Air drill 30 and 39 ft workling width
Balena is a new standard for extensive cereal farms. Innovative tine units can prepare seedbed on undisturbed or minimum tilled soil and contemporaneously deliver seed + fertilizer in the same or in different furrows. 40 ft working width and XL rear cart (369 bu, 2/3 seed, 1/3 fertilizere) confers outstanding operating range and output. Modular system of tines bar + rear cart + rear spiral roller allow multiple configurations and use: all elements in use for cereal drill, only tines to be used as a passive cultivator for soil tillage, or also "shanks + rear cart" to localize fertilizer before seeding row crops.
AIR CART
SEED DRILL COMPONENT
AIR CART:
Machine is made of 3 main parts: cultivator/planter, cart hopper and rear spiral roller. The use of machine with complete configuration allows to establish cereal and rape crops in a simple pass with a very extended working range.
Use of the tine bar only allows to use machine as a passive cultivator. Shutting some lines is possibile to use the bar and cart combination to localize fertilizer before planting of row crops, using obviously a GPS tracking system to find out lines later.
Folded frame is totally 5.5 m wide (18") when closed: this allow an easy transport of machine within the farm. Cart behind the drill bar gives always a good visibility to the driver during work and maneuvers.
Seed and fertilizer distribution can be managed in two ways: electronic or mechanical. First one is controlled by a "Trimble" monitor/GPS (picture) that allows to check directly from tractor cab all seeding functions (rate kg/ha, alarms, etc...). The mechanical system is based on the reliable 3 cam oil bath gearboxes GASPARDO (1 for seed, 1 for fertilizer) and has as main advantage the simple and robust structure.
• The unit makes possible the distribution of seed and/or fertilizer with different granulate size, even in high quantities (theoretical maximum 276 lb/ac seed and 496 lb/ac fertilizer) in relation to sowing width and operation speed.
• Distribution unit is enclosed in cast aluminum with rust-proof stainless steel and polyethylene components.
• Continuous dosing variation by means of the gearbox.
• Large diameter roller for low rotation speed to guarantee precise distribution.
• Seed loading cells arranged in helical pattern to achieve a more even distribution.
• Feelers for precise distribution without damaging the seeds and knock-out of foreign bodies.
• Easy disengagement to avoid damages of pulpy and fragile seeds.
• Cleaning unit for oily seeds.
• Distribution roller for small seeds with independent distribution rings to better manage different seed typology and rates.
• Easy hopper empting
The large cart hopper between planter and rear roller confers a very extended working range: its total volume is 360 bu, enough for more than 60 acres when working in seed+fert mode or up to 100 acres when used only to deliver seeds. Inner space is diveded in 2 sectors of 1/3 (120bu for fertilizer) and 2/3 (240 bu for seed) of total volume, managed independently by two metering units.
XL tires of cart hopper (FRONT 500/45-22.5 REAR 710/45-26.5) reduce soil compaction of drilled surface. Particular flat design and parallel ribs of tire tread improves floating effect and adds a selfcleaning action.
On a working width of 12 m Aquileia has totally 48 tines: each one has a double spring safety to operate non-stop in most challenging conditions like hard or stony soils. Every tine has 2 seed outlets, for a final row spacing of 125 mm: this solution allows to get high seed population with low number of elements. Configuration with 5 well-spaced ranks and high clearance frame allow to drill with no clogging of soil or residues even at highest working speed (10-12 km/h).
Tines have a delta tip with snap-fit system for the quick replacemnent of worn out or damaged parts. Special tips are available to deliver seed and fertilizer on different furrows and depth: this is specially required for drilling spring cereals, when fertilization at seeding have much more considerable Nitrogen rates.
Rear spiral roller is divided in 9 sections and is linked to the hopper cart with a steering drawbar: this makes definitely easy maneuvering at field edge nevertheless the considerable length of all the "train". Main action of roller is sub-compaction of soil moved from seeding: this guarantees always a good contact of seed to soil moisture for a quick and uniform germination.