Technical Innovation Contest

HORIZON – Self aligning device for head distributors of seed or fertilizer

Electromechanical device for pneumatic seeders to keep the distribution head horizontal, independently from the slope of the field.

What is innovative: such a device was not available before.

Foreseen advantages: uniformity in seed distribution for pneumatic seeders. It can be retrofitted.

SRX 5800/6800 Tora

Highly specialized narrow tractor.

What is innovative: the biggest innovation is that the tractor has the same dimensions of the previous series, even if its engine is now equipped with DPF filter, complies with Stage-V emissions regulation and has more power. In addition, it has an highly capable hydraulic circuit, a reversible seat and it can be equipped with a cab.

Foreseen advantages: this type of tractor allows agricultural mechanization in places which are very hard to reach. Continuous tightening of the emissions regulations jeopardize the existence itself of these tractors.

ORION WR

Flowmeter designed to be part of the control system of a sprayer.

What is innovative: the flowmeter has two separate circuits which can be activated by a valve. This allows a quick response of the system and accurate measurements especially at the lower end of the range.

Foreseen advantages: the solution allows sprayer manufacturers to design circuits for the distribution which are more precise, faster and more suitable for the precision agriculture. It's an enabling solution which contributes to the reduction of the environmental impact of chemicals used in agriculture.

LANDINI REX4 ELECTRA EVOLVING HYBRID

Compact specialized tractor with hybrid power train, robotized speed-shift and semi-active cab suspension.

What is innovative: it's the first compact tractor with hybrid powertrain, where the front axle is driven only by two electric motors. In addition, as a compact tractor, it features other solutions usually designed for top range open field tractors: semi-active electronically controlled suspended cab, robotized gearbox.

Foreseen advantages: improvements in comfort, drivability and fuel savings, possibility to customize the ratio front/rear wheel according to the needs, reduction of turning radius.

Augmenta Field Analyzer

Device for multispectral machine vision, to detect in real time the plant's needs through computer vision. In particular, it can perform nitrogen, growth regulators and defoliant variable rate application.

What is innovative: the device can be fitted on every possible combination tractor-solid fertilizer spreader, provided that they are both ISOBUS as certified by AEF.

Foreseen advantages: cost saving, reduction in environmental impact. It can be retrofitted in a wide range of applications.

DUALSTEER

Highly specialized narrow tractor, equipped with Dualsteer system, which reduces the turning radius at the end of the field.

What is innovative: the biggest innovation is that the tractor has an improved maneuverability compared to the previous series, even if its engine is now compliant with Stage-V emissions regulation.

Foreseen advantages: this type of tractor allows agricultural mechanization in places which are very hard to reach. Continuous tightening of the emissions regulations jeopardize the existence itself of these tractors.

Smart Synthesis

Tree sprayer with electrically powered fan and Pulse Width Modulation nozzles.

What is innovative: both solutions are adopted on a tree sprayer for the first time: the electric motor which powers the fan and the PWM nozzles.

Foreseen advantages: the electric motor for the fan allows to precisely control also the air-flow, depending on local characteristics of the canopy. In addition, PWM nozzles increase the controllability of the sprayed liquid. The overall result is a reduction in the environmental impact.

KIT AGRI 4.0; KIT EASY FIT

Retrofittable kits for agricultural implements. The first one, "Kit Agri 4.0", allows the identification of the implement and the monitoring of its functions; the second one, "Kit Easy Fit", allows an existing silent implement to become an ISOBUS implement.

What is innovative: the possibility to increase the performances of the existent implements, with two degrees of evolution towards Agriculture 4.0. In addition, the second kit features "ISOBUS Green", a function of the system which shows on the Virtual Terminal the optimal working condition of the combination tractor-implement.

Foreseen advantages: traceability, improved cost management, improved farm management, reduction of the environmental impact.

SW5 E

Mounted disc-type fertilizer spreader for orchard and vineyard and also for open field.

What is innovative: load cell weighing system, possibility to differentiate the dosages of right and left distributors, communication with the tractor through ISOBUS.

Foreseen advantages: reduction of environmental impact and improvements in agronomic results, thanks to the alignment to the principles of Agriculture 4.0: variable rate, precision application, data exchange, setting through dedicated app.

DooD

Autonomously traveling crawler tractor with internal combustion engine.

