The new system, known as Fenix III, is able to deliver sowing rates of one to 500kg/ha of seed and fertiliser at speeds up to 15 km/h.
The Fenix can be used on Seed Hawk’s iCon carts which feature up to eight independent electronic metering systems, individual load cells in each tank and an iPad-based ‘wi-fi’ control system which makes calibration, section control or variable rate application easy.
Väderstad, a family-owned Swedish farm machinery manufacturer, acquired Seed Hawk in 2013 and the Fenix III system was thoroughly evaluated in the Väderstad research and development facility in Sweden before undergoing extensive ‘out-of-season’ field testing in Canada and Australia.
More than 4000 hectares of field testing, designed to replicate extreme operating conditions were completed in the past three months.
The metering chamber features stainless steel plate linings to withstand abrasive fertilisers, while the central shaft is mounted on sealed, stainless steel bearings.
The metering roller is made of polyurethane, which prevents damage to the motor if a foreign object becomes stuck in the metering system.
Each meter is driven by a high-torque, 40 watt electric motor fitted to a 64:1 reduction gearbox, which allows the Fenix III to run efficiently at a low rpm and seed at a wide range of rates.
Five rollers are available to suit a wide range of seed, fertiliser, inoculants, micronutrients and other crop inputs.
iCon 800, 660 and 500 carts have a total capacity of 22, 18 and 15 tonnes across four, three and two primary bins, respectively.
More details: your nearest Claas Harvest Centre
