Austrian tillage and forage equipment manufacturer Pottinger is currently embarking on a nationwide product roadshow; it kicked off recently in Co. Cork.
The company is demonstrating its key pieces of arable equipment, including its Synkro tined cultivator, Terradisc disc harrow, Servo plough and Lion power harrow – the latter mated to an Aerosem seed drill.
The aim of the roadshow is to give visitors the chance to see different types of implements and machines in action – and to speak to company representatives to find out more about such equipment.
The Synkro 3030 3m tine harrow (above) will feature at all of the events. This unit is fitted with 11 tine legs, which are mounted in three rows and incorporate auto-reset protection.
The Synkro can also be equipped with pairs of levelling discs, located directly behind the tines, to help level and prepare the soil ahead of the packer roller. Depth adjustment is set via a pin and guide rail, allowing the user to see what setting is in use at any given time.
Pottinger Area Sales Manager Ben Stokes commented: “The Synkro tine harrow is ideally suited for both shallow and deep cultivation and can be used as an alternative solution to ploughing.”
The Synkro can also be fitted with a box seeder; it is available in 3.5, 4, 5 and 6m (trailed) versions.
Turning the sod at the demo days is the job of Pottinger’s Servo 355 N Plus 5-furrow plough (above). All Pottinger ploughs are fitted with an “inner bone” system in the centre of the main beam – for “added strength”. These models are available with up to eight furrows, with mid or rear-mounted depth wheels.
Area Sales Manager Paul Wilson explained: “The Servo plough features a unique ‘vari-width’ pin, which is located on the inside of the main beam where it does not compromise the strength of the plough’s structure.”
The one-pass system (above) present at the demo days comprises a Lion 3002 power harrow and an Aerosem 3002 ADD pneumatic drill.
Pottinger’s Aerosem (air) seed drill comes as standard with a hydraulically-driven fan, load-sensing and ISOBUS – making it one of the more “high tech” units available in its standard guise.
Up top, there are three different (seed) hopper sizes available. The middle-of-the-road 800L option is fitted to the Irish demo machine. According to Pottinger, seed calibration is now “extremely simple” and can be done from the side of the machine; the operator no longer has to climb under the hopper.
At the rear of the drill, a double-disc and press-wheel coulter system is fitted; traditional Suffolk coulters are available as an alternative. All coulter legs are of equal length. This, says Pottinger, allows them to exert the same pressure (circa 55kg) across the full width of the machine.
The demo Aerosem is mounted on Pottinger’s Lion 3002 power harrow. It typically comes with 10 rotors, but a 12-rotor version is also available. Each rotor is fitted with two bearings that are “fully immersed in oil”. Pottinger says that, in the event of a bearing failure, metal cannot get into the gears – thus limiting potential damage.
Pottinger Ireland’s Paul Wilson, Ben Stokes and Diarmuid Claridge
Also featuring at the demo days is Pottinger’s Terradisc disc harrow. The 3m version being used on the roadshow is equipped with 24 scalloped discs – each with a diameter of 58cm and a spacing of 12.5cm.
Commenting on the demo events, Pottinger Ireland General Manager Diarmuid Claridge said: “Our demonstration mornings are being held to allow growers, farmers and contractors to come and see a sample of the range of tillage machinery on offer.”
