VIDEO: Amazone’s first in-house self-propelled hits the market
Amazone has launched its first self-propelled sprayer to be built in-house. The 4000-litre Pantera replaces the previous SX, which was an Amazone sprayer mounted on a skid unit built by Dutch company Agrifac.
The Pantera 4001 in contrast, is built entirely at Amazone’s Leeden factory in Germany. Its launch is big news for the company, which has been making sprayers since 1960.
Powered by a 200hp Deutz engine, the machine has a tandem chassis system that uses components bought under licence from the same company that supplies Agrifac, plus an active hydro-pneumatic suspension. The system senses the pressure on each wheel and directs oil flow to opposite wheels to limit the “nodding dog” effect and improve stability on road and in the field.
For its power, the Pantera is a compact machine, measuring 8.4m long, 3.8m high and 2.75m wide. Hydrostatic four-wheel steer gives a turning radius of 4.5m – however, the intelligent steering system means that, when spraying, it automatically disengages four-wheel-steer to prevent wandering down the tramline. At the headland and when the operator has stopped spraying, four-wheel-steer kicks in once again.
The previous SX’s cooling fans, which were under the cab and facing to the front, were prone to blocking. On the new model, they have been moved to the right of the cab and mounted higher up to prevent blockages from flowering rape or similar crops. Fan speed varies according to engine demand.
The 40kph transmission has two drive modes – road and field – and also offers hydrostatic dual braking. This is in addition to twin-line braking and, because the machine is fully suspended, it is fully legal to travel at 40kph on UK roads.
If the sprayer is towing a water bowser or trailer, a clever system ensures it is fully braked on deceleration using the hydrostatic lever. Brake lights illuminate on the sprayer and the trailer even when the driver pulls the lever back. Electronic traction control also kicks in when the road is wet.
The cab, which is the same as the one used on Claas Jaguar foragers, is soundproofed and has no problems muffling the sound of the 200hp Deutz engine. A full-width passenger seat, storage and cool box are all standard. All spray functions are operated from the drive lever, as well as 2ws/4ws switching.
The Pantera gets the brand-new Amatron 3 terminal, alongside a dedicated Amadrive iPad-esque touchscreen monitor. While nearly all sprayer functions are located on the Amatron 3 display, things such as spray pump speed can be altered on the Amadrive screen. The Amatron 3 combines the company’s GPS-Switch and GPS-Track systems, meaning the Pantera is GPS ready from the factory.
Stepless track-width adjustment can be done on the move at the touch of a button on the futuristic Amadrive terminal, while the engine management system allows the driver to operate the machine in Eco mode at about 1000rpm in most situations. On hills and when the driver needs more power, he simply touches the Eco button and it’s disengaged instantly.
The spray pack is based on the company’s large, UX trailed sprayers and has twin pumps and agitators. It’s available with booms of up to 40m and has Amazone’s in-cab fill system, Comfort-Pack, as standard on all machines. Production begins in Spring 2011, says UK product manager Simon Brown, and the company expects to increase numbers to 100 plus self-propelled machines in the medium term. There’s likely to be one on show at LAMMA in January.
Pantera key spec
• Tandem chassis suspension
• 40kph hydrostatic transmission
• 4000-litre tank
• 530-litre/min fill
• 24-40m booms
• Eco engine mode
• Auto-track width adjustment
• Claas Jaguar cab
What’s the competition?
• John Deere 5430i
• Challenger Rogator