Valtellina, an agricultural valley in the Italian Alps, is renowned for its exceptional fertility despite its high altitude and latitude. The steep slopes of the valley are enhanced by dry stone terraces, significantly boosting its agricultural productivity. While Valtellina engages in various agricultural activities, grape cultivation is predominant due to the region's geographical advantages. The climatic conditions favor grape growth, and the high acidity of the soil produces wines with high acidity. Since the 1990s, grape cultivation and wine production in Valtellina have seen steady growth. The terraced vineyards, with a history spanning over a millennium, have supported the region's economic and cultural development. The dry stone wall technique has been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, underscoring its historical and cultural significance. Valtellina's organic farming district has also gained recognition, promoting organic production as a model for sustainable development. However, Valtellina's viticulture faces a significant challenge: mechanizing grape cultivation on the dry stone terraces. The region's geographic characteristics and the technical aspects of viticulture limit the use of agricultural machinery. Yet, the high demand for Valtellina wines necessitates increased agricultural productivity. Therefore, designing a small, intelligent tractor tailored for mountainous vineyards is essential. After conducting field visits and interviews with experts and users, I integrated the advanced technology of VITRAC tractors with the brand features of Lamborghini tractors in my industrial design. This concept design includes several notable features, such as automatic inflation and deflation tires to reduce soil compaction, a split electric chassis to enhance climbing power and terrain adaptability, and modular interfaces on the rear body for interchangeable functional components to meet various agricultural needs and improve grape cultivation efficiency. By integrating modern agricultural machinery technology with sustainable farming practices, I hope this tractor will help Valtellina continue producing high-quality wines, ensuring the region's long-term productivity and environmental sustainability.
Valtellina, una valle agricola nelle Alpi italiane, è rinomata per la sua eccezionale fertilità nonostante la sua alta altitudine e latitudine. I ripidi pendii della valle sono migliorati dalle terrazze a secco, aumentando significativamente la sua produttività agricola. Mentre Valtellina si impegna in varie attività agricole, la coltivazione della vite è predominante grazie ai vantaggi geografici della regione. Le condizioni climatiche favoriscono la crescita dell'uva, e l'elevata acidità del suolo produce vini ad alta acidità. Dagli anni '90, la coltivazione della vite e la produzione di vino in Valtellina hanno visto una crescita costante. I vigneti terrazzati, con una storia che abbraccia oltre un millennio, hanno supportato lo sviluppo economico e culturale della regione. La tecnica dei muri a secco è stata riconosciuta dall'UNESCO come Patrimonio Culturale Immateriale, sottolineandone l'importanza storica e culturale. Anche il distretto agricolo biologico di Valtellina ha ottenuto riconoscimenti, promuovendo la produzione biologica come modello di sviluppo sostenibile. Tuttavia, la viticoltura in Valtellina affronta una sfida significativa: meccanizzare la coltivazione della vite sulle terrazze a secco. Le caratteristiche geografiche della regione e gli aspetti tecnici della viticoltura limitano l'uso di macchinari agricoli. Tuttavia, l'elevata domanda di vini della Valtellina richiede un aumento della produttività agricola. Pertanto, è essenziale progettare un piccolo trattore intelligente adatto ai vigneti montani. Dopo aver effettuato visite sul campo e interviste con esperti e utenti, ho integrato la tecnologia avanzata dei trattori VITRAC con le caratteristiche del marchio dei trattori Lamborghini nel mio design industriale. Questo design concettuale include diverse caratteristiche notevoli, come pneumatici a gonfiaggio e sgonfiaggio automatico per ridurre il compattamento del suolo, un telaio elettrico diviso per migliorare la potenza di arrampicata e l'adattabilità al terreno, e interfacce modulari sul corpo posteriore per componenti funzionali intercambiabili per soddisfare le varie esigenze agricole e migliorare l'efficienza della coltivazione dell'uva. Integrando la tecnologia moderna dei macchinari agricoli con pratiche agricole sostenibili, spero che questo trattore possa aiutare la Valtellina a continuare a produrre vini di alta qualità, garantendo la produttività a lungo termine e la sostenibilità ambientale della regione.
Design of a small smart tractor for Valtellina's vineyard terraces
Ma, Zhiyao
2023/2024
Abstract
Valtellina, an agricultural valley in the Italian Alps, is renowned for its exceptional fertility despite its high altitude and latitude. The steep slopes of the valley are enhanced by dry stone terraces, significantly boosting its agricultural productivity. While Valtellina engages in various agricultural activities, grape cultivation is predominant due to the region's geographical advantages. The climatic conditions favor grape growth, and the high acidity of the soil produces wines with high acidity. Since the 1990s, grape cultivation and wine production in Valtellina have seen steady growth. The terraced vineyards, with a history spanning over a millennium, have supported the region's economic and cultural development. The dry stone wall technique has been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, underscoring its historical and cultural significance. Valtellina's organic farming district has also gained recognition, promoting organic production as a model for sustainable development. However, Valtellina's viticulture faces a significant challenge: mechanizing grape cultivation on the dry stone terraces. The region's geographic characteristics and the technical aspects of viticulture limit the use of agricultural machinery. Yet, the high demand for Valtellina wines necessitates increased agricultural productivity. Therefore, designing a small, intelligent tractor tailored for mountainous vineyards is essential. After conducting field visits and interviews with experts and users, I integrated the advanced technology of VITRAC tractors with the brand features of Lamborghini tractors in my industrial design. This concept design includes several notable features, such as automatic inflation and deflation tires to reduce soil compaction, a split electric chassis to enhance climbing power and terrain adaptability, and modular interfaces on the rear body for interchangeable functional components to meet various agricultural needs and improve grape cultivation efficiency. By integrating modern agricultural machinery technology with sustainable farming practices, I hope this tractor will help Valtellina continue producing high-quality wines, ensuring the region's long-term productivity and environmental sustainability.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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Zhiyao Ma_10986286_Small Smart Tractor Design for Valtellina.pdf
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Descrizione: A booklet documenting the design research and practice process.
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/223939