German plough manufacturer Lemken has developed a hybrid plough that requires significantly less horsepower than the conventional version claimed by offering significant fuel savings of about 50%.

The Tansanit plough, which incorporates themes common to both mounted and semi-mounted machines, uses an electronically sensing hydraulic top link to transfer extra draft from the tractor’s front wheels to the rear wheels to maximise traction.

Like a typical semi-mounted plough the ground wheel never leaves the ground, but in common with mounted ploughs the Tansanit features a familiar linkage arrangement except for the advanced top link.

The hydraulic ram collects data from sensors in the ram over 100 times a minute while a control box in the cab allows the operator to set pressure anywhere between 40 and 160 bar depending on the ground conditions. In dry conditions where traction is good the top link pressure is set to the lower end of the scale while in wet conditions higher pressure is used to enhance traction.

In trials performed by Lemken a John Deere 6930 pulling a seven furrow Tansanit consumed almost 50% less fuel than a John Deere 8000 series tractor pulling a conventional eight furrow over the same area.

Also new to the series was the launch of a new longer life, plough mouldboard.  The company has developed a slatted body that slots on to the plough body, rather than being fixed using nuts and bolts.

By removing the need to drill holes in the board Lemken can extend the hardening process enhancing the wearing life by about 50%.  A price is yet to be announced.

See: Cereals 2008