On-the-go tillage monitoring, depth adjustment and tool leveling help achieve uniform seedbed
Summary
- Poor tillage practices can lead to uneven seedbed conditions that can negatively impact seed singulation, spacing, planting depth, emergence and consequently, yield.
- The Sunflower Till ControlTM system is the latest precision farming tool from Sunflower and enables operators to monitor and conveniently adjust tillage equipment from the tractor cab to better manage for changing field conditions.
- The Sunflower Till Control system is available on three products from Sunflower - the SF6830 high-speed rotary finisher, the SF1436 Series disc harrows and the SF6631 Series vertical tillage tools.
DULUTH, Ga. — Sunflower®, the leading seeding equipment and tillage implement brand from AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO), is introducing Sunflower Till ControlTM. The company’s latest precision farming product, Till Control allows operators to precisely monitor and control tillage depth and other tillage implement functions from inside the tractor cab. This technology ensures consistent tillage throughout the field for a more uniform seedbed, maximizing crop performance.
“Soil conditions, soil type and residue levels can vary significantly within a field, affecting the tillage process and ultimately seedbed quality,” says Larry Kuster, AGCO senior product marketing specialist. “An uneven seedbed can negatively impact seed singulation, spacing, planting depth, emergence and as a consequence, impact crop yield.
“The Sunflower Till Control system allows operators to monitor different tillage equipment functions and make any necessary adjustments. Conveniently touching a screen to make equipment adjustments to match changing field conditions goes a long way in achieving a consistent, uniform seedbed. And, it saves growers time and the hassle of making mechanical adjustments,” Kuster explains.
Till Control Available on Three Sunflower Products
The Till Control system is available on three Sunflower products – the SF6830 high-speed rotary finisher, the SF1436 Series disc harrows and the SF6631 Series vertical tillage tools.
The SF6830 rotary finisher delivers high-speed, high-residue flow capabilities unattainable with traditional shank-equipped finishers and cultivators. On the SF6830, the Till Control system allows operators to monitor the hydraulic level gang on-the-go, ensuring a consistent, level soil output even when ground speed varies. Equipped with two intermeshed gangs of Sunflower’s exclusive Rotary Spider tines ensures the soil is leveled and that crop residue is equally mixed across the entire width of the machine. Till Control helps the operator set the spider tines at the optimum working depth by limiting the pressure the cylinders can apply to the spider tines after the machine is at working depth. Once the spider tine gangs are set they are then hydraulically locked into position. They only need to be reset if the operator wants to change the target working depth of the rest of the machine.
For both the SF1436 Series disc harrows and SF6631 Series vertical tillage tools, the Till Control system enables operators to monitor and adjust the fore and aft-frame, as well as the hydraulic lift system. Besides just monitoring the tillage depth it ensures the slave cylinders on the wings stay in phase with the center master lift cylinders. Restoring the level or re-phasing the cylinders can quickly and easily be completed by fully raising the implement out of the ground.
ISO-compatibility captures field and life-time implement data for better service planning
On all three Sunflower tillage implements, the Till Control will allow equipment to communicate with ISO-compliant terminals in tractors. Sunflower Till Control has an implement recognition feature which automatically displays the tillage tool name, type and working width on the terminal. Not only can service intervals be viewed from the cab, but operators receive notifications when maintenance is due, saving time and money. Additionally, the Till Control system tracks field and lifetime total acres and hours worked for better service planning. The system also displays active errors such as depth not calibrated.
Controlled through the cab terminal, Till Control equips implements with a lighting package which includes two LED work lights with 1800 lumens, providing operators greater visibility in dark and dusty conditions.
“Growers who have tested the Sunflower Till Control system have consistently given it high marks for ease of use, convenience of in-cab adjustment capabilities and the benefits of setting the equipment at a specific tillage depth and knowing that’s the exact depth it’s running,” says Kuster. “This latest precision farming tool is impressive and establishes the next generation of products in Sunflower’s tillage lineup.”
For more information, visit your nearest Sunflower dealer or www.sunflowermfg.com.
