Automation comes to H4 Reefinator rock crusher

Rocks Gone, the company behind the Australian-made H4 Reefinator rocks crushing machine, has announced its latest innovation: automation technology.

The H4 Reefinator was developed by Rocks Gone founder and former farmer Tim Panell. Measuring in at three metres wide, the H4 Reefinator features a levelling blade, four front row and five rear row hydraulic tines, and a following ribbed drum, all weighing 28 tonnes when filled with water and digging up to 600mm deep.

Pulled at around 10km/h by 400hp-plus tractors, previously operators had to perform depth adjustments to address changing land and rock conditions manually, but now Pannell says a new automated system has largely removed that task, while added some extra benefits.

The new Rocks Gone ‘Depth Master’ auto depth and slip control system calculates speed over ground and tractor load or wheel slip to adjust machine depth up to 50 times per second, as well as the level of its blade.

Operators set the depth and only make a manual adjustment if desired, thereby better optimising machine and tractor performance and resulting in improved crushing results and operational efficiency.

“Before the automation, a lot of input was required and it was quite onerous for operators,” Tim said.

“Now with the Depth Master, they just set the depth and then it’s hands-off.

“You can see everything moving – and the levelling, with the blade going up and down to follow undulating country, is amazing as well.”

Manual adjustment is still possible, but full manual use previously left operators at risk of digging too shallow, liming crusher performance.

“It was understandable, because rocky country can be so variable,” Pannell said.

“With the Depth Master, you calibrate the system for a start and give it eight to 10 slip scenarios – and you can engage it with the rock more aggressively.

“It better utilises your tractor power because it always senses how hard it is working. It saves time because the rig is not stopping occasionally. It is mobile all the time and it is crushing much more rock.”

A knock-on benefit of the new Depth Master system is a reduction in tyre wear.

“Wheels can already be spinning with manual operation, whereas the Depth Master senses the load and lifts the machine earlier. It might only move 1-2cm, but that makes a big difference with the load. This can double the life of tyres, which we have proven.”

And when used in conjunction with GPS guidance systems, the automation technology can be leveraged to produce depth maps of worked areas.

“The maps can show perhaps where you may not have been digging deep enough and rather than doing extra passes over the whole area, you may concentrate on some areas and not on others, and effectively do less passes.”

The Depth Master is ISOBUS compatible and suitable for use with John Deere, Case IH and New Holland tractors, while compliance with other tractor brands is continuing to be explored.

Tim said a number of the Depth Master systems, which also can be used with existing H4 Reefinator machines, were already operating in-field with promising results.

“The feedback has been excellent, with operators saying it is an absolute no-brainer,” he said.

Hard-facing replacement parts for the tines and leading edges of the Rocks Gone machines, which are fully tested, also are now completely fabricated using some of the world’s latest automated robotic technology, ensuring precision and uniformity.

“Our latest robot system does everything. It is quite a dynamic process, including automated pre and post heating and lots of little steps to get everything right, and of course it produces extremely consistent results,” Tim said.

Pannell said the H4 Reefinator achieves considerable return on investment for growers, with the potential for crop yields to double and land values to treble, while he said most growers have later sold their machines for more than the purchase price.

“The laterite rock gets crushed up into silt-like particles and this appears to be really valuable, in addition to reducing the impact on seeding machinery. Of course, there is better rooting depth and development, and soil moisture and nutrient retention improves,” Tim said.

“Growers generally spread a couple of tonnes of lime in front of their machines.

“In dirty grass paddocks, they are also improving weed control by ‘reefinating’ during summer, later seeding the rest of their program, and then doing another pass to get a massive weed germination to hit before seeding it last. It is giving them the best, cleanest result.

“The machines are improving saline land as well by increasing soil penetration in land rises.”

He said with the high cost of rural lands today, growers were benefitting by maximising production from their properties and boosting their value.

“Some rural real estate agents are even promoting ‘reefinated’ land with their listings.”

Growers have extra incentive to consider the Rocks Gone machines prior to June 30 this year, with a $37,777 discount on full purchases and the $11,667 Depth Master automation system included for free. Growers who place a deposit on a full-priced machine by June 30 also receive a free Depth Master system.