Centaya Super seed drill combination

Top-class pneumatic sowing technology

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At Agritechnica 2017 AMAZONE introduces a new pneumatic harrow-mounted seed drill: the Centaya Super. The Centaya Super tops off the AMAZONE mounted pneumatic seed drill programme.

The seed hopper

As a choice, the Centaya Super can be specified with either a 1,600 l or with a 2,000 l seed hopper. Via the steps and loading board, the hopper, which is made from plastic, can be easily accessed from the left hand side of the machine. The hopper is positioned well forward thus keeping the centre of gravity near to the tractor and, thanks to its deep hopper tip and steep hopper walls, the seed is consistently delivered to the metering system. Additionally, this design means that only small residual amounts are left in the hopper.

The hopper opening features a spacious 2.43 x 0.91 m so that the Centaya can be filled via big bags or via a front end loader without a problem. When filling from small sacks, the hopper protection sieves can be used both as a rest for the sacks while being opened as well as being used for additional seed sacks which can be left unopened and transported to the field.

A roll-over cover safely seals the hopper opening against dust and moisture. When the cover is opened it rolls up and back saving space. Depending on seed type and seed rate, the height of the fill level sensor can be set so that the driver gets a signal via the terminal when the desired refill level is reached.

Emptying of the hopper is quick and easy via the central metering unit. Also cleaning out the hopper is not a problem as the distributor head and the seed tubes are mounted outside of the hopper.

The precise electric metering

The seed metering is carried out via the electrically-driven metering unit underneath the seed hopper. When using different seeds, different metering cassettes are available which can then be quickly and easily exchanged.

On the one hand, the electric drive allows the easy adjustment of the seed rate via the terminal in the tractor cab and, as an alternative, it can also be automatically controlled via application maps. And on the other hand, calibration at the press of a button and pre-metering in corners of fields is also possible.The determination of the forward speed can, from choice, be carried out via a radar sensor, the speed signal of the tractor or via the GPS speed signal. 

Segmented distributor head for the flexible matching of tramlines

The segmented distributor head is arranged behind the seed hopper directly above the coulters. This arrangement provides a short delivery path for the grain. The tramline segments can be switched via the terminal. Depending on row spacing and the number of coulters, up to 2 x 6 tramline flaps can be switched. When closing the flaps for a tramline, the seed rate is automatically reduced.

Half-side shut off of the Centaya Super via the segmented distributor head is also possible, for instance in asymmetrical tramlines at the field’s edge. Additionally, via GPS-Switch, the automated switching off of half the working width is possible when in wedge shaped fields or diagonally-shaped headlands. Both when half-side switching as well as tramlining the seed rates are automatically reduced.

Comfortable SmartCenter settings centre

Via the SmartCenter, positioned to the left of the machine, the Centaya Super can be comfortably calibrated and adjusted from ground level. For calibration the driver pushes the calibration tray via a rail from the side to underneath the metering housing and opens the calibration flap. Either via the calibration button or TwinTerminal, which are also mounted within the SmartCenter, the calibration procedure can then be started. As soon as the set area has been calibrated, the calibration tray is then pulled via a hoist back to the SmartCenter. The tray is then suspended there on a purpose-built bracket for weighing. The digital balance and a folding bucket are stored on the drill in a special compartment.

Independent of each other, the seed placement depth and the coulter pressure are also adjusted from the SmartCenter. Thanks to the use of the universal tool these centralised settings are done quickly and easily. Afterwards, the hand wash tank and the soap dispenser, available as special option for the Centaya, allow the driver to wash his hands prior to entering the tractor cab.

Precise seed placement

The new Centaya 3000 Super can, from choice, be equipped with TwinTeC double disc coulters or RoTeC pro single disc coulters and at a row spacing of 12.5 or 15 cm. With a coulter pressure of up to 60 kg/coulter, the TwinTeC coulters run very smoothly through the soil and precisely place the seed at the desired depth. Thanks to the coulters being suspended in the contour-guided coulter frame, their coulter pressure can be adjusted centrally. The coulter pressure adjustment can be carried out either mechanically in the SmartCenter or, alternatively, hydraulically from the tractor seat so that, in changeable soils, the pressure can be matched on the move.

The driver can read off the set coulter pressure via a large scale to the right hand side of the machine. In conjunction with hydraulic coulter pressure, the Centaya also features hydraulic coulter lift. As the sowing depth is determined via the depth guidance rollers, it can be set centrally for all coulters from 0 to 6 cm. The alternative RoTeC pro single disc coulters show their strengths especially where there are large amounts of crop residues and on moist, heavy, sticky soils.

Harrows for perfect seed embedment

Depending on the customer’s wishes, AMAZONE equips the Centaya Super with different harrow systems. So the TwinTeC version can be equipped from choice with a coulter harrow set or with the Exact following harrow. For the RoTeC pro version, AMAZONE also offers either the Exact following harrow or the Roller harrow where the coulter and roller pressures can be adjusted individually. For the Exact following harrow then a hydraulic lift system is also available as a special option.

AMAZONE software for clear, logical operation

Due to the AMAZONE in-house developed ISOBUS software, the Centaya features intuitive control. Thanks to the easily understood icons and freely assignable soft key layout, the screen of the operator terminal can be individually matched to suit the needs of the end user. For control of the seed drill combination, either the AMATRON 3, CCI 100 ISOBUS terminals or AMAPAD from AMAZONE can be used or, alternatively, any other ISOBUS terminal from a third-party manufacturer.

For under-sown crops and slug pellets

In parallel to the drilling operation, it is also possible that under-sown crops, slug pellets or catch crops can be simultaneously applied with the Centaya. For this, and as an option, the GreenDrill 200E catch crop seeder box, with its 200 l capacity hopper, electrically-driven metering shaft and blower fan is available and can be fitted to the rear of the machine.

New PTO-driven soil tillage implements

The new seed drill is combined with the new KE 01 rotary harrows or KX and KG 01 rotary cultivators. Thanks to the new coupling concept, the soil tillage tool can be quickly and easily separated from the seed drill. As on all the 01 model soil tillage implements, the depth of the levelling board is adjusted via the universal tool. Depth guidance of the levelling board is done independently of the working depth of the soil tillage implement via the following roller. For reconsolidation of the soil prior to drilling, a wide range of different packer rollers are available.