RVT demonstrates new John Deere sprayer at Arable Event
Featuring a larger 5000-litre capacity spray tank and a new ultra-lightweight but extremely strong carbon fibre boom, John Deere’s new R4050i self-propelled sprayer will be on demo at this year’s Arable Event taking place at Weston Park on June 20.
Now in full production the R4050i joined the existing R4040i 4000-litre self-propelled model in the company’s market leading sprayer range in limited numbers from early 2017. Weight distribution on this bigger machine has been improved by removing around 800kg from the rear through the use of the carbon fibre boom, alongside the extra weight of liquid carried in the larger tank in the centre of the vehicle.
Able to spray at widths of 18 or 36m, the high-performance spray boom is considerably lighter than steel or aluminium designs. However, the carbon fibre material used in its construction is around 5.5 times stronger than steel and is able to flex, which relieves the boom structure from the stress that can cause fractures in metal booms. The carbon fibre boom is specially designed to withstand the high dynamic loads created at high application speeds of 20 to 30kph, even with very wide booms.
The reduced weight of the carbon fibre boom, at around five times lighter than a steel equivalent, also has benefits for ride performance. The boom’s low inertia greatly reduces the undesirable roll and yaw movement often seen in wide spray booms. In addition automatic boom levelling systems, like John Deere’s own TerrainCommand Pro (previously known as BoomTrac), are able to control the ultra-lightweight boom with greater precision, enabling lower boom heights and higher speeds to be employed.
The R4050i is powered by the same 6.8-litre John Deere PowerTech PSS engine as the smaller machine, producing 235 rated hp (255hp maximum). This engine meets Stage IV/Final Tier 4 emissions regulations by incorporating selective catalytic reduction (SCR).
The machine’s centrally located, easy to access cab provides a comfortable operating position and offers good visibility both on the road and in the field. The sprayer chassis features single-strut independent wheel suspension for a smooth, fast ride, and hydraulic track width adjustment as standard. There is also a choice of two-wheel, four-wheel or crab steering to suit different crop and field conditions.
The R4050i is equipped as standard with the John Deere GreenStar 3 2630 touchscreen display with full FieldDoc spray documentation and ISOBUS compatibility. The sprayer comes AutoTrac ready and with a free JDLink Ultimate subscription for one year, which enables a range of additional FarmSight precision farming solutions including new Remote Display Access and Wireless Data Transfer, as well as Service Advisor Remote.
Other standard features include a Hydro Handle multi-functional control lever, Solution Command electronic sprayer control for automatic filling, mixing, spraying and rinsing, and a 50-litre PowrFill inductor for safe transfer of crop protection chemicals into the main tank.
The PowrSpray solution system features a unique dual-circuit design with two solution pumps, each optimised for a specific function. A new, purpose-designed waterproof keypad and digital display at the sprayer’s operator station enable full control of automated filling, spraying and agitation.
A 1200-litre/min filling pump offers fast fill of the solution tank at low engine speeds, to reduce noise and fuel consumption. Automatic filling shut-off and the ability to rapidly power fill the 400-litre clean water tank are both standard features.
The industry exclusive Active Pause function enables the solution tank to stop filling while still providing clean water under high pressure for rinsing out chemical containers. This means the typical race against the filling solution tank is eliminated, and operators have all the time and clean water they need to complete chemical filling without stress.
A 1000-litre/min spraying pump delivers high output and exceptional spray accuracy. Conventional spray pressure regulators have been eliminated, with the pump instead reacting to changes in spraying speed or application rate by rapid, direct control of the pump speed.
Automatic control of tank agitation and fully automated multi-cycle rinsing and dilution functions are also standard features of PowrSpray. With only 45 per cent of the residual volume contained in conventional solution systems, PowrSpray is fast and efficient to clean out. Having only half the moving parts of conventional systems and requiring no regular maintenance, PowrSpray also offers exceptional reliability and low operating costs.
