EXACTRIX Case Pre-Plant Corn

Case SDX, No-till, Single Disc, Pre-Plant Tool.

Case SDX Report, November 8, 05, Election Day, Dodge, Nebraska.

Temperatures were running at daytime highs of 70 degrees F and 100 psi tank pressure on November 8th.

The included pictures groups are of the 40 foot Case SDX set on 20" band centers. Specifically ordered by the Pojar family to No-till band nutrients for pre-plant corn production.

The system is an Exactrix 2KC Weigh Master with 24 port outlets. Jason, Brian, and Larry Pojar are actually weighing the NH3 as it is applied.


Jason Pojar, Prepares for Initial Run	Brian Pojar, Inspector General

The Exactrix Weigh Master can be set up to challenge the scales at the Coop....or it can also be programmed to read pounds of N per acre and then hand calculated to read pounds of NH3.

The Exactrix dual product 2KP system allows dual application of APP/ATS....This particular application at Pojar's located at Dodge, Nebraska requires 6 gallons of ATS to bring up sulfur and stabilize the nitrogen band.... since cattle manure has brought soil test P to very high levels. Soil tests indicated about 15 to 18 pounds of sulfur required. The ATS combined in the band slows down the conversion to mobile nitrate.....Tests indicate that NH3 will remain ammonic about 6 to 8 weeks longer when Thio-Sul was tested in spring application at Grand Island.


2KC Weigh Master and 2KP TAPPS Formulator.	Supply Line From Twin Ammonia Tanks, 2 Inch.

Thio-Sul has long been used in the PNW to stabilize nitrogen and raise yield with much needed sulfur....In corn production Thio-Sul improves yields and raises test weight when applied with APP. Yield increases are in 2% range to 30% range depending on the rainfall pattern and intensity of the rain. Thio-Sul is nitrogen insurance.....hand and glove..... N and S go together.

Pattern 2.4 Exactrix Wing Injectors installed with checks.


Case SDX Exactrix Wingless Injection, Pattern 2.4	Folded View

Electronic pressure gauges were installed to read TIO injection pressure and APP/ATS injection pressure.

The SDX opener is set at 4 degrees, the 22.5" diameter, double edged blade and scraper assembly is cutting corn and soybean residue. An excellent No-till seed bed results. The opener has been set initially at 3" depth. The high pressure 270 psi liquid injection of NH3 places the band to a depth of 5 inches. Maximum injection pressure is 280 psi with 100 psi tank pressure.

Soil conditions were considered extremely firm for the time of the year. Clay type soils and loess deposits from the Yellowstone Caldera can raise top yields....soybeans yielded in the 50 to 55 bushel range in 2005 under dryland conditions. Higher net returns were realized on dryland as compared to center pivot production corn in 2005.


Acceptable Soil Disturbance, No-Till Pre-Plant Banding, 1st Pass.	10th Pass Reviewed

The large diameter single disc opener appeared to seal well on the initial passes. Exactrix NH3 is being driven into the ATS and deeper into the soil by about 2". The band is vertical oriented in a tight column reducing the feeding sites for the nitro ammonias and nitrobacteria.

One of the advantages of the SDX opener, ....the 22.5 blade is double edged...... and cuts better than single edged blades.... the double edge blade does not lift soil at the blade heel....double edging is more costly but superior. The double edging allows the "heel of the blade" to lift out of the soil slot.... reducing soil lifting. The 7 degree angle 18" single disc Deere machines would perform better with double edging. Thus the SDX is potentially much lower in ground disturbance with advance design in the very simple opener.

The frame is also impressive....10" deep section x 6" wide in 1/2" wall....center sections are 6 x 6. The paint application looks excellent. The metal prep for paint appears to be excellent in the weld areas.

Discoveries after initial tests.

The fertilizer dealer supplied, twin top outlet trailers were dropped. The twin, single 1,000 gallon, 41 inch bulkhead, top outlet tanks, could not deliver above 7 to 9 gallons per minute each. Flow rates required are 30 gpm. This is typical of top outlet tanks...which have vaporizer valves. Also the tank valves were leaking and needed to be replaced. Do not install vaporizer valves in the bottom of the tank....the valve will jam with particulate....This has been be tested and continues to be tried. The flows are not improved.


Exactrix Supply Side, Flow Consolidation From Twin Tanks.	Case SDX, 20 Inch No-Till Banding Tool in rolling Nebraska, Dodge, Nebraska.

Single, 2,000 gallon, NH3 tanks, with 46" bulk heads..... set on twin axle turntable trailers.... Exactrix 3" bottom outlet valves are now in service. The tanks were rented from Helena Chemical at a cost of $2.00 per acre.....Exactrix Bottom Outlet Valves are designed for pumps and will not vaporize the NH3 at flows to 125 gpm. Exactrix inlet grates break the vortex.

The SDX can also be set up with AGPRO seed metering or air delivery carts.

It would appear that the SDX is the best buy in single disc application equipment.....about $47,000 at 40 feet on 20 inch band centers with about 170% more weight than a comparable Deere single disc unit. Lead times on this machine are becoming longer...CNH has one build schedule in the winter months.

Plus Case will supply in about any configuration from 30" to 7.5"....Plus lower wear parts cost.....Plus ease of setting and operating the openers....No hydraulic pressure sensing valve causing horsepower drag....The hydraulic system is simplified and very quick to add more downpressure.

Also one overlooked point....... the leading/trailing caster wheels and rear wheels are walking beam mounted....much easier on the frame and components to walk over terraces and irregular terrain of the Great Plains. The caster wheels and rear walking tandems use a 31x13.50-15 at 14 ply which has a 3,000 pound rating.

Leading and trailing designs of the axles also mean less compaction with 12" offset. Each wheel acts as true axle....much like a floating bogie group on a Cat. Centerline duals act as one axle on the Deere....So the SDX has twice as many axles and less compaction.

The tire rating is 48,000 pounds total load carrying....However the center 8 tires can carry 24,000 pounds....so if you are going to mount a seed box to the rear frame....you will need to "bush up" on tires and rims....the axles appear to be 6,500 pound rated.

Steep Palouse Hillside producers will need add about 50% more weight to the machine to make it pull straight on 50% to 65% compound angle slopes. 5/16 inch double edge blades and X-16 hubs with dual cone seals would be advisable.

There is some real value in the SDX.....The Red Riser.

Guy Swanson

ASABE, ASA, ASM, WSDA Certified.

Exactrix Global Systems

Spokane.


Case SDX, 20 Inch No-Till Banding Tool	Case SDX, Dual Placement, NH3, ATS