Mechanical engineer passionately invents straw rolling machine all his life

After 40 years of dedicated research and innovation, Mr. Phan Tan Ben is now proud of his desired straw rolling machine line and participates in exporting to several countries in the ASEAN bloc.

Starting a business from a "3 no" production facility

40 years ago, Mr. Phan Tan Ben graduated from the Faculty of Agricultural Machinery, Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry. The student from Go Thap, Thap Muoi District (Dong Thap) returned to his hometown to work. Ben was assigned to the provincial mechanical company. After 3 years working at the mechanical company's office, Mr. Ben applied to go to the mechanical factory to directly produce, thereby learning about the design and operating process of each type of machine serving agricultural production at that time.

Five years later (1990), Mr. Phan Tan Ben resigned from the "state-owned mechanical factory" to start an "individual" business. Freed from the "collective production" mindset, engineer Phan Tan Ben opened a mechanical workshop under his own ownership.

Mr. Ben said: "Back then, production was under the "3 no" conditions: No electricity, no road, no capital. It was very difficult!". To solve the capital problem of buying materials for the mechanical workshop, Mr. Phan Tan Ben borrowed 2 taels of gold to sell for money to buy generators, welding machines, wind turbines... However, for 7 years, despite being freed from the "state-owned enterprise", engineer Phan Tan Ben only revolved around repairing pumps, plows, and small-capacity generators to support rice farmers in the Dong Thap Muoi region.

Engineer Phan Tan Ben next to a straw rolling machine produced by Phan Tan Company. Photo: KD

According to farmers' calculations, a roll of straw rolled by Phan Tan Company's machine weighs 12kg, and the current market price is about 15,000 - 17,000 VND. In other words, on an area of ​​1 hectare, in addition to the yield of 6 - 7 tons of rice/crop, farmers also collect 130 - 170 rolls of straw, with an added value of over 2 million VND/ha.

Not accepting because of the knowledge trained at the Faculty of Agricultural Machinery, with his own will to improve and the urgent needs of farmers in the fields, engineer Phan Tan Ben determined to create a product named after him. From a mechanical repairman, Mr. Phan Tan Ben used the basic knowledge learned in university to start a business to invent a number of agricultural machines. In 2014, engineer Phan Tan Ben established a one-member limited liability company named Phan Tan. This was also the period when he launched a multi-purpose rice harvester (cutting rice into rows, automatically collecting and putting it in the launch bin)... named Phan Tan which was shipped to farmers.

Engineer Phan Tan Ben said: "In 2015, the machine was brought to the national agricultural machinery exhibition organized by the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations. My rice harvesting machine was awarded second prize."

This success encouraged Mr. Ben to create a straw rolling machine, helping farmers to collect straw waste after harvest to increase income on each rice growing area. To have the straw rolling machine product, Mr. Phan Tan Ben spent a lot of time traveling to many localities in the Mekong Delta, the Southeast region... near by riding a motorbike, far by car to visit farmers during the rice harvest season to observe and meticulously record data related to straw waste after harvest.

Such field trips helped him form the idea of ​​making the machine. Engineer Phan Tan Ben encountered many difficulties in creating the straw rolling machine. The first machine brought to the field for testing did not meet the desired requirements. Mr. Ben carefully adjusted every small detail of the machine to overcome the machine's defects.

Constantly striving to master technology

Phan Tan Company's straw rolling machine is very popular with farmers in the Mekong Delta. Photo: KD

According to engineer Phan Tan Ben, currently some foreign straw rolling machines available in our country are all the type of machines that must be combined with wheeled tractors to roll the straw, which is not suitable for conditions in wet fields. When operating, the rolled straw will be muddy and dirty, requiring additional auxiliary means to collect and transport the straw to the collection point.

To overcome the weaknesses of imported straw rolling machines, Mr. Phan Tan Ben manufactured a straw rolling machine with the code PT - CR57, self-propelled by high-capacity rubber tracks, with a straw container at the back, no need for collection, very convenient operation even on wet, muddy ground.

After harvesting rice, the straw from the combine harvester is spread into rows and will be transferred to the conveyor belt by the PT - CR57 straw roller with a straw collection unit located in the front, then transferred to the straw cart into a round block with a certain tightness. The straw roller operator only needs to control the hydraulics to release the straw roll into the container at the back of the machine. The straw roll after being compressed has a diameter of 0.5m and a length of 0.7m.

The entire machine is mounted on a mobile system with rubber chains. When the bin is full of straw, the operator simply drives the straw roller to the collection point, pulls the hydraulic lever and the straw leaves the machine.

As a person who has used Phan Tan straw rolling machine, Mr. Huynh Van Phu - a farmer in Vung Liem district, Vinh Long province said: "My family has little land for cultivation, so I had to go to Phan Tan Company to order a machine to provide straw collection service to earn income for my family".

Mr. Phu said: In the past, when farmers cleared the land to prepare for the new crop, they only knew how to burn straw and stubble right in the fields. Now, they not only collect straw to store as animal feed but also use straw as a substrate for growing mushrooms.

According to farmers' calculations, a roll of straw rolled by Phan Tan Company's machine weighs 12kg, and the current market price is about 15,000 - 17,000 VND. Therefore, on an area of ​​1 hectare, in addition to the yield of 6 - 7 tons of rice/crop, farmers also collect 130 - 170 rolls of straw, with an added value of over 2 million VND/ha.

After 4 years of use, the machine has not only recovered the capital cost of the machine but also created more jobs and income for farmers. In addition to the function of rolling and transporting straw, the machine is also used as a light truck to transport farmers' agricultural products to the place of consumption. With the effect of supporting farmers to form a value chain of increased post-harvest profits, since 2017, Phan Tan Company's straw rolling machine has been awarded the title "National Outstanding Rural Industrial Product" by the Minister of Industry and Trade.

Mr. Phan Tan Ben confided: "Phan Tan Company's straw rolling machine products will actively participate in serving the program of producing one million hectares of high-quality rice in the Mekong Delta according to the Government's plan".

Source: https://danviet.vn/ky-su-co-khi-mot-doi-say-me-sang-tao-may-cuon-rom-20240919160625614.htm