If you are looking for better ways to protect hydraulic couplings, open big bags, or automate hitching on or off to heavy machinery, there were interesting ideas in the new products at the Agromek agricultural fair in Denmark.
Hydrosafe ApS, a Danish start-up company, saw their colour identification and dust-protected handles for hydraulic hoses classified as a three-star New-in-Europe exhibit at Agromek, which is Northern Europe's largest agricultural fair, specialising in field tools, tractors and harvesting machinery, grain handling, livestock mechanisation, and energy. High Pressure Hose
The hose handles with rubber bellows protect the hydraulic system from dust and dirt.
In addition to allowing a solid grip and being clearly identifiable by colour, the aluminium handles protect the snap coupling from dust penetration and damage.
The rubber bellows seal off the male coupling.
Agromek's Evaluation Committee said the user benefits from smarter handling of the hydraulic hoses.
There are various methods for the easy and safe emptying of big bags, and the new idea from Agro-Bag in Denmark should be worth considering because it won a three-star New-in-Europe classification at Agromek 2022.
It consists of a platform which is installed on a fertiliser spreader or trailer. The big bag on a tractor loader is positioned on the platform, whereupon the spring-loaded top frame moves down, revealing four blades which open the big bag at the base.
Using two platforms, two bags could be safely opened and emptied simultaneously.
The Agromek New Product Committee said: “Agro-Bag facilitates quick and safe emptying of big bags directly from the tractor cabin". This greatly reduces hard labour and avoids having to climb up steps or onto machinery, and prevents the risk of health problems arising from, for example, inhaling of fertiliser dust when filling the fertiliser spreader.
Agro-Bag is designed and built to operate with bags of 600kg plus.
Approved and classified as a Two-Star New Product exhibit at Agromek 2022 was the Siwi Combi Hitch, which allows the tractor operator, during slurry spreading, for example, to uncouple hydraulic hoses, pneumatic hoses, traffic lights, and the slurry valve (with options for ISOBUS connection and PTO), from the tractor cabin.
The Agromek Evaluation Committee said this new product made by Siwi Maskiner ApS offers important labour savings by allowing quick on and off coupling to be carried out from the tractor cabin.
In slurry work, for example, to simplify coupling, the hitch on the slurry tanker can be offset, if the operator has not backed correctly. Via a camera, the operator can see how much offset is required. The coupling is monitored by sensors, and the operator receives a green light signal which verifies the correct coupling.
The SIWI Combi-Hitch can be used for many different tasks, from forage harvesting to muck spreading. The safety advantage of no one standing in the danger area between machines is obvious.
The SIWI Combi-Hitch can be a machine module fitted to an implement or trailer, or a tractor module option on the three-point linkage, fitted with up to eight hydraulic couplings and up to two six-pin power plugs.
Weighing about 250kg, it is compatible with pneumatic brakes, ISOBUS and different control boxes, and is suitable for a 140 to 450 horsepower tractor.
SIWI previously won an innovation award for Best Agricultural Machine Product on the Canadian market in 2019.
Other winning Danish ideas at Agromek are of interest to farmers wanting the perfect water heater, or looking for alternatives to the chemical treatment of potato haulms.
Grotrian's new intelligent hot water supply was approved as a Two-Star new exhibit ensuring consistent temperature in its 1,000 litres hot water tank.
The Grotrian Direct Wash for milking and cooling systems has a frequency-controlled pump to circulate the water in the tank so that temperatures remain constant, top and bottom. The same pump is used for pumping out the hot water.
The system monitors hot water and power consumption and stores the data in a database. The system can be extended to control automated milking systems and milk-cooling tank washes. This involves monitoring water volume, temperature, chemical dosage pumps, power consumption, etc.
Danish potato growers have been anxious to replace the application of chemicals to stop potato growth with an alternative method.
This is the function of MSR Plant Technology's three-star New-in-Europe Crown Crusher unit for mechanical growth stop in all types of potato stems, including lodged or tangled tops.
This is a newly developed unit for the Crown Crusher implement that can lift and separate potato stems so that all green tops can be crushed.
The Agromek New Product Committee said: “This new unit makes it possible to apply mechanical growth stop in potatoes with laid or tangled tops, for example, potato types with hanging stems or stems which have been laid down due to rain, machine tracks, soil coverage, etc.
"This means that mechanical growth stop can be effectuated in all types of potatoes under the right conditions, and simultaneously minimises the risk of disease.”
The manufacturer says the Crown Crusher with this lift and separation unit can, in most cases, ensure effective growth stop with only a single field operation.
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