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

1. Planting – Oyjord & Belted cones – portion feeders

2. Spraying/Liquid appl – fixed/linear change – mix/injection

3. Tool bars for mounting coulters, nozzles, weeding hoes etc

4. Metering/positioning systems – GPS, land-wheel drive etc

5. Collecting/sampling systems, machine weighing etc.

6. Combined tillage/planting devices (reduced/no-till appl.)

7. 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

T.Leuchovius et al, 2008.

Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach

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

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

Plot modules – drill frame

T.Leuchovius et al, 2008.

Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach

Plot modules – space requirements

Tool carriers – mid-bar or side bars

T.Leuchovius et al, 2008.

Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach

Italian tool carrier Mazotti with one mid-bar

Swedish tool carrier with two side bars (runs also on GPS autopilot,

Trimble system)

T.Leuchovius et al, 2008.

Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach

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)

More drill frames…

T.Leuchovius et al, 2008.

Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach

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.

… and yet another example …

T.Leuchovius et al, 2008.

Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach

Portion feeders –Oyjord cell wheel type

S&N portion feeder (New Zealand) With heavy-duty solenoid trip

Simple leveling device (S&N) on S&N plot seeder for Norway

S&N Extension rings - drawing

T.Leuchovius et al, 2008.

Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach

1.Oyjord continuous feed attachment

Other feeders/metering systems

2.Duncan 701 fertilizer box fitted to early Oyjord plot seeder

6.Thian foam feed modules fitted 5.S&N Flexi Plot Seeder sent to Switzerland, including carrier frame4.Y2 Zero-Max gearbox fitted to Flexi Plot Seeder sent to Norway3.Thian fluted roller fertilizer box

T.Leuchovius et al, 2008.

Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach

Mechanical distributors

Left to right -1. Conventional Oyjord distributor set up to be driven manually2. S&N Farmall conversion using inverse impellor and direct coupled

12volt vehicle dynamo3. 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 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

Air distribution components

T.Leuchovius et al, 2008.

Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach

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)

Drive-line with encoder + step-motor

T.Leuchovius et al, 2008.

Multi-purpose plot machine modules: More flexibility and lower costs – The Flexiseeder Approach

Controlling a step-motorTravelled distance in the plot may control:

• The number of step motor revolutions (planters etc.)• The speed of the step motor (liquid application)

Both options can be combined if you:

a. Control the step motor speed as a function of travelled distance

b. Calculate the integral sum Σ distance*motorspeed

c. Compare targeted and actual applied amounts

d. 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 travelspeed, 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 -1. Amazone RoTeC single discs (Germany) 2. S-tine knife (S&N knock-on/replaceable, also Suffolk type)3. 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