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Grain Measurement and Stocktaking Manual
This manual provides a ready means of physically measuring grain stocks in bins, sheds and other storages, to obtain both a volume and tonnage figure. It is very useful for confirming book stock records.
History
In the early 1980’s I was asked by my employer (AWB) to form a team to design and implement a grain measurement and stocktaking system so that the book records of grain stocks could be validated by physical on site measurements.
This ended up being quite a process, with training courses and so forth implemented, covering a range of grain industry organisations. A census of wheat stocks needed to be undertaken. The basis of the system was, of course, high school standard geometric assessment and measurement of the particular shapes of grain in storage. The methods needed to be straight forward and well explained, as many different people would need to use the systems – some of whom had not undertaken higher school studies.
Explanations and calculations were based on the use of simple shapes that most people could relate to and understand. The Greek scholars who formulated the systems many long years ago may not have totally agreed with the descriptions, but there is no doubt that the systems were quickly understood and worked. Generally the physical stockades were accurate to within several percent of the real figure. Errors in stock systems were quickly revealed.
The systems were in due course automated and computerised, but such things tend to come and go.
If using the systems – be practical:
- Do not use imperial measurement systems – use metric measurement and convert the final metric tonnage result back to bushels if you must.
- Purchase 50 meter metric tape measures – use a heavy weighted bolt in the end to make vertical drop measurements easier.
- Be safe – use harness systems when working at heights.
While expressed in what is now an old fashioned format, the systems and methods in the manual work as well today as they did 30 years ago, and no doubt will work equally well in 30 or 3,000 years hence.
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