Implement Section Control | Cut Input Costs | Vantage E&W
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Implement control

Whether you are applying a product to the land or engaging an implement with it, there are a number of ways you can improve your implement functionality to not only become more efficient, but to improve operator working conditions and the quality of work as a result. Vantage ASC are able to integrate with existing implements or build a system from scratch to suit your requirements.

Referred to as section control, this function will automate an implement function to be on or off based on reference points in the working area. Frequently used to control machines as they cross a field boundary or approach areas which have already been worked, the control unit will turn a function on/ off to avoid the area being worked twice or missed completely. Popular equipment includes;

  • Sprayer booms
  • Seed drills / planters
  • Granular spreaders
  • Potato planters
  • Bed formers

Vantage ASC can provide serial rate or ISOBUS solutions to suit your implements, delivering multi product and section control at the click of a button.

Using Trimble Weedseeker 2 it is possible to automate the on/ off of an implement based on a sensor visually recognising a plant against a background surface. The “green on brown” principle refers to sensors seeing an obvious difference in the surveyed environment and sending a signal because of this recognition. With a visual range of 50cm each sensor can recognise a plant at speeds of up to 25mph, day or night significantly reducing fatigue on operators and cycle times associated with refiling. Popular applications include;

  • Crop spraying
  • Airport canopy maintenance
  • Pedestrian walkways and pavements
  • Roadway treatment
  • Railway maintenance

Contact us to organise a run through this system or a demonstration using our in house units.

With more emphasis on putting the implement in the right place to do the work, implement steering can take significant stress off the operator and deliver a much more accurate outcome. Referred to as both passive and active implement steering, there is an option to suit most applications.
Trimble TrueGuide is passive and instructs the power unit to steer off the A-B line in order to bring the implement back to its required position.
Trimble TrueTracker is active steering, this will send a signal to a steering device on the implement and move the machine back to the required A-B line, so both the machine and implement are steering independently. Popular applications include;

  • Large trailed seed drills
  • Lettuce planters
  • Destoners
  • Trailers
  • Potato planters
  • Mechanical hoes

Traditionally a product is applied at a flat rate across the whole area, even if the soil or plant requirement varies; this does not need to be the case when using Variable Rate Application (VRA). Our systems are able to control up to 6 different materials simultaneously which could be made up of granular, liquid or seed. Operators looking to make the most of every pass can prescribe a rate to the machine using a VRA map, the technology will look after the rest and report with an as applied map. Available to integrate with existing systems or as a custom build from the ground up, our engineers are experienced in delivering VRA to machines in most industries. Common applications include;

  • Applying slug pellets at the same time as spraying crops
  • Drilling seed, Avadex and Fertiliser simultaneously with seed drill
  • Varying application of sand to golf courses
  • Spreading of slurry or digestate to match soil indices
  • Lowering fertiliser rate on poor ground and increasing on soil with more potential

It is common to see a machine cab with multiple control boxes, sometimes inhibiting the operators view from the vehicle, or we have multiple implements on farm needing a variety of connections and monitors to run them. This can be a thing of the past using ISOBUS technology, something commonly seen on new implements. Vantage ASC are able to retrofit both machines and implements with ISOBUS technology which results in a single connection plug and communication protocol across your fleet, familiarity of control and operation for your operators. For those purchasing new implements it is possible to remove the control box from the option list, Trimble displays can often control everything you need. Perfect solution for;

  • Diverse contracting fleets
  • Businesses with seasonal staff
  • Hire or rental companies
  • Ageing fleets