Seed Hawk Fenix III metering system released

Precision seeding manufacturer Seed Hawk has announced the release of its third-generation Fenix III metering system for its iCon air carts.

Launched in Australia last year, Seed Hawk's iCon carts feature up to eight independent electronic metering systems, individual load cells in each tank and a tablet-based Wi-Fi control system that simplifies calibration, section control and variable rate application.

When combined with the Fenix III, the iCon air carts are claimed to be able to accurately sow between one and 500kg/ha of seed and fertiliser at speeds of up to 15 km/h.

Seed Hawk was acquired by Swedish company Väderstad in 2013, and both brands are currently distributed in Australia by CLAAS Harvest Centre.

Seed Hawk product manager, Marc Nesbit, describes the third-generation Fenix III as the 'Mercedes Benz' of metering systems.

"This is the most advanced seed metering technology yet developed by Väderstad, which is recognised as a world leader in precision seeding," he says.

The Fenix III meter was thoroughly evaluated in the Väderstad research and development facility in Sweden before undergoing extensive ‘out-of-season’ field testing in Canada and Australia.

More than 4000ha of field testing, designed to replicate extreme operating conditions has been completed in the past three months alone.

According to Nesbit, the Fenix III features a robust, integrated design for consistent flow and easy maintenance.

"The motor, rollers, housing, inlets and outlets work together seamlessly to provide precise, consistent and reliable metering under all conditions," he says.

The metering chamber features stainless steel plate lining to withstand abrasive fertilisers, while the central shaft is mounted on sealed stainless steel bearings.

The metering roller is made of polyurethane which prevents damage to the motor if a foreign object becomes stuck in the metering system.

Each meter is driven by a high torque 40 watt electric motor fitted to a 64:1 reduction gearbox, allowing the Fenix III to run at a low rpm and seed at a wide range of rates.

Five rollers are available to suit a diverse range of seed, fertiliser, inoculants, micronutrients and other crop inputs.

"The motors and rollers can be removed quickly and easily for cleaning or to replace the rollers," Nesbit says.

He adds the Fenix III will enable Seed Hawk's iCon carts to perform to their true capability.

"It (iCon) brings all of the technology available for spraying, spreading and harvesting to seeding, which is the biggest single cost associated with growing a crop," he says.

"Section control and variable application have the potential to reduce input costs by five to 10 per cent by eliminating overlap on headlands."

The iCon is controlled using Wi-Fi from a cabin-mounted tablet application.

"The controller provides simple and intuitive control of all seeder and toolbar functions without the need for complex hardware/software interfaces or wiring," Nesbit says.

"It combines real-time information with on-the-go automatic calibration, eliminating guesswork and the need to go back and forth from the cabin to the cart."

iCon 800, 660 and 500 carts have a total capacity of 22, 18 and 15 tonnes across four, three and two primary bins, respectively.

An additional one-tonne bin on all three models allows small seeds, granular inoculant and micronutrients to be fed directly to the seed or fertiliser lines.

Standard features include easy access ladders and walkways; while augers, belt conveyors and bag lifting systems are optional for fast and easy filling.

The iCon aircarts were purpose-designed for use with Seed Hawk 45 and XL toolbars, which feature eight working widths from 12m to 25.2m.