A waterproof test for agricultural machinery to step up global trade

Rice is one of the largely cultivated crops all over the world. It is grown mainly on paddy fields and many of the work activities, such as harrowing, spreading fertilizers and spraying pesticides and herbicides, are done with tractors that should be waterproofed. Tractors, rice transplanters and other self propelled machines in Korea, Japan, China and India, where rice is one of the major crops, are tested with the scope to officially recognize their suitability for wet land cultivation. It is necessary for manufacturers to sell on these markets. Furthermore "waterproof machines" are more reliable for farmers and, sometimes, have a special financial support from governs for the purchase. Rice crop is cultivated in some European (Italy, France and Spain) and American (USA) countries. Here waterproof certification is not needed for tractors and other machines to be put on the market. In Asia the waterproof test is performed in official testing stations under National Standards, which differs each other for conditions and equipment requested for the test and test's procedures. Foreigners built tractors and machines have to pass these national tests for selling on every single Far-East market. The purpose of the test is to ascertain dust and waterproof function of components of machinery. It consists, in general, in checking the entry of water in front axle, clutch and brake assemblies. The waterproofing test is recognized essential in Eastern rice cropping region. Testing authorities participating in OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries agreed to introduce waterproofing test as part of the OECD Performance Tractor Code. This Code is internationally recognized as the standard against which the performance of the tractor can be judge, establishing specifications and basic performance criteria to ensure a minimum of quality for the traded materials. Results of each tractor test approved according to the OECD Codes are included in a report issued by the testing stations having performed the tests. The reports are accepted in the OECD member countries and in numerous other states. The purpose of this international Code is to facilitate trade by enabling an importing country to accept with confidence the results of tests carried out in another nation, contributing to increase the extent of the agricultural machinery market. This paper describes briefly the different existing National Standards available for waterproofing test in agricultural machinery and then the waterproofing test developed inside an OECD technical working group. Conditions and equipment required to carry out the test, the procedures to be follow and methods of checking water ingress in tractor's parts included in the OECD Performance Test Code are illustrated.