Friday, 18 February 2022 06:55

Gold medal gantry

Written by  Mark Daniel
Nexat a 270-degree rotating cab allows the unit to be driven manually between jobs and a prime position for monitoring in the paddock. Nexat a 270-degree rotating cab allows the unit to be driven manually between jobs and a prime position for monitoring in the paddock.

While popular in horticultural operations for harvesting over the past few decades, many growers have switched from gantry layouts in favour of very large self-propelled machines.

German company Kalverkamp is now looking to give the gantry a new lease of life. It recently took out the only gold medal for innovation offered by the Agritechnica Event.

Featuring autonomous operation, an electrical power source and modular construction – allowing operating widths from 6 to 24 metres – the machine can take care of tasks including cultivating, drilling, spraying and harvesting.

Called Nexat (next generation agricultural technology), a 270-degree rotating cab allows the unit to be driven manually between jobs and a prime position for process monitoring in the paddock.

While hydrogen power is planned for the future, currently the vehicle is fitted with twin 545hp (400kW) diesel engines that power electrical generators. This in turn powers the four rubber tracks, which rotate through 90 degrees for transport.

With the NexCo combine harvester module fitted, the vehicle is said to offer outputs of 130- 200 tonnes/hr, using a 5.8m-long dual axial rotor mounted transversely to the direction of travel, and a cutting width of 14 metres.

A 32 cubic metre grain tank is said to be large enough for most paddocks, with a 600 litre/ second unloading speed taking around one minute to empty at the headland.

Several manufacturers are involved in the development of implements for the system, such as Swedish company Väderstad, alongside German sprayer builder Damman.

More like this

Featured

National

Machinery & Products

A reliable, no-fuss workhorse

Showcased with a T7.245 at the recent National Fieldays, New Holland has expanded its T7 tractor range offering in New…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Wrong focus

OPINION: Your old mate reckons townie Brooke van Velden, the Minister of Workplace (or is it Woke Place) Relations is…

Burn the village

OPINION: There's an infamous term coined by a US general during the Vietnam war, specifically in reference to the battle…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter