BRANDON – Farmers shopping for a pull-type sprayer are paying more attention to overlap and skip caused by the trailer tracking characteristics inherent in a conventional style sprayer trailer.
Hardi has addressed the issue by designing a steerable, centre-articulating trailer for its new Commander series of pull-type sprayers. The configuration is in response to farmers who demanded better control of where the boom goes and doesn’t go, says Wayne Buchanan, sales manager for Hardi in Canada.
“Farmers told us two things,” Buchanan said. “They wanted a sprayer that would turn tighter than a conventional sprayer in the headlands, particularly in row crops, but also in grain fields.
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“In broad acre crops like cereals, they wanted something that would track straight with the tractor and leave fewer tires tracks in the field.
“With the SafeTrack steering system we developed, the trailer tires follow the tractor tires exactly. It won’t leave any more tracks in the field than a self propelled high clearance unit.”
Because of the articulating frame on their trailers, Commander sprayers with SafeTrack have a turning radius of only 19 feet. In transit mode, the steering tires lock into the straight ahead position.
According to Hardi, the SafeTrack system ensures that the boom is always 100 percent perpendicular to the crop, even when turning at the headlands.
How did they do that?
Buchanan said the steering angle of the tractor in relation to the sprayer is measured by a potentiometer connected to a rocker arm and two chains.
As the operator turns the steering wheel and the tractor begins to turn, the chains pull on the rocker arm and the potentiometer signal goes to the computer, telling it how much the tractor is turning.
A similar rocker arm and potentiometer is attached to the articulating point on the trailer, which tells the computer where the back end of the trailer is in relation to the tractor.
The computer does continuous calculations based on ground speed, tank volume, boom height and track width. With this data, it provides continuous instructions to the hydraulic steering cylinders to keep the trailer in line with the tractor. In the headlands, the trailer follows the same arc as the tractor. If the tractor turns in a 19 foot radius, so will the sprayer.
Buchanan said safety has also been a chief factor in the new design – the trailer is more stable than traditional drawbar steering.
“Even with the tight turning radius we get from SafeTrack, we’ve been able to lengthen the trailer frame considerably,” he said.
“This lets us mount the tank very low in the frame. The bulk of the volume – the true mass – sits down inside the centre of the trailer frame. This gives a lower centre of gravity and better stability. We also repositioned the 130 gallon flush tank to the back to reduce the tongue weight.”
Buchanan said this lower centre of gravity translates to better boom control in the field and a safer trailer on the road.
SafeTrack is available only on the 1,200 US gallon Commander 4400 and the 1,850 gallon Commander 6600, but not the 2,400 gallon Commander 9000.
Ground speeds continue to increase as producers strive to hit the narrow window of opportunity with their spray applications.
However, higher spray speeds make it more difficult to control the boom, especially big ones such as the 132 foot Force boom available on Commander sprayers. Less boom bounce means better spray accuracy.
Buchanan said the longer trailer, lower centre of gravity, centre articulation and SafeTrack steering are engineering features intended to help farmers spray faster while maintaining good boom control.
He said the suspension systems fall into that same category. The drawbar suspension removes peak loads from the sprayer when operating in rough field conditions.
This rubber dampening system prevents severe shock loads from jolting the tractor and operator.
One standard feature on the drawbar that operators will appreciate is a hydraulic support leg at the hitch that is driven by its own cylinder attached to its own circuit on the tractor. When activated, the leg supports the entire drawbar weight of the sprayer, allowing quick and easy attachment to the tractor.
On the trailer axle, a hydraulic suspension with high-pressure nitrogen absorbs the shock while allowing vertical movement of the axle.
Buchanan said the new Look Ahead controller system has been designed to have the quickest memory on the market.
“It doesn’t hunt around for the right instructions. It remembers each situation and brings it up instantly.
“If you were spraying, for example at seven mph at 40 psi, it would log that information. If you had to reduce your speed for some reason, it automatically drops the pressure to the correct level.
“When you kick it back up to seven mph, it remembers the situation instantly and brings the pressure directly back to 40 psi. No searching around.”
Buchanan said the sprayers carry five new patents on unique technology that Hardi developed just for this sprayer. Some of those relate to the EasyClean and Cyclone filters.
On the suction side, the EasyClean filter can be monitored by an external gauge that tells the operator when it needs to be serviced. This prevents unnecessary stops when the filter doesn’t need service and also ensures the filter is cleaned when it does need attention.
On the pressure side, the Cyclone filter employs high-speed swirling action for additional cleaning of the liquid.
The Commander’s working zone is located at the front left of the trailer, with all primary controls and functions in one place. The nine gallon chemfiller handles liquid and powders. This large volume is possible because of high vacuum suction and high pressure vortex nozzles inside the hopper.
The patented SmartValve system uses only two handles in the working zone to control all functions. The blue handle controls all suction while the green handle controls all pressure.
Producers who have bought the optional Twin Force air booms from Hardi report an average 16 percent reduction in chemical use, compared to nonair booms.
Customers also report that one air boom sprayer covers as much ground as two conventional sprayers without air assist.
The Hardi air system allows the operator to adjust the angle of the air flow to suit different crop and weather conditions. The angle can be up to 40 degrees forward, straight down or up to 30 degrees backward.
The Twin Force air booms are available in 80 and 100 foot sizes. They use two blower units, one for each side of the boom.
The sprayers are now commercially available, with the first two in Western Canada delivered in June to producers near Taber, Alta.
Buchanan said prices start at $65,000 for the 4400 model with a 1,200 gallon tank and an Eagle boom.
For more information, contact Buchanan at 519-659-2771 or visit www.hardi-us.com.
