Windcall Manufacturing, Inc. — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase II: 8.12

Description

Summary:The Phase I feasibility study proved the ability of the GrainGoat to replace a full-sized combine for the collection of grain for pre-harvest moisture testing with a potential savings to farmers and harvesters of $44M/day across the US during harvest season. The GrainGoat successfully harvested, threshed, and tested the moisture content in several crop varieties.Since the innovative GrainGoat is the only handheld machine that can harvest, thresh and moisture sample on the spot it is imperative that extensive educational outreach be performed. The GrainGoat is not a "better" mousetrap it is the "only" mousetrap whose existence must be made known to all in the grain industry around the world. Problem:Feedback from researchers testing the GrainGoat concluded the weight must be reduced prior to commercialization.Additionally, not every seed variety could pass through the current screen structure.Solution:Working with a design for manufacture engineer we confirmed changing the current aluminum parts to injected molded plastic would allow for a significant weight reduction, material cost reduction, number of parts reduction and assembly time reduction. Our goal is to reduce the weight by 50% or more. A new design for the screening process is currently underway. While working with the University of Nebraska Agronomy Department it was determined that a variant of the current model could easily be constructed from the same parts allowing researcher use in greenhouses, headrows, and test plots.After this Phase II research we will design the GrainGoat U model for university and seed researchers.Goals:Phase II financing will cover the screen changes,new CAD drawings and part design changes including the necessary plastic molds for injection molded parts. After field trials on the new design, the GrainGoat will be ready to go into full production. Investors have committed financial support for Phase III.Anticipated Results:Changes in design and manufacturing will produce a lighter weight machine with lower cost of production, faster assembly and rapid production of custom screens. Additional crop types will be compatible with the machine (i.e. soybeans, field peas, beans, rice etc.). The device (after successful Phase II research) will allow farmers to quickly sample any field, any time, to monitor moisture. University seed breeders will harvest test plots without cross contamination of varieties. Small grain farmers (369,000) in the U.S. will benefit from our device, as will small-scale foreign farmers using hand-harvesting methods. A worldwide market will be created. Manufacturing in the U.S. will generate jobs in rural areas.