Monitor The Good Working Order Of Tools, Implements And Machinery

The malfunction of tools, implements and machinery are recognised by the operator using his senses:

Touch: When a machine or tool works at a higher temperature than normal and heat is felt by the operator he may assume a malfunction.

Smell: The smell of burning rubber or oil is normally one of the first signs of a defective machine.

Hearing: Operators are normally very aware of the noise the equipment he/she is working with makes. Loose bolts and screws may cause rattles that are audible and can help with the identification of a defective implement etc.

Sight: Operators doing prescribed maintenance checks on their equipment may spot loose screws or leaks well before any damage may occur and may rectify the problem immediately. While operating a machine like a tractor the driver often sees smoke or flames from under the bonnet and can switch off the machine instantly.

Input vs. output: When machines and equipment do not run cost-effectively e.g. when fuel or oil consumption increases but production rate stays the same one may assume the equipment is malfunctioning.

The Cause Of The Malfunction Is Correctly Identified

Malfunction is a fault in the way a machine or equipment operates.

The Farm Tractor

The reasons why tractors malfunction is the following:

Operators: In most cases, the cause of malfunction in tractors is negligence or mistakes made by the driver or operator, (human error). Insufficient maintenance or no maintenance is probably the most common cause of the malfunction. Often a driver or operator is in charge of a tractor without being properly trained for this task and this may lead to mistakes causing malfunction. If a tractor is not used for its intended purpose by its operator it may lead to misuse and cause malfunction.

Faulty Machinery: On very few occasions the cause of the malfunction is faulty machinery. Normally such a malfunction will be apparent in the first period after purchase and will be covered by the supplier’s warranty.

Appropriate Action To Prevent Further Damage

The following procedure will help operators to prevent further damage to their machinery in the case of a malfunction.

Appropriate Actions To Restore Good Working Order

The best ways to ensure good working order is to ensure routine maintenance, repair malfunction equipment and use the correct operating procedures. The most important aspect to take note of is that activities on a farm are an ongoing process and therefore maintenance and repair must also be seen from this point of view.

All the different kinds of infrastructure found on a farm require routine maintenance to ensure that the farming activities that they service can continue without hold-ups. For example, a drip irrigation system is designed to supply water to each individual vine in a vineyard. If one of the drippers become blocked, the result is that the vine being fed water by that dripper will become stressed and potentially die. Therefore, one of the routine maintenance checks on a drip irrigation system would be to check that all drippers are working.