“Shear Bolt Monitor” For Ripper And Knife Shanks

“Shear Bolt Monitor” For Ripper And Knife Shanks TILLAGE EUIPMENT Accessories “Our new monitoring system automatically detects broken shear bolts on tillage shanks It lets you know right away when a shear bolt is broken so you can immediately get it working again ” says Adam Bjerketvedt Precision Ag 360 Hancock Minn The company introduced its Shank Patrol monitor at the recent Iowa Power Farming Show in Des Moines The patent pending system consists of an in-cab LED monitor wire harnesses mounting brackets sensors and magnets It can be installed on conventional tillage rippers or any tillage or manure application system that has a shear bolt-style shank or knife A bracket bolts onto each shank and protects a sensor magnet and wiring The sensor detects when the shank is out of its correct position and shows the broken shank on the in-cab monitor “As soon as a bolt breaks the sensor trips and an audible alarm goes off A glance at the LED monitor will show you which shank is broken Once you install a new shear bolt the system automatically resets itself ” says Bjerketvedt The Shank Patrol can be used on Case 870 and 875 rippers Deere 2700 and 2730 rippers DMI 530 Ecolo-Tiger and 730 Case 530 and 730 Wil-Rich Soil Pro 513 Dietrich 70 and Sunflower 4600 series shanks The company also hopes to develop the system for strip-till equipment and anhydrous applicators “Our goal was to keep the system as simple as possible Everything bolts on with no welding or drilling required ” says Bjerketvedt According to Bjerketvedt many farmers break ripper shanks in the field without knowing it and don’t find out until much later “As soon as a shear bolt breaks you’re losing money because a broken shank won’t penetrate the hardpan One farmer went into a 40-acre field with a 5-shank ripper and didn’t discover until he finished the field that a shank was broken He walked all the way back across the field to see where the shank broke and found that it happened on the first pass so 20 percent of his field never got ripped ” The shear bolt monitor also benefits liquid manure injection equipment says Bjerketvedt “With liquid manure injection the manure is exposed to the air so you’re losing nitrogen due to volatilization Also there’s a greater chance for runoff if the manure doesn’t get covered up with soil ” He says the Shank Patrol’s price is specific to the model and number of rows “Our goal is to keep the price for an 11-shank ripper or narrower at less than $5 000 Anything bigger than an 11-shank model would cost a little more based on size ” says Bjerketvedt Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Precision Ag 360 42244 260th St Hancock Minn 56244 ph 320 288-6062; precisionag360@gmail com; www precisionag360 com

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