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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — A new applicator system that focuses on increased crop nutrient application precision was featured at the recent Midwest Ag Industries Exposition.
AGCO Corp.’s newly designed RoGator AirMax Precision R1/R2 pneumatic fertilizer spreaders hits the 4Rs — right source, right rate, right time and right place — of nutrient stewardship and are ideal for mid-season prescription application of multiple crop nutrients.
This system allows low- or high-rate application, provides turn compensation in curves and corners and is available as a single-bin R1 or the two-bin R2 with configurable 50/50 or 60/40 split.
“As a leading equipment manufacturer, it’s important to us to develop products with sustainable practices in mind,” said David Fickel, AGCO North America Application tactical marketing manager. “The AirMax Precision R1/R2 application system offers ag retailers the latest technology to make sure they are getting the right crop nutrients applied, at the needed rate and in the right place, which ultimately helps boost a farmer’s productivity and bottom line.”
The single-bin has a product capacity of 235 cubic feet and the twin-bin holds 215 cubic feet.
The 70-foot modular boom allows for the replacement of parts if necessary.
“If you need to replace something or maybe you hit something, you don’t have to replace the whole boom. So, it’s a cost savings,” Fickel said.
Research Findings
Fickel noted that independent university research was conducted comparing the application quality and accuracy of the pneumatic boom spread, versus the leading spinner spreader in high wind and late-season crop application.
The research shows the AirMax Precision R1/R2:
“To help keep costs down, this machine is a lot more efficient than our previous models. This machine can apply somewhere in the range from I’ll say 20 to 850 pounds per acre at 10 miles an hour. Assuming, let’s say a 65-pound product, this machine can deliver those type of rates in an efficient manner that keeps the operating in the field instead of filling up and you can put down some serious rates, whereas, you have to maybe come back with a dual application with other machines,” he said.
“As far as the right rate, and probably as part of it, the right timing, this has two ports on the back and the front that are accessible to the operator to do a density test. Not a lot of guys are thinking about that. They just dump the product in and take off. You need to do density tests and this machine is the only one that has density ports cutout from the back and the front on the box.”
Unique Drive
The RoGator AirMax features unique hydraulic drive motors for better accuracy, rather than the typical mechanical drives with chains.
“These are on 888 pulses per minute whereas the rest of the industry is only getting around 400. So, we have a lot more control and we can be a lot more precise,” Fickel said.
“Altorfer is our dealer in Illinois, and they have customers that are doing as low as 15 pounds per acre at 14, 15 miles per hour.
“So, they can get extremely accurate with those rates. That’s a very low rate for a cover crop, let’s say, and sometimes the metering systems can’t handle that, it’s almost too light. This machine can handle that.”
Turn Logic on the AirMax allows for reduced overspread via turn compensation while Spread Logic ensures the right amount of product is delivered through the boom.
“There’s a sensor in the middle of the boom. So, for example, rate is 400 pounds per acre. The sensor is looking for that rate, so it will vary the conveyors individually on either side of the boom to hit that rate in the middle. On a turn, the outside wing is going over more ground, whereas the inside will meter back so you’re not over-applying,” Fickel said.
“That also goes back to the 4Rs with the product placement and making sure it’s in the right place and you don’t get those hot zones with over-application.”
Options
The application system is featured on the RoGator 1300C chassis and the 1100C. The user-friendly cab is pressurized for better filtration. The joystick and controls are ergonomic and centered on the operator.
The cab also features a large touch-screen display from AGCO’s AgControl system, and Raven Viper 4 for operator ease-of-use for recording rates and prescription maps.
There are multiple cameras in the bin and in the back of the applicator. The Night-breaker LED light package provides lights all around the applicator.
“You have a lot more visibility from the cab for those nighttime applications when things are running late in the season. You kick that system on and you’re not going to have any problem seeing,” Fickel said.