Agrifac releases new fast-fold boom

Spraying equipment manufacturer Agrifac has developed a new boom system called FastFoldPlus for its Condor self-propelled sprayers that significantly reduces the boom's folding time.

The Netherlands-based company says the folding time depends on the boom length, but a tri-fold 48m boom takes only 22 seconds to fold and unfold with the new technology.

"Lots of time can now be saved to work more quickly and spray more hectares per hour, per day. FastFoldPlus increases the overall efficiency of an operator," Agrifac says.

In addition to folding faster, Agrifac has also designed the boom to fold safer too without damaging the hinges and structure of the boom.

"The oil supply to the hydraulic cylinders is regulated at very precise levels. Conventional systems use valves that can only open or close," Agrifac says.

"The valves of the FastFoldPlus system can be regulated at any level, which means the hydraulic valves can be regulated steplessly."

The system works in accordance with a 'slow-fast-slow' principle, whereby the folding speed of the boom slowly increases over the folding process and then slows down in the last phase.

"This allows the machine to unfold and fold the booms without taking in strong forces, and the hinges encounter a lot less force," Agrifac says.

Several sensors installed along the length of the boom measure the position of each part of the boom and will act to slow it down if it is unfolding faster than the other.

"This increases the safety and lifespan of the boom," Agrifac adds.

The system is also able to regulate boom folding and unfolding on steep slopes to ensure the boom folds evenly.

Folding of the boom is controlled via a joystick in the cabin of the Condor sprayer. Customers will only need to indicate which parts of the boom they would like to fold or unfold, and the system will action in the right order in the shortest possible time.

Find out more about the FastFoldPlus system at agrifac.com.au