Progress in the service of agriculture
The aspect of sustainability is not only reflected in our business practices, but also in many of our products. We understand that beneficial innovation goes beyond mere technical performance and includes a commitment to our planet and future generations in agriculture. This approach has led to a number of product innovations in recent years that better balance product efficiency and environmental friendliness.
Our research and development department supports the Group in the development of new product properties, for example through material innovations. By developing or using new materials that are both high-performance in terms of increased wear protection and sustainable, we have significantly raised the bar for quality and environmental compatibility.
All in all, FRANK ORIGINAL is committed to a future where technology and sustainability are integral parts of our commitment to excellence and responsible action.
Helping to develop the future of agricultural technology
The research and development department at FRANK ORIGINAL is an important driving force in the FRANK Group and contributes to strengthening the innovative power and competitiveness of our companies.
One focus of the department is on the development of innovative material concepts and the optimization of product properties that help to improve the performance and durability of our wear part products. These concepts are carefully developed and tested with a view to current market requirements. Realistic and practical solutions are developed that meet ecological sustainability requirements and at the same time take into account the economic aspects of agriculture.
Based on proven material expertise, material tests are carried out to ensure that the materials used meet the strength and durability requirements. This is achieved through extensive tests and analyses that enable an objective assessment of material quality.
Conducting field tests is therefore an essential part of the research and development department's work. New products and technologies are tested and evaluated under real operating conditions in order to check their performance and reliability. The knowledge gained flows directly into the development process and contributes to the continuous improvement of products.
As an interface to science, the research and development department maintains close cooperation with universities and non-university research organizations. These partnerships provide access to the latest research knowledge and support the exchange of expertise and innovations. Through joint research projects and programs, new insights are generated and innovative solutions are developed that offer added value for the company and the industry as a whole.
Optimizing agricultural technology - an example
Agriculture is increasingly facing the challenges of climate change and extreme weather conditions. At the same time, it is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Against this backdrop, the conscious use of nitrogen fertilizers plays a crucial role. This not only helps to ensure stable crop yields and economic efficiency, but also supports climate protection and the ability to adapt to climatic changes.
FRANK ORIGINAL is part of a project to develop and validate a process for the precise placement of liquid fertilizer substrates on cereal crops. The main focus is on establishing a device for applying liquid fertilizer close to the roots. This can reduce the amount of fertilizer used, which helps to reduce the environmental impact of leaching and greenhouse gas emissions (nitrous oxide, N2O).
In the project consortium, FRANK ORIGINAL is responsible for the production of the so-called injection coulter. This is designed to create a slot in the soil into which the fertilizer is applied. The coulter runs behind a coulter disk.
Coating concept with substitution of a conflict raw material
The coating of agricultural wear parts with hard metals is an established process in agricultural engineering. Tungsten carbide, which is industrially produced from tungsten and carbon, is generally used as the hard metal. Tungsten itself is considered a conflict raw material.
For the EU import of so-called conflict minerals such as tin, tantalum and tungsten, extensive due diligence and testing obligations along the supply chain became binding in 2021.
For a German agricultural machinery manufacturer, FRANK ORIGINAL has developed a coating concept that replaces the conflict mineral tungsten in the alloy with iron. This concept was initially developed for cutting applications above the ground. The coating process is currently being tested for other applications.
This newly developed iron alloy with 1/3 less density is suitable for coating using laser deposition welding, including overspray recycling. This guarantees maximum efficiency in the use of raw materials. The process produces an abrasion-resistant protective coating and stands for sustainable tool quality.
For the development of this innovative coating concept, FRANK ORIGINAL was awarded the German Raw Material Efficiency Prize 2022 by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) in 2022. At the time, the prize was awarded to four companies and one university from Germany across all industries for innovative achievements in the economical and efficient use of raw materials and for exemplary innovative achievements in this field.
Process innovation - an example
The tempering of our wear part products is a core technology at FRANK ORIGINAL. Optimizations of the process technologies required for this combine the continuous improvement of the product properties - the desired combination of wear and impact resistance for the intended use of the wear part - with the most efficient use of energy during tempering.
The decisive factor here is determining the minimum heating and holding times required for different steels in innovative IR tempering processes in order to achieve the desired material properties. As a result, press-hardened steel components with excellent material properties and a very good energy balance leave our production facility.