Vertical weed seed destructor launched

HARVESTER-integrated weed seed control is within reach for growers with the release of a vertical, mechanical-drive version of the popular Integrated Harrington Seed Destructor (iHSD).

Under test: Eight vertical units have been trialled on the WA harvest, with a range of headers.

HARVESTER-integrated weed seed control is within reach for growers with the release of a vertical, mechanical-drive version of the popular Integrated Harrington Seed Destructor (iHSD).

Peter Newman, western extension agronomist with the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative and WeedSmart, said a third of the nation’s graingrowers were planning to invest in harvester-integrated weed seed control technology.

Mr Newman said many growers were waiting for harvester-integrated systems to become more cost-effective and reliable, and the vertical iHSD was a positive development.

Mr Newman said he was impressed with a demonstration of the system on a property near Carnamah in Western Australia last month.

The iHSD was invented by WA grower Ray Harrington, and developed by University of South Australia with investment from GRDC.

It has had continuing development by SKF Engineering and DeBruin Engineering, with national distributor, McIntosh Distribution.

A rear hatch made possible with the new design of the vertical iHSD can be removed and the iHSD bypassed to effectively create a harvest windrow for easily checking grain losses, while a trap door at the bottom also collects any foreign objects coming into the system.

The team was inspired to develop a simple, alternative version based on the iHSD’s high-performing cage mills from the hydraulic-drive system, which could be driven consistently at 3000rpm and achieved up to 99 per cent kill rates of targeted weed seeds.

“We wanted to maintain the mill system from the hydraulic version. With the capacity of the mills and the seed kill rate, we knew we had the right mill set to do the job,’’ said McIntosh & Son’s Devon Gilmour, dealer principal, Southern Branches, in WA.

“One of the keys was to drive the mill set consistently at 3000rpm. The minute that drops off, it has the potential to compromise the mill capacity. The hydraulic system could always consistently achieve the speed and capacity and we have managed to match this with the vertical, mechanical unit with a belt set tested with only a 20rpm variance of the target speed.

“We tested a mid-range belt and it proved to be correct. We ran some of the units at 3250rpm. We know when you are operating at over 3000rpm, you are not getting the drop in capacity and you are getting the kill rate.’’

Easy access: A rear hatch creates a harvest windrow to check grain losses. A trap door at the bottom collects any foreign objects.

A rear hatch made possible with the new design of the vertical iHSD can be removed and the iHSD bypassed to effectively create a harvest windrow for easily checking grain losses, while a trap door at the bottom also collects any foreign objects coming into the system.

He said new features made possible with the vertical design included a trap door that collected any foreign material coming into the system, as well as a rear hatch that could be removed and the iHSD bypassed to effectively create a harvest windrow for easily checking grain losses.

“With horizontal systems, anything coming through drops into the mill set and there have been concerns with fires from objects like bolts coming into the mills,” Mr Gilmour said.

“With the vertical design, we have a massive cavity under the sieve, so there is no chance of bridging and we can have a trap door at the bottom. It is a significant cavity between the auger flighting and the trap door — anything coming in sits in that. For anything foreign to go into the mill set, it would have to go down and sideways.

“It also allows for sieve removal, except on John Deere headers with the one-piece sieves.’’

Mr Newman said measuring grain losses at harvest was particularly important and so the ability to open the rear hatch and disengage the iHSD belts to do this was a major benefit.

He said the stone trap would also help limit mill damage from any foreign objects.

Mr Gilmour said the cost of the vertical, mechanical iHSD was much lower since there was no need to run all the gearboxes associated with all other existing systems.

“There are no gearboxes and electric pumps. It is the most direct drive system you can get, and one of the beauties of the system is if something does arise, it is so simple to come up with a solution,’’ he said.

“The vertical iHSD will have a much broader appeal to the marketplace and can be driven off a much broader range of combines. It can also be easily fitted on-farm.’’

He said eight vertical units were successfully tested in some bulky crops during the WA harvest fitted to a range of header brands with various capacities, including a John Deere S680 and New Holland CR 10.90 with twin pitch rotor system, through to a New Holland CR970 that had clocked-up 4500 hours.

The iHSD is priced at $85,000 (+GST). For more details, visit ihsd.com