1.1.1. Baling and bale collection

Baling, bale collecting, and bale storing of 650-ha wheat straw field at a commercial farm was studied as a typical large rectangular bale harvesting system. Factors that affect large rectangular bale production and handling logistics were quantified through observing complete field operations and then the system performance was analyzed and field capacities of all machines in this system was determined. System limitations were quantified, and means to reduce production costs were discussed [14].

Bales were stored in covered storage facilities. The equipment used included one large rectangular baler, two bale handlers, and three flatbed bale trucks (Figure 3). The straw was raked with a twin rotary rake. The rake was used to form uniform and evenly-spaced windrows from the straw that had been expelled by the combines. If the straw was rained on before baling, the rake fluffed the straw to enhance drying. The operator adjusted the swath of the rake in order to form windrows of proper size.

The field crew included a person operating the baler, two persons operating wheel loaders, and three truck drivers. The baler ran continuously throughout the day with the exception of operator breaks. Since no bales were left in the field overnight, the bales were collected at about the same pace as produced. A truck driver would bring the truck into the field and locate two bales. The wheel loader operator followed the truck through the field and loaded two bales at a time. When the truck was full, the driver would exit the field and transport the load to a storage facility. Bales were loaded in an interlocking manner, and the bales were not strapped down, a procedure that saved a lot of time.

Because there were three truck drivers and two trucks, a driver was not present while the truck was unloaded. The driver of the fully loaded truck would drive into the storage facility and position the truck to be unloaded. By the time this truck arrived with a full load of straw, the previous truck at the site would be empty. This process was repeated, with minor delays when a driver waited for a truck to be unloaded. Capacity of each operation was measured in terms of number of large rectangular bales (Table 1). Baling rate was the limiting factor in the system.