Overview
ISO 17101-2:2012 - Agricultural machinery - Thrown-object test and acceptance criteria - Part 2: Flail mowers defines procedures and acceptance criteria for evaluating the risk of thrown objects from flail mowers used in agriculture. The standard specifies test set‑up, target construction, test materials and run conditions to record and classify stone or debris projection from the protected zone of a flail mower. It also lists machine types to which this part does not apply (for example, rotary mowers, pedestrian mowers, articulated-arm mowers and certain highway-only units).
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope & exclusions: Applies to agricultural flail mowers (horizontal-axis, free‑swinging cutting elements). Explicitly excludes large rotary mowers, lawn mowers, inter‑row units, and certain rear‑opening flail designs.
- Testing conditions: Tests use the same mower and protective devices; where multiple working positions exist, tests are performed in the manufacturer‑specified rightmost and leftmost positions.
- Cutting height: Typical test cutting height is set to 50 mm (or as close as design allows).
- Test surface: Firm, horizontal hard ground lined with coconut matting, covered with a sand layer and kept moist to saturation during testing.
- Target construction: Multi‑panel target assembly with Kraft paper facing. Kraft paper requirements: ~120 g/m² ±10 g/m², bursting strength ≥500 kPa and tearing resistance ≥1 200 mN (machine direction) - determined by referenced ISO test methods.
- Panel layout & reference lines: Panels are divided into zones and vertical sections to record impacts at defined heights and lateral positions; different panel configurations apply for rear‑mounted, offset and front‑mounted mowers.
- Test procedure & reporting: Defined runs and test operations, impact definition, restoration of test surface between runs, and standardized reporting of results (see annexes for illustrations and report templates).
- Acceptance criteria: Criteria against which recorded impacts are judged are provided to determine compliance.
Practical applications and users
This standard is essential for:
- Manufacturers designing and validating flail mower protective devices and enclosures.
- Test laboratories conducting thrown-object safety testing and compliance verification.
- Certification bodies and regulatory agencies assessing safety performance of agricultural machinery.
- Safety engineers and procurement specialists evaluating supplier claims or selecting machines for safe field operations.
ISO 17101-2 helps reduce field hazards from debris projection, informs design improvements, and provides a harmonized test method for safety verification.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 17101-2:2012, flail mowers, thrown-object test, acceptance criteria, agricultural machinery safety, target panels, Kraft paper, testing procedures.
Open preview (PDF)Agricultural machinery — Thrown-object test and acceptance criteria — Part 2: Flail mowers
