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Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs - The Flexiseeder Approach. Leuchovius, T. [1] , Stevens, E. J. [2] , Fraser, D.S. [3] , Roberts, C.D. [4] , Gaardløs, T. [5] , Bakkegard, M. [6] ____________________________
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Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs -The Flexiseeder Approach Leuchovius, T.[1], Stevens, E. J.[2], Fraser, D.S.[3], Roberts, C.D.[4], Gaardløs, T.[5], Bakkegard, M.[6] ____________________________ [1]Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, VPE/Fält Forsk, Uppsala, Sweden [2]S&N International Ltd, Governors Bay Road, RD1 Lyttelton, New Zealand [3] John Brooks Ltd, 214 Waltham Rd, Christchurch, New Zealand [4]C&C Roberts Engineering, 54 Crossgates Rd, RD3 Leeston, New Zealand [5],[6]Bioforsk Arable Crops Division, Apelsvoll, N-2849 Kapp, Norway T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Background – Plot and farm machines Functions not needed on farm machines Features needed for correlating experiments/farming practices Many demands are the same for plot and farm machines Define special operation modules needed in plot experiments Requirements for modules together with support systems A high level of control of the operation (setting up the treatments and monitoring of the results) Easy to initialize the treatment for each plot (without interactions between the treatments of each plot) Avoid carry-over effects, contamination and remains of tested products (like residues in combines or seed mixtures in drills) Apply products in well-defined portions for each plot, harvest crops without intermixing, take representative samples etc. T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Plot machine modules - examples Planting – Oyjord & Belted cones – portion feeders Spraying/Liquid appl – fixed/linear change – mix/injection Tool bars for mounting coulters, nozzles, weeding hoes etc Metering/positioning systems – GPS, land-wheel drive etc Collecting/sampling systems, machine weighing etc. Combined tillage/planting devices (reduced/no-till appl.) Adapted farm technology (planting, harvesting etc) T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Plot modules – tractor fork Tractor tower with plot modules fork added from the top. Optionally a pair of support and/or drive-line wheels can be inserted from below T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Plot modules – drill frame A drill frame attached to a tractor tower. The drill frame may have its own wheels and/or utilize the two optional tractor tower wheels. Different seeding/fertilizing coulters, weeding equipment etc. can be attached to the frame. Coulters can be pre-mounted on bars that can be rotated and/or height-adjusted. Seeders and distributors will be mounted on the frame, on the top fork of a tractor tower or on side/mid bars on tool carriers T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Plot modules – space requirements T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Tool carriers – mid-bar or side bars Swedish tool carrier with two side bars (runs also on GPS autopilot, Trimble system) Italian tool carrier Mazotti with one mid-bar T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
More drill frames… Flexi-drill prototypes from the Hubbard factory (New Zealand) with four height-adjustable support (ground contour following) wheels and rotating tool bars. The drill frame to the right has larger support wheels and was sold to Sweden. The coulters on the pictures are knife coulters on S-tines (The Swedish frame now has Suffolk shoes because the knife coulters were too aggressive to use on clay soils in spring for seeding - but fine for fertilizer placement) T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
… and yet another example … A jack stand and snap-on rotating tool bars mounted on a Farmall tractor (New Zealand). The lower picture shows a tooth profile for locating tool axles in the driving direction. T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Simple leveling device (S&N) on S&N plot seeder for Norway Portion feeders –Oyjord cell wheel type S&N portion feeder (New Zealand) With heavy-duty solenoid trip S&N Extension rings - drawing T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Other feeders/metering systems 1.Oyjord continuous feed attachment 2.Duncan 701 fertilizer box fitted to early Oyjord plot seeder 3.Thian fluted roller fertilizer box 4.Y2 Zero-Max gearbox fitted to Flexi Plot Seeder sent to Norway 5.S&N Flexi Plot Seeder sent to Switzerland, including carrier frame 6.Thian foam feed modules fitted T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Mechanical distributors • Left to right - • Conventional Oyjord distributor set up to be driven manually • S&N Farmall conversion using inverse impellor and direct coupled 12volt vehicle dynamo • Brooks-S&N 12 volt module including mechanical 1:5 variator plus un-machined bronze and aluminium impellor blocks. T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Air distribution components Air distribution components from Smallaire, Australia. The original distributor heads have been modified in order to prevent any residues remaining in the heads between plots and to lower the distribution variation T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Drive-line with encoder + step-motor Left - Reversible land wheel (make S&N) with encoder housing (mounted in place of mechanical drive axle) Right - Step motor with 15:1 bevel gear (New Zealand) for cone drive, retro-fitted to early original Oyjord-Schou plot seeder (1970s) T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Travelled distance in the plot may control: • The number of step motor revolutions (planters etc.) • The speed of the step motor (liquid application) Controlling a step-motor • Both options can be combined if you: • Control the step motor speed as a function of travelled distance • Calculate the integral sum Σdistance*motorspeed • Compare targeted and actual applied amounts • Use an over-compensation factor for situation 1. above • Note 1: For planters etc. with portion feeders or cell wheels, the • total applied amount should be a function of the travelled distance • Note 2: For liquid application you often try to keep an even travel • speed, record that speed and calculate the actual dose afterwards T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
Drill Coulter assemblies - examples • Examples of coulters for rotating harrow axles, left to right - • Amazone RoTeC single discs (Germany) • S-tine knife (S&N knock-on/replaceable, also Suffolk type) • ConnerShea discs adopted for S-tines (New Zealand) T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
MacTrac drill - prototype Prototype drill, under construction, for the Swedish MacTrac tool carrier, spring 2008. Width 1.5 meters / 12 rows. Equipped with one cone (portion) feeder and one cell wheel (continuous feed). Air distribution (Smallaire). Land-wheel controlled driveline two step motors (IMS). Amazone RoTeC disc coulters for seeding (a few mounted on picture). S&N module knife tip coulters for fertilizing (double air inlets). Drill frame is now re-built to rotating coulter bars. T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach
S&N Plot drill delivered to Norway, 2007 T.Leuchovius et al, 2008. Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach