Last reviewed 1 Oct 2026 · 6 min read
Why test farm machines?
Farm machinery is bought on claims; independent testing gives the farmer, the manufacturer and the government reliable, comparable data on performance, quality, safety and durability. Testing:
- Protects the buyer — guards against poor quality and false claims.
- Guides the manufacturer — shows defects for improvement.
- Supports subsidy schemes and standards — a machine must be tested and approved to be eligible for government subsidy.
- Compares machines on a common basis (same code, same conditions).
- Encourages innovation and safe design.
Types of tests
| Test | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Performance (functional) test | Capacity, efficiency, quality of work, power requirement, fuel consumption under standard conditions |
| Endurance (durability) test | Long-hour operation to see wear, failure and maintenance needs (e.g., 100–200 hours for sprayers and seeders, up to 1000 hours or more for tractors under a prescribed cycle) |
| Reliability test | Breakdown frequency and mean time between failures (MTBF) |
| Laboratory test | Controlled measurement — dynamometers, calibration stands (seed drills, sprayers), noise, vibration, materials (hardness, chemical composition) |
| Field (agronomic) test | Work in the actual field and crop conditions; user trials |
| Type (model) approval and quality certification | BIS standard mark (ISI), CE, OECD tractor test codes |
| Safety and ergonomic test | ROPS, guards, noise, vibration, controls, operator comfort |
| Special tests | Corrosion, dust and rain, noise, emission (TREM) |
The testing system in India
- Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institutes (FMTTI) — established under the Ministry of Agriculture: Budni (Madhya Pradesh), Hisar (Haryana), Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh) and Biswanath Chariali (Assam) — for testing of tractors, power tillers and agricultural machinery, and for training (in India, most tractor tests are conducted at the Central Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute, Budni).
- ICAR institutes — CIAE Bhopal (Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering), CIPHET (post-harvest), Agricultural Universities (AICRP on Farm Implements and Machinery); State Agricultural Engineering Departments' testing centres; Regional Network Centres.
- BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) — IS standards and test codes for tractors, tillage implements, seed drills, sprayers and threshers are the basis of the testing (look up the exact IS number from the BIS catalogue when needed).
- International: OECD tractor test codes (Code 1 — standard drawbar/PTO), ISO standards, ASABE standards, CIGR guidelines; Nebraska Tractor Test (USA).
- Result: a test report (and approval for subsidy or label) listing the performance and defects.
Tractor tests (outline)
| Test | What is measured |
|---|---|
| PTO performance | PTO power, torque and speed, specific fuel consumption at rated speed, maximum power, and varying load (varying load test) |
| Drawbar performance | Drawbar pull, power, speed, slip, fuel consumption on a concrete or test track (2 h rated test), at different loads and gears |
| Hydraulic lift test | Lift capacity at the lower link points, response, lifting time, oil pressure |
| Brake performance | Stopping distance, deceleration, pedal force, parking brake on a slope |
| Turning radius and ground clearance, track width | Dimensions |
| Noise at the operator's ear | dB(A) limit (e.g., ≤ 90 dB(A)) |
| Starting test | Cold start |
| Governor and engine tests | Speed regulation |
| Draft and lift | Operator controls and visibility |
| ROPS test | Static or dynamic loading |
| Emissions | TREM stage (check the notifications) |
| Endurance | Operation under standard cycles |
| Safety checks | Guards, lights, ergonomics |
Performance indices: brake specific fuel consumption (g/kWh), drawbar thermal efficiency, PTO power to rated output, maximum drawbar power, power reserve (the torque rise).
Worked ExampleExample — drawbar test
In a drawbar test a tractor develops a pull of 14.2 kN at a travel speed of 7.2 km/h (2.0 m/s) with a wheel slip of 11 %; the fuel consumption is 9.6 kg/h and the PTO power at the same engine speed is 40 kW.
Drawbar power . Ratio to PTO power . Specific fuel consumption (drawbar) . Tractive efficiency is reported at the test condition; slip of 11 % is within the acceptable range (8–15 %).