Agricultural machinery technician

Agricultural machinery technicians repair, overhaul and maintain agricultural equipment including tractors, tillage equipment, seeding equipment and harvesting equipment. They perform evaluations of the equipment, perform preventive maintenance activities and repair faults.

Agricultural machinery technicians typically do the following:

• Service and repair the engines, transmissions, hydraulic systems, and electronic systems of agricultural equipment
• Discuss equipment operation with owners to pinpoint problems, including a visual check, listening to machinery in operation, and using diagnosing equipment
• Take defective units apart and repair or replace broken, worn-out or faulty parts
• Reassemble, adjust, lubricate and test repaired units
• Assemble and adjust new agricultural equipment

Agricultural machinery technicians may work in fully equipped service centres or they may travel to farms to make service calls. Hours of work vary from regular hours during the winter to long and essential hours during planting and harvesting seasons.

Agricultural machinery technicians routinely handle heavy machine parts.

The following job titles also refer to agricultural machinery technician:

agricultural production technician
agricultural technician
agricultural conservation technician
agricultural systems technician
agricultural equipment test technician
agricultural research technician
farm equipment technician
agricultural machinery technician
agricultural landscape technician
agricultural automation technician
agricultural machinery mechanic

A high school diploma is generally the minimum required to work as an agricultural machinery technician.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Agricultural machinery technician is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to agricultural machinery technician.

forge equipment technician
moulding machine technician
pneumatic systems technician
industrial machinery mechanic
fluid power technician

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of agricultural machinery technician. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of agricultural machinery technician with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

pneumatic engineering technician
industrial engineering technician
process engineering technician
medical device engineering technician
production engineering technician

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of agricultural machinery technician.

• Agricultural equipment: The offered agricultural machinery and equipment products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Mechanics: Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.

These skills are necessary for the role of agricultural machinery technician.

• Resolve equipment malfunctions: Identify, report and repair equipment damage and malfunctions; communicate with field representatives and manufacturers to obtain repair and replacement components.
• Maintain agricultural machinery: Maintain agricultural facilities and equipment in order to ensure that it is clean and in safe, working order. Perform routine maintenance on equipment and adjust or repair when necessary, using hand and power tools. Replace defective parts components or systems.
• Operate welding equipment: Use welding equipment to melt and join together pieces of metal or steel; wear protective eyewear during the working process.
• Record test data: Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.
• Perform test run: Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.
• Conduct routine machinery checks: Check machinery and equipment to ensure reliable performance during use and operations in worksites.
• Use testing equipment: Use equipment to test performance and operation of machinery.
• Perform maintenance on installed equipment: Perform the maintenance on installed equipment on-site. Follow procedures to avoid uninstalling equipment from machinery or vehicles.
• Perform machine maintenance: Perform regular maintenance, possibly including corrections and alterations, on a machine or machine tool to ensure it remains in a proper productive state.
• Consult technical resources: Read and interpret such technical resources such as digital or paper drawings and adjustment data in order to properly set up a machine or working tool, or to assemble mechanical equipment.
• Operate soldering equipment: Use soldering equipment, such as a soldering gun, a soldering torch or a gas-powered iron, to melt and join together pieces of metal or steel.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of agricultural machinery technician. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Hydraulics: The power transmission systems that use the force of flowing liquids to transmit power.
• Electronics: The functioning of electronic circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including programming and applications. Apply this knowledge to ensure electronic equipment runs smoothly.
• Pneumatics: The application of pressurised gas to produce mechanical motion.
• Electrical wiring plans: Pictorial representation of an electrical circuit. It shows the components of the circuit as simplified shapes, and the power and signal connections between the devices. It gives information about the relative position and arrangement of devices and terminals on the devices, to help in building or servicing the device. A wiring diagram is often used to troubleshoot problems and to make sure that all the connections have been made and that everything is present.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of agricultural machinery technician. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Operate agricultural machinery: Operate motorised agricultural equipment including tractors, balers, sprayers, ploughs, mowers, combines, earthmoving equipment, trucks, and irrigation equipment.
• Provide technical documentation: Prepare documentation for existing and upcoming products or services, describing their functionality and composition in such a way that it is understandable for a wide audience without technical background and compliant with defined requirements and standards. Keep documentation up to date.
• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation: Monitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation. Ensure that the processes are compliant with environment regulations and best practices.
• Use a computer: Utilise computer equipment or digital devices to facilitate quality control, data management, and communication. Follow instructions given by a computer programme, create computer files or documents.
• Order supplies: Command products from relevant suppliers to get convenient and profitable products to purchase.
• Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
• Advise on safety improvements: Provide relevant recommendations following the conclusion of an investigation; ensure that recommendations are duly considered and where appropriate acted upon.
• Maintain electrical equipment: Test electrical equipment for malfunctions. Take safety measures, company guidelines, and legislation concerning electrical equipment into account. Clean, repair and replace parts and connections as required.
• Dispose of hazardous waste: Dispose of dangerous materials such as chemical or radioactive substances according to environmental and to health and safety regulations.
• Install electrical and electronic equipment: Install equipment which is dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields in order to work, or equipment to generate, transfer or measure such currents and fields. This equipment includes switchboards, electric motors, generators or direct current systems.
• Install hydraulic systems: Install systems and components that use liquid fluid power to create mechanical movements such as hydraulic pumps, valves, hydraulic motors, hydraulic cylinders and other elements that power hydraulic machinery.
• Estimate restoration costs: Estimate the cost implications of restoring and replacing products or parts.
• Install pneumatic systems: Install systems and components that use pneumatics to create mechanical movements such as air brakes, pneumatic cylinders, air compressors and other systems.
• Assemble machines: Assemble machines according to instructions and specifications.
• Maintain hydraulic systems: Perform routine maintenance and repairs on systems which use pressurised fluids to provide power to machines and equipment.
• Provide customer information related to repairs: Inform customers about necessary repairs or replacements, discuss products, services and costs, include accurate technical information.
• Prepare compliance documents: Prepare documents with legal value which prove that an installation or a facility is conform to the regulations.
• Maintain electronic equipment: Check and repair electronic equipment. Detect malfunction, locate faults and take measures to prevent damage.
• Apply technical communication skills: Explain technical details to non-technical customers, stakeholders, or any other interested parties in a clear and concise manner.
• Issue sales invoices: Prepare the invoice of goods sold or services provided, containing individual prices, the total charge, and the terms. Complete order processing for orders received via telephone, fax and internet and calculate the customer’s final bill.
• Write records for repairs: Write records of the repairs and maintenance interventions undertaken, of parts and materials used, and other repair facts.

7233 – Agricultural and industrial machinery mechanics and repairers

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References

1. Agricultural machinery technician – ESCO
2. Agricultural Equipment Technician: Occupations in Alberta – alis