Growers need the guarantee that chemicals are sprayed with the desired rate in the right place, so the solution can work to protect and feed the right plants in the exact location necessary. Over the years, Agrifac have continuously worked alongside the grower to fulfil innovative solutions in the form of spraying technology to aid in this guarantee. Developed, manufactured and proven in-house, Agrifac technologies are meticulously designed based on years of research both in the field and in the farm office alongside growers. Dedicated to ensuring the highest quality yield without compromising on quantity, Agrifac’s tailored solutions are proving beneficial worldwide, as the company soars ahead of competitors as the only manufacturer to offer in-house solutions built into the machine during production; streamlining the assurance of having one point of contact for all machine questions throughout the customers’ ownership experience.
Since self-propelled crop sprayer production began at Agrifac nearly 30 years ago, machines have always been manufactured to offer the most stable chassis on the market; Agrifac call this StabiloPlus. This patented chassis design prevents the boom from swaying on uneven terrain and reduces tracking by ensuring equal weight distribution across all four wheels, ensuring operator comfort and peace of mind that the boom is working at perfect harmony parallel to the crop. StabiloPlus also assures an ideal weight distribution in all situations for optimum traction and the least possible ground pressure. Through its low weight and low centre of gravity, the sprayer can also maintain its standard high ground clearance of 125cm during road transport. Thanks to this proven patented base design, growers are safe in the knowledge that their machines are built on a strong foundation.
Adding to the balance of the machine and contributing further to the stability of the spray boom, Agrifac developed a naturally balanced J-boom which is standardly equipped on all Condor variants. The boom is naturally balanced, meaning that no overbearing balance system must be developed: Brilliant Simple. The Agrifac J-boom rolls freely over a moon-shaped suspension which ensures that the boom is perfectly in balance at all times: Agrifac call this BalancePlus. To further improve the balance under all spraying conditions, Agrifac developed the StrictHeightPlus height control system. With this system, BalancePlus and variable geometry work in harmony to keep the boom free hanging in all situations. Therefore, the boom can move freely, and the movements of the machine, even in rough and uneven terrain, are not passed onto the boom, resulting in the calmest and most stable boom ride possible, ensuring boom balance and improving spray quality. Due to the full integration in the EcoTronicPlus user interface control system, it is very easy to use.
This fully integrated boom control system from Agrifac guarantees the chosen distance to the crop is consistently maintained. By using four wide view sensors on the boom, Agrifac machines receive a reliable and accurate measurement of the crop. The benefit of using wide view sensors is simple: a wide view gives a better overview of the crop. This means that the system can ‘read’ the situation better and it will not be affected by irregularities in the crop. This leads to no crop damage and optimal spraying quality as the boom stays at the correct pre-set height. The full integration with Agrifac’s BalancePlus system enables the boom to stay completely balanced, which means that machine movements will not impact the boom. Together with the variable geometry and the accurate reading from the sensors, it makes StrictHeightPlus the most accurate and advanced height control system on the market, resulting in a more accurate spraying height, better spray quality and longer machine lifetime.
Need a solution to help control a consistent rate of application across the whole field without compromise? With Agrifac’s in-house PWM system StrictSprayPlus you can and will apply perfect amounts everywhere every time. StrictSprayPlus has three characteristics which help it to apply the exact amounts. Single nozzle sections to prevent overlapping, overdosing and allows each nozzle to be switched on/off individually. Turn compensation for 100% coverage is achieved by ensuring a consistent spray rate when making a turn, determined by fast and slow-moving nozzles, depending on the placement and swoop of the boom. Pressure independent rate control is also executed by changing the flow rate automatically, keeping the spray pattern and droplet size the same irrespective of speed or pressure.
In order to achieve all this, StrictSprayPlus calculates the speed and required spraying rate for every nozzle. These values are used to determine how much every single nozzle needs to spray. The flow is controlled by changing the time the fast (up to 100 times a second) switching nozzle body is open and closed. By varying the frequency and the open/close ratio the final rate per nozzle is established. Due to the ability to change the opening and closing time individually, the number of switches per second is as low as possible, but as high as necessary. This ensures the spray pattern is always accurate, while the lifespan of the valves is extended.
