This investment is an essential evolution, as the quality of the product is the result of a series of operations that begin with design engineering, then continues when the machines are shipped to the dealers and end customers with ultimately ongoing assistance provided throughout the product life-cycle. Argo Tractors have made constant investments in these areas over the past few years while remaining true to a “Made in Italy” concept whereby everything, from design and manufacturing components, transmissions included, takes place in the facilities of Fabbrico, Luzzara and San Martino in Rio, right in the heart of Emilia’s ‘Motor Valley’. Having continued to pursue its Total Quality System mission, Argo Tractors is now one of the first enterprises in Italy to have obtained ISO 9001:2015 Certification, i.e. the latest edition of ISO 9001.
Research & Development
Argo Tractors has invested around 5.5% of its turnover in Research & Development over the past 3 years and has just added a new ultra modern, purpose built, R & D Center which is kitted out with all the latest state of the art test and development equipment. This is a modern industrial unit built according to the concepts outlined by the new industry 4.0 and complies with the latest seismic standards. The new facility houses three different departments. This first area is dedicated to the construction and development of new prototypes. Equipped with lifting devices and workstations with PC and Wi-Fi connection to the internal data network, and where operators are also connected directly to the design office. A second area is equipped with small machine tools, to make work more flexible, fast and efficient. All designed to reduce the time taken to design and develop products. The third area houses the “most valuable” investment from a quality and technological viewpoint: two modern engine test rooms with controlled ventilation systems equipped with automatic data acquisition and post processing systems for qualifying the engine, cooling and exhaust gas aftertreatment systems of the new 50 to 350 HP tractors. This area is particularly important as tractors will shortly be brought into line with Stage V engine emissions standards. A further room includes transmission test cells that will simulate the life-cycle of the tractor. Simulations are recreated thanks to monitoring systems and software in the electric motors built into the test bench. The aim is to implement state-of-the-art instruments for the purpose of qualifying the product and reducing the entire testing process by using the simulation and calculation environments to their best advantage. PLM modern three-dimensional CAD and management system are available to designers and is the most significant improvement in the last two years. This provides 3D modelling and design tools which through their use reduces the design time by acting in synergy between the various project sectors (mechanical, electronic, hydraulic, automotive).
Human resources
Investment in qualified human resources has been a fundamental part of the evolution of the Research & Development department. With the recent developments of all product ranges, high-levels of expertise have been employed in the mechatronics field. The company has entrusted the technological investment in a team of professionals who have created monitoring software for transmissions designed by Argo Tractors and developed in synergy the mechanical and electronic monitoring components, turning them into the technological heart of the R&D area. This is all part of a strategic, long term investment to meet the demands of modern farmers, who are increasingly focused in automation of field operations and in precision farming and assisted driving systems. All this in harmony with the Kaizen philosophy in which man is the strategic growth factor involved in achieving the company’s objectives and updating their expertise through continuing education (nearly 7,000 hours since 2014), to suit the continually evolving technologies employed.
