Saskatchewan farmer designs new combine drop pan system

WATCH: A Saskatchewan farmer has designed a new combine drop pan system. Fruzsina De Cloedt has the story.

Big things are happening in the small town of Sturgis, just north of Yorkton. A local farmer had enough of the heavy lifting and hours spent fiddling with his combine harvester, so he took it to his shop and created something new.

Loud clanking, running engines and a table saw makes it difficult to hear him.

Tyler Peniuk and his crew are preparing to seed the fields surrounding his homestead. However, for the moment, they’re focused on a rectangular piece of equipment – secured on a nearby table.

“This one goes off the back on a rail system,” Peniuk explains, motioning to his drop pan system, dubbed the “Yield Maximizer,” which is to be secured on the rear axle of a combine harvester.

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The “Yield Maximizer” is designed to separate seeds from the combine’s discharge – measuring loss and collecting valuable data to better calibrate the machine.

His invention seems light enough that anyone could carry it with ease. With a click of his remote, Peniuk disconnects the drop pan from the rail system, and it shoots out – into the arms of a crew member.

Peniuk says existing solutions are generally heavy – with set up and maintenance also being time-consuming.

There have been new systems tackling the same issue in recent years – with a Manitoba company even producing one.

However, Peniuk says his innovation is far less labour-intensive.

“No crawling on the ground, lying on your back. You go down on one knee to put it on, and it should be about a minute to put on,” he explained.

Peniuk says he drew inspiration from his father, who designed his own drop pan in the past.

“The first time I saw a combine drop pan, it wasn’t a drop pan. It was my dad running beside the combine and throwing it underneath, trying to bounce it off the tire of an 860 Massey. So that would have been like back in the 90s,” he recalled.

When designing his “Yield Maximizer,” Peniuk utilized components which are standard in the agriculture industry, with farmers’ interest in mind.

“[For example] that’s why I don’t use a scale for this. You don’t need a scale. Why? It’s an extra $450. It’s just taking money from the farmers,” he said, pointing at a transparent hose filled with seeds.

Peniuk’s innovation is patent-pending, and he is currently seeking to partner with manufacturers to bring it to market.

Bill Prybylski, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) says the province is a hotbed for efficiency and creativity.

“We’re pretty proud of a lot of the technology and innovation that’s come out of Saskatchewan, particularly in the last 50 years from where things were, particularly in the agriculture industry,” he said.

Among others, precision farming practices and artificial intelligence-powered solutions are being developed in the province – and making their way to farmers around the globe.

Other than maximizing his land’s yield potential, Peniuk says his motivation to create his invention came from a desire to feed more people in the world.

“The more people do it, the more grain [we save],” he said repeatedly while showing off his design. “Like there’s only so much grain out there – let’s put it in the right place, not on the ground."

Only time will tell whether Peniuk’s invention is the next big thing coming out of Saskatchewan. But one thing is for sure – Peniuk has joined the long running prairie tradition of innovation.