Hardi unveils 9000-litre sprayer

Spraying expert Hardi Australia has lifted the lid on its largest self-propelled sprayer, the 9000-litre Hardi RUBICON, which is also the biggest sprayer to date in Australia.

It was unveiled before a crowd of 100 dealers and reps from around Australia at a launch event at Hardi's head office in Cavan (SA) on July 18.

Hardi developed the RUBICON specifically for the Australian market with help from its sister company, Matrot, in France. Both Hardi and Matrot, along with a stable of sprayer manufacturers, are part of the EXEL Industries group based in Champagne, France.

The RUBICON will be available with 36.5m and 48.5m aluminium boom options.

According to Hardi Australia Sales and Marketing Manager Steve Parker, the RUBICON is also Hardi's first front-mounted self-propelled sprayer.

"Our booms have always been at the back and this is the first time we've gone to market with a boom at the front," he says.

"Having booms that are 48.5m wide at the front gives farmers good visibility of the boom. They can see every part of it while it's spraying, and that's important for farmers."

According to Hardi, the 9000-litre tank gives farmers the ability to cover 150ha at 60lt/ha – a 50 per cent increase in hectares sprayed compared to a 6000-litre capacity self-propelled sprayer.

It also allows operators to spray for longer, with less travelling and less filling downtime, thus helping increase efficiency on the field.

Hardi adds the 48.5m boom allows farmers to cover 121ha/hr at 25km/h or 146ha/hr at 30km/h – a 35 per cent increase in work rate over a comparable 36m boom.

The booms are manufactured by French company Pommier and feature a tried-and-tested boom suspension system that allows independent stiffness control settings on the springs and rams fixed to either side of the centre frame. The result is a boom that remains stable under the harshest operating conditions.

A Cummins 8.9-litre QSL 9 Tier 3A engine with an output of 370hp provides power to the RUBICON via a 4WD hydrostatic transmission from Danfoss.

Operator comfort has also been a priority, says Hardi, with RUBICON's cab offering superior visibility and improved ergonomics. Spraying operations are controlled via a Muller TOUCH1200 touchscreen terminal that displays up to five farming functions simultaneously.

Comfort is enhanced via an OverRide suspension system with triple convoluted low-pressure air bags and heavy-duty shock absorbers that allow each wheel to address paddock conditions independently, offering a smoother ride overall.

The 480/95R54 tyres have a footprint of 3200 square centimetres – equivalent to a 710/70R42 – but with a narrower contact area to the ground to help reduce rolling resistance and crop damage.

The RUBICON's axle track width can be infinitely adjusted on-the-run from 3m to 4m to suit different applications or field conditions.

Another key feature of the RUBICON is the Accurate and Instantaneous Spraying (AIS) fluid system, which has an automatic valve sequencing system. When the pre-selected tank volume is reached, the fluid valves automatically switch over to tank agitation and boom priming, ready for spraying.

An ActivAir section control function then opens the nozzles instantly at the right pressure, ensuring there is no lag when spraying.

RUBCION's in-filling and chemical transfer system has been designed to save time loading and improve productivity, says Hardi. The 60-litre chemical filler and 3-inch fill point is lowered hydraulically to an 800mm work height for easy connection and use.

According to Hardi's Steve Parker, the 9000-litre machine has undergone thorough field tests at a cropping operation near Balaklava, SA.

"It has been used for the entire spraying season at the farm spraying about 6000 hectares, and has been used about five to seven times now," Parker says.

"It's standing up incredibly well. It's just an amazing product."

He adds while the RUBICON has been developed for the Australian market, the machine might have its applications in Eastern Europe or the United States.

"But the lion's share of the market will be here [in Australia], no question about it."

Parker says interested customers can get a glimpse of the RUBICON at Hardi's head office in Cavan before it travels around the country to appear at the following field days:

August 3 and 4 - Mallee Machinery Field Days (Speed, VIC)

August 9 to 11 - Eyre Peninsula Field Days (Cleve, SA)

August 24 and 25 - Dowerin Field Days (Dowerin, WA)

September 7 and 8 - Newdegate Machinery Field Days (Newdegate, WA)

September 20 to 22 - Henty Machinery Field Days (Henty, NSW)

Hardi Australia will also hold demo days in north-western Victoria later this year, where customers will have the opportunity to test drive the RUBICON.

Pricing for the RUBICON is expected to be in the high $600,000s. Customers can pre-order the sprayer with their dealers now with the first shipment of machines expected to be in late February or early March 2017.

Fine out more about the Hardi RUBICON at www.hardi.com.au/au/rubicon