Lasting plough blades
A NEW plough blade option promising two to three times the lifespan of its predecessors is on trial in Western Australia before its planned nationwide release later this month.
Agrowplow has enlisted the help of 17 farmers scattered around the southwest of the state, centred around the Lake Grace, Newdegate and Katanning areas.
The culmination of eight months of research and development, the upgraded number nine blade features three rock teeth across the leading edge of the blade and enhanced-grade tungsten carbide tiles across the upper surfaces.
The tiles are designed to catch the soil as it passes over the top of the blade, forming a protective barrier of
❝That was great from a sales point of view but not so great for the farmer who’s going through a handful of blades every other week — Pav Melnichuk
earth to further reduce wear, while the teeth allow the blade to withstand subsoil obstacles such as rocks, tree stumps and dirt clods.
Agrowplow purchasing and parts manager Pav Melnichuk said the company had noticed that some customers were replacing their plough blades fairly regularly.
“That was great from a sales point of view but not so great for the farmer who’s going through a handful of blades every other week,” he said.
“So we started looking at ways of toughening up the blade’s design.
“Our own testing indicates these enhancements should add as much as two to three times to the life of the blade, depending on soil conditions.”
Marketing manager Timothy Hanlon said the new blade was suitable for machines compatible with the number nine shank or hybrid shank models, adding that an equivalent upgrade for the number eight blade is in development and expected to be released before mid-year.
“The vast majority of our machines have either a number nine or eight blade on them – the eight is for the AP11 through to AP31, then from the AP51 and up they all run a number nine,” Mr Hanlon said.
“They also run a hybrid shank, meaning people can bridge from an eight to a nine if they want that extra break-out.
“We’re hoping to see strong demand from WA, as the blades seem to go really well in the sandy soils of that area.”
Agrowplow is part of the Davimac Group, an Australian-owned company that designs and manufactures agricultural equipment.
The company’s production facilities are located in Molong, in the central west of NSW, and its products are sold throughout Australia and Canada. The new blade is priced at $152 (inc GST). For more details, visit agrowplow.com.au.