A lot of sprayer operators are seen as machine operators elite, their desire of verification of efficiency and accuracy in their regimes of pesticide application hasn’t been unnoticed.

Annual test is now a very useful way for a lot of growers to engage themselves in annual sprayer service. This is experienced by Kellands Agricultural service manager – Simon Levick.

He says that standard of the used equipment has considerably increased after this was implemented. The growers perceive this annual test as a chance to overhaul and service their sprayers well in advance for the season.

Such is the acceptance of the scheme that it is pretty rare that the firm is asked for spraying the considered not serviceable or just unable for testing. This firm has 5 engineers who do sprayer testing and they have previously invested very heavily in the calibrated equipment, training, and test rigs for making sure that they get it right on the first time. Last year, they tested more than 300 sprayers.

The benefits:

According to Mr. Levick, there are plenty of benefits of doing annual test. The sprayer efficiency is maximized and the down time is reduced. Also, the traceability improves and the sprayer’s trade in value is increased.  Valid certificate will provide some evidence to their customers, organizations of crop assurance, and public of the commitment for keeping the equipment in well serviced and sound condition.

Scheme of NSTS asks the sprayers to pass about 30 key points, and they are supported by recommendations and cautionary points for the structural items. This scheme rewards the sprayer operators along with points of NRoSo if the test is attended by them.

Wet sight gauges, leaky pipe work, weak pumps, worn nozzles, inaccurate gauges, failed filter condition, and section valves are amongst the areas which need some attention according to him.

Molten Rock director Chris Swift has been using wheel chair for more than 16 years and hence knows about the challenges faced by mobility impairments while in the outdoor environments.

He says that something that enables people to travel off-road is pretty exhilarating for wheel chair users.

Boma 7 is RWD and is comes with electric 800W motor. There is a battery having range of ten to fourteen miles and you can recharge it from mains through supplied adaptor. You can specify different options depending on the requirements of individuals.

Steering is done through handle bars and there is also a handle throttle incorporated. You can also use it with head controls or joystick. There is 1 standard chair size – the controls, seating, and foot plate is all user adjustable for accommodating the different riders.

75kg machines are now available and they start from £8,775 for the base model. There is a twelve month warranty offered.

Ratchet head band can be adjusted according to your preferences. There are 8 possible positions along with 3 vertical settings. You can use it with or with out the protective earmuffs. All these goodies will certainly make working in forests. There is adequate protection provided to the different body parts and hence you won’t have to be careful about everything while you are working out there. The prices aren’t known yet but we don’t expect them to be too costly. If you are one of those who work extensively in the forests, then you should protect yourself by purchasing such equipments.

Agricultural Engineers Association says that the sales outlook is pretty strong with the UK farming enjoying good prosperity period. There is also an incentive for making early decisions of purchasing and it will be spurred by Initial Annual Allowances (tax) which will be ending by April.

It is being predicted that the sales of tractors for this year will be pretty good and the sales will be maximum in the early part of the year.

The new tires are made for working in pressure that is less than 2 bars and new 2.05 m of diameter on the CerexBig tires give high clearance of ground and big foot print for helping with the traction. This is what the manufacturer says. We will be writing a full review of the tires here if the manufacturer sends it to our offices for review. Till then, keep checking this site for the latest updates.

The lift capacity

On the rear end, its three category, 3-point linkage come with lift capacity of 7,000 kilograms and pick up hitch can tow maximum of 20 tonnes. The PTO is driven directly off the engines through clutch pack that is variable and has speeds of 540/1,000 rpm with rating of 133 hp.

Cab frame is suspended hydraulically with 110 mm travel and boom suspension too can be specified. New models will be available by second of the next year.

It is available in the 3m and 2.5m models and the weight here is lesser than the predecessor. There isn’t any strength lost either, according to the manufacturer. Sumo says that the leading legs which loosen the soil are redesigned for reducing resistance and this makes the Trio a bit easier for pulling, it lowers the fuel consumption to reduce the strain and leg wear on this tractor.

For reducing the downtime, the auto-reset legs are now pretty standard for all the Trios. Due to this, the legs are raised hydraulically for transport and the ground clearance is increased. You can either specify the single pieced point or the winged points having tungsten tipping.

The scrapers too are fitted standard to discs and boards which retain soil are now changed for making sure that the position doesn’t have to be changed for the road transport for the 3 m versions. The diameter of rear roller packer is reduced to 508 mm to 600 mm and it now has ring sections that are replaceable.

Versaplus

Versaplus is developed from Versadrill and it is designed for coping with a big range of trash/stubble and soil conditions. There are legs loosening lead along with serrated opening discs for aiding penetration.

Behind, there are two cut away discs rows. They are used on Trio and replace the leveling boards of the Versadrill. You can raise or adjust the depth totally. The discs are 4 staggered transport/press wheels along with the System Moore disc coulters and the press wheels which bring up rear. All these are mounted individually on the parallel linkages along with pressure of 200 kgs. To sow band, the selected coulters may be raised out of the work hydraulically.

Versaplus is available in 6m, 4m, and 3m models along with the full production that is scheduled with time for the deliveries of the year 2013.

Research and design of this new project of engine will be taking place at the Foston, Derbyshire premises where the Dieselmax engine of the firm is manufactured. The new generation 4.4 litre Ecomax engine, (see picture) will get installed in JCB’s own machines and it will also be offered to the third parties. It will provide a solution which doesn’t need any treatment of after exhaust for meeting emission regulations of Stage 3b.

This firm started manufacturing their range of Dieselmax engines at the Derbyshire plant in the year 2004. These engines are now powering more than seventy percent of equipment range of the company. Alan Blake, the chief executive at JCB is saying that they have been leading the way in off high way development of engine with range of clean, efficient, and fuel saving engines.

All these models are powered through FPT 6.8 litre engines and top TC5080, TC5080 Hillside, and TC5070 models have SCR with AdBlue for reducing emissions. AdBlue 80 litre tank is located close to the diesel tank and it needs every second fuel fill, according to the manufacturer.

TC5080 and TC5060 5 straw walker models will have hydrostatic transmissions as the standard one and will have total powered separation area of about 1.82 square meter. Separating rotors come with two pre set speeds and 2 concave positions enabling the separating to get fine tuned for the different conditions of crop.

All the models are specified with the VariFeed headers of New Holland and the distance can be adjusted between auger and knives by 500 mm for even and constant feeding. The headers are available between 6.1 m and 5.18 m width and there is in-cab controlling for them.

Combines can be specified with the SmartSieve feature which changes grain’s throw angle automatically on sieve by twenty five percent against lateral field gradient for prevention of straw and grain build-ups.

TC5000 range is now available for the next harvest and is targeted at the mixed farms and the arable operations which harvest up to three hundred hectares or 740 acres in a single season. The prices for TC5040 start at £80,677.

The EN 15000 has telescopic handlers will have LLMC or Longitudinal Load Moment Control for making sure that machines can reach forward safely without any tipping, according to Claas. But there are some drawbacks for the agriculture work. For instance, it adds pushing up the muck or grain where temporary over load results in hydraulics getting locked out on some of the machines.

Smart Handling over load system limits the boom extension automatically as the limit of safe load is reached. The further extension is limited, lifting, retraction, or lowering is possible if it is very safe. You can use the system for automating some work sequences like forklift or bucket modes.

In the bucket mode when extended boom gets lowered, boom automatically retracts regardless of load situation. If needed, operator gets to over ride automatic retraction through boom out function up to over load limit when boom automatically halts.

In the forklift mode, when the boom is lowered, it only retracts when only when you reach the over load limit. Once you reach a safe position, the boom stops retracting. In places it is safe, you can by-pass the system but it will get reactivated in a matter of 60 seconds.