Authors: Emily Larsen
At Washington State University, a team of mechanical engineering seniors—Caroline Galbraith, SeYun Han, Sami Hart, Zoe Nguyen, and Nicholas Smith—partnered with Rose Creek Seed to solve a real harvesting challenge. Their project focused on redesigning and building an entirely new push swather, a machine used to harvest and collect native seeds from plants across the Palouse region.
A push swather works by cutting plants near the ground while a rotating reel guides the cut material into a collection bed. The harvested seeds and plants are gathered as the operator pushes the machine through fields. Because different plants grow at different heights, the wheel and reel positions need to change throughout harvesting.
The original swather was difficult to use and maintain. The handles had failed over time, adjustments were frustrating and time-consuming, and chain tension became difficult to manage during operation. The team redesigned and built a new swather with stronger handles, improved wheel and reel adjustment systems, a redesigned chain tensioning system, a motor mount, and a new braking system to improve safety and usability.
The improvements created a machine that was easier to operate, faster to adjust, and more reliable during summer harvests. For Rose Creek Seed, this means less time spent fighting equipment and more time collecting native seeds efficiently. The project delivered more than a redesign—it created a practical tool that can improve future harvest operations and open new opportunities for the company.
