Grain handling facility upgrades improve efficiency & safety

Did the thought, “it’ll make it through another season” cross your mind this fall? Or do you have a special set of instructions to start up that old fan or heater? While grain handling equipment does have a long life expectancy and basic repairs here and there are normal, it’s become harder to find parts for older systems. How much do you keep investing to get by just one more season? Where do you draw the line and invest in new?

There are plenty of variables to assess when looking at upgrading your grain handling facilities and we’re happy to discuss them with you. However, to get the ball rolling and before you sign a line to commit to anything, we’ve put together some basic information for these common upgrades.

Drying Bin Fan or Heater

If you’ve been replacing the same thing on a fan or heater for the last few years, making the investment in a new one will not only save you the headache but also could have some additional benefits like more energy savings. While this is a moderately priced upgrade, you’ll also want to keep in mind potential electrical changes and costs.

Stirring Machine

One of the lengthier projects, adding or replacing a stirring machine can still be a good investment, especially considering the newer technology and design of today’s stirring machines. Even with proper maintenance, all the moving parts involved with a stirrator will continue to wear down and as we continue to see, are among that list of parts that are hard to find.

Unload Auger

From ripping up the floor and upgrading the size of an unload auger, this project can take a few days to complete. We’ve usually piggybacked this upgrade with the addition of a power sweep to help achieve faster unloads but also improve safety. Today’s power sweeps are also built better to withstand the rigor of the job.

Stairs

Safety upgrades may not seem like the best investment to yield bigger profits. However, keeping operator health in mind should be a priority. Upgrading ladders to stairs is an easy way to make climbing the bin safer and easier for the operator.

Temperature Sensors

We featured an article on the GrainTRAC sensor system last spring that allows you to get multiple temperature readings remotely on your smartphone. Adding an entire sensor system can be a large investment but knowing when to turn fans on and off and being able to do it remotely can help prevent grain spoilage and ultimately increase profits.

Early order pricing is available through January 2023. Contact Roger Slaughter (319.679.5215) or Tom Miller (319.679.7214) for more details and to discuss upgrading your grain handling facilities.