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Farmer, engineer and owner of Strainrite, Maurice Wooster.
New Zealand engineering firm Strainrite has been manufacturing its own pigtail standards for many decades, working closely with farmers to design and produce standards that are free of the faults farmers say are often found in cheaper, imported brand.
Farmer, engineer and owner of Strainrite, Maurice Wooster, says feedback received by the company suggests that one of the main problems amongst other pigtail post brands continues to be the foot bending, or breaking shafts.
"At Strainrite, we press-form the foot into a shallow 'U' shape, so that the edges curl downwards when it's trodden in. These edges, or sides, give it superior strength without adding any additional weight. Each foot is also machine press-crimped on to the shaft, which makes the join much stronger than if it was just welded on," says Wooster. "We're the only ones who do both things. Some other manufacturers use flat bar or wire section feet, but they aren't as effective."
Mark Mulholland, a dairy farmer in Darfield, agrees, commenting, "the foot on some of the opposition standards breaks off when you're pushing them in.
"The Strainrite standards have a more robust foot which stands up to a fair bit of abuse."
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Farmers praise the strength and ground-hold of Strainrite's uniquely-designed foot, which features throughout its pigtail post range. |
"It also provides better ground-hold because the 'U' shape compresses the earth as it goes in," explains Wooster.
"Just like cleats do on a tractor wheel. That mean that our standards don't fall out, even when they're bent."
Strainrite uses hot-dipping in its galvanising process, that Wooster says provides corrosion protection that adheres better and gives a thicker cozating than other alternatives such as zinc-plating, which may only last one to two years.
Farmer feedback also identified sun damage to plastic insulators and fittings as another factor in pigtail standard failure. Strainrite responded by UV stabilising all plastic throughout its pigtail posts range.
Massey Ferguson has announced a strategic supply partnership with International Tractors Limited (ITL), a manufacturer of low-horsepower and compact tractors, with recognised brands such as Sonalika and Sollis, to expand its portfolio with a new tractor range.
With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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