Tillage technology continues to evolve as farmers move toward precisely controlled cultivation. That process took another step forward when Kinze introduced four new devices, spotlighting hybrid horizontal tillage.
Vertical tillage was the big buzzword in field preparation a decade ago. Although most manufacturers still build vertical tillage machines, hybrid horizontal tillage is the latest step forward in field preparation, according to a recent Kinze release.
The Mach Till high-speed disc is not a vertical tillage machine. It’s a machine designed to perform what Kinze terms hybrid horizontal tillage, says Kinze president Susanne Veatch.
“In this newly emerging hybrid horizontal tillage market, speed is only one of many benefits. The Mach Till can run at 8 to 12 m.p.h.,” according to Veatch.
“The most important aspect is what’s happening in the ground. Hybrid horizontal tillage combines some of the benefits of vertical tillage, conventional discs and soil finishing products into one tool. It integrates speed, good soil finish and uniform residue management in clay, sand, loam, wet and dry soils. High-speed disc tillage machines enable farmers to cover more acres in less time, and thus stay ahead of the planter.”
Mach Till cuts and throws soil at an angle to avoid creating a smear or compaction layer in the dirt. In the process, it blends soil and residue. Corrugated rubber rollers on the back of the machine shed soil and break up larger clods. They consolidate the soil, bringing fine earth into contact with residue to optimize decomposition, leaving the soil bed ready for planting. The large wide tires and rear corrugated rubber roller minimizes compaction. The machine can be used for fall primary tillage and residue management or for spring secondary tillage and seedbed preparation. The new line was developed by Degelman Industries in Saskatchewan and will be manufactured at the Kinze factory in Iowa.
The Blue Vantage display offers the most intuitive user interface in the industry, Kinze claims. They say it displays all necessary information on a 12-inch screen, featuring a comprehensive diagnostics screen with high-definition mapping and graphs. Quick set-up requires three clicks to go from turning on the display to planting. The display is designed to be a “hitch-pin” solution, straight out of the box and ready to use. Quick disconnect tablet dock and USB ports provide easy removal and data transfer.
Blue Drive electric drive integrates seamlessly with the Blue Vantage display to analyze crucial planting data. Blue Drive has curve compensation to reduce under or over-planting and provide consistent seed spacing for curves in the field and reduced seed waste. Blue Drive provides individual row module monitor and control for each individual row unit. This results in fewer moving parts, no chains, drive shafts, clutches or gearboxes.
Blue Vantage display and Blue Drive customer test units will be in the field during the 2018 season on Kinze’s 3660 and 4900 planters and be available on these planter models for the 2019 planting season. Both products were developed by Kinze’s recently established electronics division located in Iowa. Most components for both products are manufactured by Kinze.
True Depth hydraulic down-force provides row-by-row active control with down-force and up-force to ensure proper seed depth. The True Depth system will be available on the 4900 16-row and 24-row planter models and on the 3660 16-row planter including split rows.
Brush Meter 2.0 is an upgrade of the previous mechanical meter. It now features quick change seed discs, including new discs for wheat and cover crops for the first time. It can be completely disassembled without tools for easy maintenance. Brush Meter 2.0 fits all current 3000 and 4000 planter series row units.
