheeled skid loaders are typically are four-wheel drive and for additional maneuverability, the left and right wheels systems are independent. The track version also referred to as a track loader provides for better digging and pushes performance in higher end models due to less ground disturbance and better traction in un-ideal environments like mud and sand.

History of the skid loader machine

The first three-wheeled front-end loader was invented in 1957 by two brothers, Cyril and Louis Keller, in a small machinist shop in Rothsay Minnesota. The brothers conceived the idea to help a nearby farmer with the ignoble task of cleaning up manure for a pole barn. They wanted to help him, and out of this collaboration the first skidder was born.

This early machine was eventually purchased by Melrose Manufacturing Company and the Kellers brought on to continue development. Since then it has spread to become a highly valued piece of heavy machinery at construction and engineering site around the globe.

What are these machines used for?

Due to the wide array of attachments available for these vehicles , they have many uses, but mostly are employed for scrape material from one place to another, carry materials in a bucket and proceed to load them into a truck or trailer.

Skid loaders can also be used in tight digging situations where factors limit the practically of using a large excavator, like digging a basement under an existing house. In this situation a skid loader would make use of a ramp at the edge of the site. The loader would proceed to use the ramp to carry materials out of the hole. The skid loader would reshape the ramp by making it steeper and longer as the excavation deepened.

Differences between a front loader machine and a skid loader machine

The pivot arms on a skid loader lay behind the driver, alongside the side of the vehicle.

Major machine manufacturers

Major manufacturers for skid loaders include the Bobcat Company, Mustang, Case, New Holland, Komatsu, and Caterpillar www.dunkelbros.com

Lean Concepts in Agriculture and Food Industry

I was fascinated about the concept of lean manufacturing since I first read the articles on lean manufacturing. Then when I conducted few researches on lean manufacturing I understood that lean is the path for future.

But one question continuously I asked myself is the possibility of applying lean manufacturing concepts in the field of agriculture and food industry. Agriculture is traditionally based on bulk manufacturing. Harvesting is done once a season most of the times and stocked and used later. In fact some lean thinkers say that people adopted batch processing and stocking in manufacturing as a result of the practices from agricultural thinking. Before the industrialization people with the biggest stocks of food and other supplies were considered as more stable and they were able to face challenges of nature without having to starve. People with time develop the concept of having more stocks is better. When people gradually moved to industrialization, still the concept of maintaining big safety stocks hasn't changed according to these lean thinkers.

Agriculture is an industry which requires a new way of thinking. Traditional methods have lots of wastes and inefficiencies build into them. According to some researches more than 20% of agricultural products become unusable before it reach the end consumer in some countries. This offers any lean thinker a good opportunity to explore the possibilities of implementing lean concepts in this area. Even if we can reduce this waste by half we will be reducing the number of people dying due to starvation.

Just in time manufacturing may not be possible in the field of agriculture. But the distribution, handling methods etc can be improved with the techniques like JIT and kaizen. By educating people and using simple technology waste can be reduced dramatically. Effectively connecting the manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers up to the customer is very necessary to improve the effectiveness of the process.

Industrial and Agricultural Industry Warnings for New Entrants

If you are considering entering a close niche sub-sector industry then you will also hear rumors in the industry, some true and others coming from those who have an axe to grind. It is extremely wise to listen, but not comment. Just say oh really like you are shocked and interested. Then they will tell you more of course. Still try not to judge as you will be listening to only one side of the story.

You might hear such things as: I believe the President of XYZ Company is a spoiled little rich kid with a small man syndrome; I do not like him. His father God Rest His Soul, was a decent and honest gentleman. I would never personally do business with him. I think he is a liar and scum. This is my personal opinion only. His handshake stunk, his eyes were shifty and I saw no real personal character there. Call me old fashion, but I would not do business with the President of Iran either. I think XYZ Company is acting arrogant because they have done some test locations for Arthur Midland Daniels and Monsanto. I thought the big boys were smarter than that? But last liar seems to win in the sales game?

I can tell you this stuff goes on all the time in the agricultural industrial sector, with manufacturers, equipment providers and the entire industry. Be wise and do not make comments, just listen. This is the best for all concerned and you will be smart to understand this and follow such advice. So, consider all this in 2006.

Industrial and Agricultural Industry Warnings for New Entrants

If you are considering entering a close niche sub-sector industry then you will also hear rumors in the industry, some true and others coming from those who have an axe to grind. It is extremely wise to listen, but not comment. Just say oh really like you are shocked and interested. Then they will tell you more of course. Still try not to judge as you will be listening to only one side of the story.

You might hear such things as: I believe the President of XYZ Company is a spoiled little rich kid with a small man syndrome; I do not like him. His father God Rest His Soul, was a decent and honest gentleman. I would never personally do business with him. I think he is a liar and scum. This is my personal opinion only. His handshake stunk, his eyes were shifty and I saw no real personal character there. Call me old fashion, but I would not do business with the President of Iran either. I think XYZ Company is acting arrogant because they have done some test locations for Arthur Midland Daniels and Monsanto. I thought the big boys were smarter than that? But last liar seems to win in the sales game?

I can tell you this stuff goes on all the time in the agricultural industrial sector, with manufacturers, equipment providers and the entire industry. Be wise and do not make comments, just listen. This is the best for all concerned and you will be smart to understand this and follow such advice. So, consider all this in 2006.

Agricultural Jobs - Changing Opportunities

Agriculture has always been a very integral part in American history. The first settlers to come over to America needed to become good farmers in order to survive. The agriculture industry has grown by leaps and bounds since that time, and now the agricultural job market can be very rewarding. Many of the new agricultural jobs available these days deal with the new types of technology that are required to produce the crops that America demands. The days of a family working their land by hand and producing a small amount of crops is over. Now many large plantations are run by huge corporations that capitalize on many of the new emerging technologies to harvest a larger amount of crops in a shorter period of time. If you would like to get one of these new types of jobs in the agricultural industry, then you will need to make sure that you stay on top of the new technologies available.

Many of these new jobs in the agricultural field have embraced these new technologies. Two of the new technologies that have created many new jobs in the agricultural industry are global positioning systems (GPS), and biotechnology. The GPS systems have really enhanced the ability for farmers to seed and harvest their crops in the best way possible. They can make sure that they position all of their crops exactly where they want them to be for them to be the most productive. The biotechnology field has really helped the agricultural industry, because many new innovations have allowed better and safer fertilizers to be used on crops. Biotechnology has also helped farmers to better understand what helps to make their crops better. Both of these new technologies are very interesting and offer many new opportunities. The agricultural industry still requires quite a bit of hard work to bring in a good crop, but now many people can take advantage of these improvements to make the industry a much better experience.

Basics of the Skid Loader: Heavy Agricultural Machinery

What is a skid loader?

A skid loader is a stiff frame machine with mechanical arms that can be fitted with attachments for a wide variety of different tools, including a backhoe, hydraulic breaker, pallet forks, angle broom, sweeper, auger, mower, snow blower, stump grinder, tree spade, trencher, and a wheel saw.

Modern skid loaders come in two varieties, a four wheeled system and a rubber track version. Wheeled skid loaders are typically are four-wheel drive and for additional maneuverability, the left and right wheels systems are independent. The track version also referred to as a track loader provides for better digging and pushes performance in higher end models due to less ground disturbance and better traction in un-ideal environments like mud and sand.

History of the skid loader machine

The first three-wheeled front-end loader was invented in 1957 by two brothers, Cyril and Louis Keller, in a small machinist shop in Rothsay Minnesota. The brothers conceived the idea to help a nearby farmer with the ignoble task of cleaning up manure for a pole barn. They wanted to help him, and out of this collaboration the first skidder was born.

This early machine was eventually purchased by Melrose Manufacturing Company and the Kellers brought on to continue development. Since then it has spread to become a highly valued piece of heavy machinery at construction and engineering site around the globe.

What are these machines used for?

Due to the wide array of attachments available for these vehicles , they have many uses, but mostly are employed for scrape material from one place to another, carry materials in a bucket and proceed to load them into a truck or trailer.

Skid loaders can also be used in tight digging situations where factors limit the practically of using a large excavator, like digging a basement under an existing house. In this situation a skid loader would make use of a ramp at the edge of the site. The loader would proceed to use the ramp to carry materials out of the hole. The skid loader would reshape the ramp by making it steeper and longer as the excavation deepened.

Differences between a front loader machine and a skid loader machine

The pivot arms on a skid loader lay behind the driver, alongside the side of the vehicle.

Major machine manufacturers

Major manufacturers for skid loaders include the Bobcat Company, Mustang, Case, New Holland, Komatsu, and Caterpillar www.dunkelbros.com