Gadgetman
03-29-2009, 07:51 PM
Thought the crew here could appreciate this one. A lil proud of it as it has run good from day one.
Getting to build and operate prototypes like this makes my job fun. Built on this one the winter of 07,put a full season on it tweaking any bugs,then tore it down for sandblasting and a fresh paint job. The 1st pic is what it looked like after teardown. The 2nd after the fresh coat of paint then 12 days at work later.
To put size in perspective, those tires are over 6 ft tall. This machine was designed to spread liquid lime in Agriculture applications. Hundreds of acres and up to 1.5 million lbs of lime per day,at a capacity of up to 850 gals. per minute. The most I've spread so far was 23 Semi truck loads (103,000 gals) in one day,but I'm certain with more trucks and the right fields 30 loads a day is obtainable.
Will also mention that it can either be operated in manual mode,or be controlled by a computer. It has the ability to apply at a variable rate with a prescription entered from the data accumulated by a testing machine that probes the ground in 75 ft grids. With guidance from GPS,a computer controlled hydraulic driven pump,and the data work collected,the field receives lime where it needs it. It's the correct PH levels needed for optimum yields that we're after.
This is a one of a kind machine,built with a specific purpose in mind. An AG Chem 1903 dry fertilizer chassis was stripped and stretched 4' to accommodate the 2700 gal. tank. 33' booms were built for an 80' swath through the field. The main powerplant is a 3176 Cat coupled to a 2 speed auto tranni with a large torque converter. The amplified power is then sent through a 13 speed manual transmission for a wide range of ground speeds. A small 70 hp turbo 4 cylinder diesel pony motor is used only to turn a large 36 gpm hydraulic pump. All that oil is computer controlled via a servo valve that decides how much is sent to the hydr. motor (which turns the 6" x 5" product pump),or is bypassed through a cooler and into a 100 gal. reservoir.
The product exits the pump through a 5" mag flow meter,then splits the booms into 4" lines. Each boom has 4 vertical manifolds feeding a total of 24-13/16" orficed custom made nozzles. Ahead of each nozzle is an 1 1/4" pneumatic computer controlled diaphragm,which divides the nozzles into 3 circuits. These circuits open and close depending on ground speed and the gals. per acre your wanting to achieve.
Field speeds under load range from 6.5 mph at 833 gals. per acre, to 21 mph at 250 gals. per acre. Road speed is 42 mph. Weight empty is 41,600 lbs, with a 32,000 lb. payload that can be dispersed in under 4 mins.
Getting to build and operate prototypes like this makes my job fun. Built on this one the winter of 07,put a full season on it tweaking any bugs,then tore it down for sandblasting and a fresh paint job. The 1st pic is what it looked like after teardown. The 2nd after the fresh coat of paint then 12 days at work later.
To put size in perspective, those tires are over 6 ft tall. This machine was designed to spread liquid lime in Agriculture applications. Hundreds of acres and up to 1.5 million lbs of lime per day,at a capacity of up to 850 gals. per minute. The most I've spread so far was 23 Semi truck loads (103,000 gals) in one day,but I'm certain with more trucks and the right fields 30 loads a day is obtainable.
Will also mention that it can either be operated in manual mode,or be controlled by a computer. It has the ability to apply at a variable rate with a prescription entered from the data accumulated by a testing machine that probes the ground in 75 ft grids. With guidance from GPS,a computer controlled hydraulic driven pump,and the data work collected,the field receives lime where it needs it. It's the correct PH levels needed for optimum yields that we're after.
This is a one of a kind machine,built with a specific purpose in mind. An AG Chem 1903 dry fertilizer chassis was stripped and stretched 4' to accommodate the 2700 gal. tank. 33' booms were built for an 80' swath through the field. The main powerplant is a 3176 Cat coupled to a 2 speed auto tranni with a large torque converter. The amplified power is then sent through a 13 speed manual transmission for a wide range of ground speeds. A small 70 hp turbo 4 cylinder diesel pony motor is used only to turn a large 36 gpm hydraulic pump. All that oil is computer controlled via a servo valve that decides how much is sent to the hydr. motor (which turns the 6" x 5" product pump),or is bypassed through a cooler and into a 100 gal. reservoir.
The product exits the pump through a 5" mag flow meter,then splits the booms into 4" lines. Each boom has 4 vertical manifolds feeding a total of 24-13/16" orficed custom made nozzles. Ahead of each nozzle is an 1 1/4" pneumatic computer controlled diaphragm,which divides the nozzles into 3 circuits. These circuits open and close depending on ground speed and the gals. per acre your wanting to achieve.
Field speeds under load range from 6.5 mph at 833 gals. per acre, to 21 mph at 250 gals. per acre. Road speed is 42 mph. Weight empty is 41,600 lbs, with a 32,000 lb. payload that can be dispersed in under 4 mins.