Gator made from recycled parts.
A bonnet made from plastic bottles pulled from the Mississippi river, and a storage compartment made from ground coconut are only a couple of the surprising materials used to make this concept Gator.
The result of four years of collaboration between John Deere and Ford’s sustainable materials team, the goal in developing the prototype was to examine ways of turning waste into viable machine components.
The brief was to build a Gator using renewable, recycled, and recyclable materials.
“It was difficult because we had to work within our current framework of production tooling,” says Keith Shanter, Senior Materials Engineer. “We weren’t going to invest in new tooling for a product that won’t go to market, but we did everything we could to find sustainable materials that were suitable replacements.”
In the end, the wide variety of different materials used included soya beans for the roof, doors and seat foam. Flax and hemp fibre, wheat straw and maple wood were selected for interior panels, and exterior door panels were made from sugar cane with maize cob filler. A rice hull filler was used for the dashboard, and the grab handles are made from recycled fishing nets.
Deere has no plans to take the concept to the production stage, but one component from this project that is in Gators produced today is a defrost louvre made of recycled tyres.
Source: John Deere
Kverneland introduces a flexible front hopper
Suitable for applying a wide range of fine to larger seeds and fertiliser, the f-drill front hopper can be combined with different implements and for operation in various working widths. Seeding and fertilising in one pass is possible, as well as the combined application of seeds and companion crops.
In spring, the f-drill can be used as a fertiliser hopper with the Optima F or, for example, in combination with the Kultistrip for strip tillage. When joined with a power harrow drill combination, it can be used as an additional seed hopper for sowing companion or spring crops. In summer and autumn, the hopper can be combined with a power harrow. Working width of the coulter bar is from 3 to 6 m and power requirements are from 78 to 127 kW.
Available in two sizes and two versions, the f-drill compact has a capacity of 1 600 litres and the f-drill maxi up to 2 200 litres. The standard version is equipped with one Eldos metering unit. Higher application rates can be achieved by the duo version, as two Eldos units distribute two times up to 400 kg/ha of one type of fertiliser or seed.The company says that high volumes are ensured by the venturi system with no need for a pressurised system.
The f-drill can be connected to any ISObus compatible tractor for fully functional use by the tractor’s own terminal.
And more news from Kverneland
More maize with less fertiliser Pudama is the name of a technique that enables precision spot fertiliser placement below maize seed during planting. Kverneland says that it allows fertiliser rates to be reduced by up to 25% without affecting yields.
Developed in cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, and currently fitted to the Optima TFprofi SX precision drill, the Pudama configuration sees seed and fertiliser applications synchronised by a sensor.
Suitable for operating at speeds of up to 15 km/h, at maximum speed it applies 25 fertiliser spots per second. Kverneland claims that the technique results in greater nutrient absorption because fertiliser is only applied where it is needed, and it prevents excess nitrate and phosphate from leaching into water systems.
A limited number of the Optima TFprofi SX with Pudama will be available next season (fully available for 2024). Kverneland says that the technology will eventually migrate to other Optima models.
Limited edition Massey Ferguson tractors
Massey Ferguson has introduced a range of limited edition S series tractors as part of its 175th anniversary celebrations. Customised at the Beauvais factory in France, all 175 ‘specials’ are equipped with the top-spec Exclusive specification.
Finished with bright red bonnets and fenders, the grey stripes put the iconic ‘Little Grey Fergie’ at the heart of the distinctive design. The tractors also come with a dedicated 3D metallic chrome decal along with the 175 limited edition logo.
All top S series models are available as limited edition Exclusive versions. These include the 5S.145 Dyna-6, 6S.180 Dyna-VT, 7S.180 Dyna-6, 7S.210 Dyna-VT, 8S.265 Dyna-7 and 8S.305 Dyna-VT. Available to order now, the limited edition tractors also come with numerous personalised cab details and an individual gift pack for every customer.
“With strictly limited production, we expect these very special tractors to sell out quickly,” says Massey Ferguson Marketing Director Jérôme Aubrion. “Like many of our past iconic models, they will be treasured by owners and are set to be highly prized by collectors for years to come.”