What is innovative: it is designed with the principles of Agriculture 4.0. It's connected, it recognizes the environment and reacts to it in different ways according to the situation, it learns from experience, its traveling functions are automated.

Foreseen advantages: optimization of the workforce, cost saving, improvement in operator's safety.

SLIDE VENTUM TRAX

Machine for harvesting baby leaf vegetables.

What is innovative: part of the transfer of the product is made by air, so that all the impurities are separated from the leaves due to their different density. In addition, the leaves are automatically collected in small boxes. The weight of the boxes is automatically controlled to ensure filling uniformity.

Foreseen advantages: the solution allows an increase in productivity, up to 50% more compared to current solutions, and a reduction in manpower on the machine of at least 66%.

TORO ISOTRONIC

Power harrow with ISOBUS protocol.

What is innovative: the harrow has both mechanical and electronic innovations. It has new bearings systems both for the drive shaft and for the rear rollers, which prevent external contaminations and have improved mechanical performance. In addition, it uses the ISOBUS protocol to communicate power absorption, the oil temperature in the gearboxes, the rotors speed, the cardan shafts skidding, the actual working depth, the rollers misalignment, the correct alignment of the cardan joints while closing (“shafts save”) and the number of hours worked per hectare (Hours/ha).

Foreseen advantages: increased useful life and productivity, improved ergonomics.

Full electric e-Sprayer and e-Mulcher powered by Tractor e-Source

Combination of a PTO driven electric generator mounted on a specialized narrow tractor, with two implements powered only by electricity: a mulcher and a sprayer. ISOBUS protocol is implemented.

What is innovative: the electrification of both the mulcher and the sprayer, and the possibility to use these implements with a traditional combustion engine tractor, provided that the generator is mounted on it.

Foreseen advantages: increase in controllability of the implements, decrease in turning radius and in environmental impact for the sprayer, increase in positioning range, and possibility of bi-directional rotation, for the mulcher. Possibility to collect data for predictive maintenance, so that useful life of the machines increases. Safety improvement as there is no cardan shaft between the tractor and the implements. Reduction in fuel consumption.

DRAGO GOLD

Sunflower header equipped with hydraulic stalk chopper.

What is innovative: the power to the stalk chopper is hydraulic, instead of being mechanical.

Foreseen advantages: In the mechanical solutions, a compromise is necessary between yields and lengths of the stalks. In fact, the yield is related to the cut of the flower, which should be as short as possible. But, the shorter is the cut of the flower, the longer is the stalk. Instead, it should also be as short as possible. With the hydraulic solution, it's possible to set independently the cutting height of the stalks and of the flowers.

EASYRIDE - SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC POSITIONING

Inter-row soil working machine with independent automatic setting of the machine width on each side.

What is innovative: the automatic control of the machine width in a separate way on each side.

Foreseen advantages: productivity increase, ergonomics improvement.

Rivulis DEFEND

Thin wall drip line treated with insecticide.

What is innovative: the insecticide is blended into the plastic matrix of the tape at a very low dosage. The dosage makes the solution repellant but not lethal.

Foreseen advantages: the damage to the drip line made by insect bites can be reduced up to 98%.

Rotating subsoiler

Rotating subsoiler, with shanks moving along an ellipsoidal path thanks to a crank/connecting rod system.

What is innovative: this type of machine did not exist before.

Foreseen advantages: the solution can work successfully in depths ranging from 15cm to 40 cm without altering the soil structure, it may not require an additional pass with a finishing harrow, it can be used both in very dry and very humid conditions and it allows a reduction of about to 30% of fuel consumption compared to traditional work done with ripper and rotating hoe.

Automatic Leafpickering and Storage ALS 2020

Machine to collect red leaves from a vineyard, mounted in front of a tractor.

What is innovative: green leaves strippers are well known machines; but, none of them has been designed to literally harvest the red leaves.

Foreseen advantages: the red leaves contain anthocyanins, which are used for pharmaceutical products. Until now, the harvest of red leaves have been performed manually; this machine allows a drastic increase in productivity, as well as a reduction of the operators' fatigue.

ALS – Adaptive Load Sensing on Dieci Agriplus GD 42.7 Telehandler

Device to be fitted to the directional control valve of a load sensing hydraulic system.

What is innovative: the stand-by-pressure margin, instead of being fixed and determined by design, is dynamically adapted.

Foreseen advantages: reduced fuel consumption, optimization of the use of the engine power, possibility to be retrofitted to existing machines.