Hose runner saves time and effort
Rakaia-based equipment manufacturer Pluck’s Engineering will soon start production of a new machine designed to simplify the deployment and retrieval of temporary water troughs used in winter break feeding.
Established in 1970 in southwest Ontario, Penta mixer wagons were first introduced in 2001 and over the last two decades the company has gone on to expand its range with cultivators, dump box trailers and truck-mounted mixers.
At the heart of the machines are the patented Hurricane vertical augers, said to allow forages to circulate faster and featuring patented cut-outs that allow material to drop through the auger to complement the rotational mixing effect.
Manufactured from cold-pressed, 3/4-inch steel, mounted to 3/8-inch thick tube, the augers feature a stainless steel leading edge and bolt-on ‘sweeps’ to ensure forage movement and complete emptying. The augers are also fitted with deep, serrated, heat-treated tungsten carbide knives to deal with a wide range of forages.
At the heart of the machine, a 20mm thick floor plate forms the base of the mixing tub, with the walls formed by 6.5mm thick AR-200 Canadian steel platesaid to offer excellent impact and abrasion resistance, rolled to form a profile that complements the augers, with no sharp edges or “dead spots”.
The tub is carried on commercial- grade chassis, built using extensive 13 and 20mm section, North American-grade steels. The design remit is for a smoothly finished exterior profile, with no protrusions that reduce the risk of damage when moving around feed pads, buildings or gateways.
Ahead of the tub, an elevated viewing platform offers safe observation on the contents and the mix as it progresses, while also offering side-to-side access through the machine.
Offered in SD and HD specifications, the former is marketed as a unit with premium specifications at a competitive price. Models range for single-axle, single or twin auger units of 10 to 16 cubic metres, with a 50 to 105hp power requirement, through twin axle, twin auger units from 18 to 38 cubic metres, with a 125 to 230hp requirement.
All TA models feature a wide opening rear access door. A flagship triple-axle, 3-auger machine offers 47 cubic metre capacity, with front and rear steering axles and a 280hp requirement.
Standard specs for all machines include Digi-Master E-Z 2810 weigh systems with 4 to 6 weigh cells, depending on model. Discharge conveyors use a stainlesssteel pan, complemented by a heavy-duty, C-section (C-188) conveyor chain, said to be one of the toughest on the market, while the conveyors also feature a 3-foot flip up and extension chute to reduce wastage, fed by a wide front door to promote a constant flow and featuring conveyor magnets to capture and ferrous steel objects.
Standard equipment also includes a twin reservoir auto-lube system with tanks recessed into either side of the machine.
www.valtonfeedingsolutions.com.au
