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The new SAM orchard spreader.
Well known for its spreaders, feed wagons, tip trailers and quick hitches, Hamilton-based Coombridge and Alexander has added a new Orchard Spreader to its SAM machinery range.
Designed for use in all types of crops including viticulture, the machine offers the ability to spread conventional materials like urea, superphosphate, lime and chicken manure to the rear, while also incorporating a front-mounted discharge conveyor for banding products like compost, vermicast or mulch - without any changeover time.
Centred around a singleaxle chassis, a 2 cubic metre stainless steel bin is set low and narrow to offer precise manoeuvrability in the vineyard or orchard. Overall dimensions of 4.75m long, 1.6m wide and 1.42m high, means the machine can move easily under canopies, alongside being easily loaded by smaller, specialised tractors. In the base of the bin, an 800mm wide belt conveyor can move loads rearwards or forwards at the flick of a switch.
Material brought forwards meets a horizontal cross conveyor, that delivers to the right hand side, so clearly visible to the operator. Products like mulch can be dropped in a windrow, or placed in piles, while an instant start/stop function controls both conveyors simultaneously, meaning the cross conveyor is pre-loaded for any restarts.
In the case of the rear discharge mechanism, twin spreading discs sit on spinner tubes driven by individual hydraulic motors, with stainless steel used throughout. An in-cab controller allows the operator to select spreading or banding, in the case of the former, using target application rate, product density and tractor centres to deliver the required application rate automatically.
Key components are protected by front and rear nudge bars, while the durability of the machines is enhanced by attention to detail in the final finishes. Painted areas are subjected to an initial grit blasting process to remove any trace of grease or contaminants, before a pure zinc thermal arc spray coat, a primer coat and a two-pack epoxy paint final finish.
Optional extras include a swivel hitch for difficult terrain, LED lighting for road work, axle risers and tyre options, alongside oil cooling and temperature monitoring. For job specific spreading tasks, there are also a right-side only spinner or centre-discharge blocking options.
For more information visit sammachinery.co.nz.
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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
