Agritechnica Attraction “Yield Challenge” – Made by HORSCH students
Our new machines and innovations were not the only exciting things at the Agritechnica 2023. One of the highlights was the HORSCH “Yield Challenge” which was developed and built by dual students. The visitors of the show were able to demonstrate their strength and skills at this “Ring the Bell” device.
During the preparations for Agritechnica 2023, HORSCH started to look for an additional attraction for the HORSCH stand that would equally appeal to all generations. “We wanted to have another highlight for the visitors in addition to the machines,” Sophia Karmann of the HORSCH marketing department stated. After some brainstorming, the idea of a “Ring the Bell” challenge was born. “This also fits in well with HORSCH: Bavarian tradition – Bavarian company,” she explains.
“Ring the Bell”, also known as “High Striker” is an attraction where participants hit a spring-loaded button with a sledgehammer. This generates an impulse that is illustrated on a vertical bar. Strength alone is not enough. For maximum power transmission, the button has to be hit right in the middle.
Project for dual students
HORSCH started to look for an appropriate device. However, it quickly became clear that there was nothing suitable available on the market. So, without further ado, it was decided to build the device inhouse.
The topic of vocational training and HORSCH as an employer was to be showcased at the Agritechnica as well. Therefore, HORSCH decided to hand over the whole project to the dual students. Thus, they would also be represented at the stand.
“This idea from the marketing department came to our dual students via Christian Graf (trainer) and Anton Grauvogl (head of training). We had previously expressed the wish to take on a project, and this was the opportunity to do so,” explains Noah Hausmann who along with Dominik Brey, Luis Demmelhuber and Tony Grötsch was responsible for the project.
One condition was to build a device which could be used at future events like an Open House or other events related to vocational training as well.
In the first phase, the focus was mainly on planning. Among other things, the students dealt with the questions: What should the whole thing look like and how can the ideas best be implemented? “During this part, we obviously exchanged a lot of ideas with Sophia Karmann and the marketing department and thus drew up a plan step by step,” Noah Hausmann adds. The objective was to use parts from the company: “For example, we received a used sprayer boom from Landau which we now use as the tower. We were also able to make good use of numerous components such as cylinders and smaller parts.”
Learning by doing
The basic frame was drawn and welded by the dual students themselves. “At that time, we didn’t have a lot of experience with CAD. We taught ourselves or asked experienced colleagues for help,” says Luis Demmelhuber.
The practical implementation of the HORSCH “Yield Challenge” in the training workshop began in April – at the beginning exclusively on Monday afternoons. “We’ve been doing this full time since July.” One of the challenges was the electronics of the device: “We had to somehow measure the force that hits the surface. We tried a lot of things and found a good solution.”
In total, the project required cross-departmental co-operation and many units such as electronics or IT joined in. “We asked a lot of colleagues and looked for people who could help us best”, he added. Among other things, the team got some support with regard to programming or painting.
The volume of the device required a lot of tinkering: “It took a lot of work. We didn’t want to disturb our stand neighbours or visitors at the show with an excessively loud device,” Sophia Karmann explains. “We tried to dampen the sound repeatedly and made sure that the steel didn’t vibrate as much and that it was only a short dull impact when the hammer hit,” says Noah Hausmann. With success: “The Yield Challenge” passed the final volume test.
The students’ summary of the project? Positive and very instructive: “In total, it was really cool, but also stressful at times because we never had done anything like this before. Therefore, it was very difficult for us to assess many things, e.g. time, and we often misjudged the effort. As a result, we ended up under a bit of time pressure. But I think that’s also the nature of such a project: that we can learn things like this. We had a lot of fun and we are very sorry that the project now is finished.”
„Yield Challenge” at the Agritechnica
After an extensive test phase by the employees of the Schwandorf site and some finishing, the “Yield Challenge” was taken to the Agritechnica in Hanover - well packed. To ensure a fair contest, visitors competed against each other in three different categories. For this purpose, three modes can be set at the device. The intensity of the impact of the hammer on the impact surface is converted and displayed on a LED bar. From this, a score is calculated, taking into account the set mode. “Most participants achieved a score between 300 and 400. One visitor managed 670 and thus holds the high score,” says Sophia Karmann who supervised the “Yield Challenge” at the show. In addition to small giveaways at the stand, three participants per category could win a HORSCH fan package every day.
"Our summary: the “Yield Challenge” was very well received by the visitors, and everything went smoothly. The device was set up directly at the aisle. So many visitors noticed the challenge and our stand. We even had to use our spare hammer as the first hammer was worn after a few days due to the many blows. All in all, it was a remarkable project – with some challenges, but the final result was simply great. So we achieved our objective,” Sophia Karmann says.