The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) recently announced winners of the seventh-annual Davidson Prize, honoring the year's top innovative products in agricultural, food and biological systems.
The awards were presented March 9, at Commodity Classic, held in Houston.
The Davidson Prize was designed to celebrate breakthrough innovations in areas of agricultural, food and biological systems engineering. Winners are selected from the year's AE50 winners, distinguishing them as the "best of the best" in industry innovations.
"Today's advancements in ag engineering have tremendous positive impacts on farmers' ability to work more efficiently and produce more with less," said Curt Blades, senior vice president of Industry Services for AEM. "AEM is proud to partner with ASABE to recognize the top innovations that are making a real difference in agriculture."
Winning entries are:
- Danfoss DC/AC Converter Liquid Cooled —The Danfoss robust DC/AC converter is tailored for electric or hybrid drivetrains, operating up to 690 VAC, marking the first electric converter designed for mobile equipment that reaches this voltage threshold. This innovation significantly contributes to the electrification of agricultural equipment by enhancing the power density of electric drive systems, coupled with its compact and rugged design, empowers equipment manufacturers to reduce the size, weight and power losses of electric drivetrains. Its advanced software capabilities enable seamless control of various electric motors, connection to local grids, or the creation of microgrids. This versatility allows OEMs to design machines meeting both customer performance needs and sustainability goals.
- CLAAS CEMOS for Tractors — CEMOS is the first and only self-learning driver assistance and process optimization system on the market that optimizes both the tractor and its attachments. It helps the operator optimize ballasting, tire pressure, and engine-transmission management, significantly improving productivity and efficiency in field work such as tillage. In addition, attachment settings can be optimized step by step and the risk of damaging compaction in the soil can be evaluated and visualized thanks to the integrated Terranimo calculation model. In DLG test report 7096, area performance was increased by up to 16.3 percent and fuel consumption was reduced by up to 16.8 percent. Inexperienced drivers can achieve optimal tractive power transmission, efficiency, and work quality with this technology — however, CEMOS demonstrably improves these target areas even for experienced drivers.
- CLAAS Disco 9700 RC AUTO SWATHER — The Disco 9700 RC Auto Swather is one of the most productive triple mowers with conditioner and merger belts designed specifically for large forage volumes and heavy crops. Special features such as the new side shifting technology, innovative drive line, and the intelligent merger belt design with 1,100 mm wide merger belts make it unique on the market. The Disco 9700 RC Auto Swather can easily handle yields of up to 24 t/acre (60 t/ha). While the machine is rugged enough to tackle high-tonnage cereal crops like rye or triticale, its gentle crop flows makes it ideal for delicate legumes such as alfalfa as well. ACTIVE FLOAT pressure control and non-stop collision protection are part of the standard equipment. The centrally positioned swing arms deliver an infinitely adjustable working width from 29 ft. 2 in. to 31 ft. 2 in.
"ASABE and AEM came together to create a new award to celebrate innovation in agriculture and bring additional recognition to those who embody the spirit of J.B. Davidson," said Darrin Drollinger, executive director at ASABE. "The products named as 2024 winners continue to represent the diversity of agricultural engineering that bring advanced technology and exciting improvements to the marketplace."
The Davidson Prize is named for J.B. Davidson, the father of modern agricultural engineering. It gives a nod to the storied past of agricultural engineering and pays homage to those engineers, like J.B. Davidson, who aspire to find a better way. Winners were selected from the AE50 honorees, announced at the Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference in February in Louisville, Ky.
ASABE is an international educational organization dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food and biological systems.
This story also appears on Agricultural Equipment Guide.
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