Out with the old, in with the new: Upgrade your farming equipment with Valtrac!

Agricultural technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and precision farming is at the forefront of every farmer’s mind. But as many farmers know, keeping up with the Jones’s is an expensive task.

That trusty tractor, sprayer, or planter you bought ten years ago may still be running perfectly, the only issue is that the software is outdated. That’s where Valtrac comes in to save the day. With a range of advanced software solutions, Valtrac can transform your older machines into tech-savvy, precision farming equipment.

Upgrade your old planter with a precision solution – Bosch IPS

The quality with which your seeds are planted has a direct impact on your crop’s yield. Proper spacing and precise
placement are critical at the start of the season, and with the Intelligent Planting Solution (IPS) from Bosch, you can be confident that your seeds are placed exactly right. Bosch’s IPS optimise the seeding process with the use of reliable electric drives, as used in the automotive industry, sensor data and software to give farmers control.

So how does it work? The tractor’s hydraulic system supplies hydraulic energy to the IPS, which is then converted into electrical energy and distributed to the components fitted on the seeder. This means the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) receives information from the implement. Based on this information, the ECU determines the rotational speed of the electric motor, ultimately controlling the quantity of seed dispensed per rotation. The ECU also shares important information such as speed, singulation, seed count, seed tank level, total working hours and a navigation map, to the display inside the cab.

If the system detects any issues, such as missing seeds, it immediately alerts the operator. Thanks to the data collected by the sensors, the IPS provides the driver with control parameters that can be monitored and adjusted directly from the cab. The system even takes care of curved paths for you by adapting the seed quantity at the inside and outside curve radius. By using prescription maps the IPS adjusts the quantity of the seed placed in the ground according to the quality of your soil.

There is also no need to worry about overlapping seeding rows because the system automatically detects planted areas and shuts off the specific rows where the already planted rows begin. You do not need the latest planter for this product to work, it is designed to be retrofitted to all makes and models, even the trusty planter your father used years ago.

SolSteer brings John Deere guidance systems to your tractor

SolSteer allows you to use John Deere’s well-known GreenStar and AutoTrac guidance systems on other tractor brands, enabling seamless guidance line integration across a mixed fleet of machinery.

SolSteer’s Agri-Steer interface allows you to use the familiar AutoTrac™ monitor, user interface and functionality on any machinery brand. The kit contains an Agri-Steer control module and full wiring harness to connect the receiver, display, and control module to the machine.

There are two different SolSteer systems that can be used in different brands:

•The steer ready kit can be fitted to a machine that has been factory fitted with automatic steering components. This kit comes with a control module and wiring harness and there is no extra steering hardware required, it is ISOBUS integrated, has integrated coverage triggers, utilizes the OEM resume switch, and supports a large number of platforms for most modern machines. It also provides additional functions like recording yield data.
•If you have a large fleet of John Deere tractors and a few other brands, you can still transfer data such as waylines between all the tractors.

 

With Solsteer you can bring John Deere GPS technology to any machine.

Upgrade your old sprayer into a precision masterpiece

Valtrac can even help you upgrade your old sprayer with their new spray controller. This system not only adds autosteer functionality to your sprayer but also enables full precision spray control.

Essentially, it’s an FJ Dynamics 82 steering system paired with a spray control module, designed to transform any older sprayer without section control, variable rate, or precision capabilities into a modern, precision spraying machine.

The system provides consistent application, automated section control, nozzle control, variable rate, ISOBUS capabilities and records area spray that can be exported. This system is aimed at customers who own older model sprayers or have working sprayers with outdated or damaged software. It can be customised to fit your specific sprayer and is compatible with both trailed and self-propelled units.

Valtrac is now a proud PTx Trimble dealer

Precision farming technology helps farmers improve productivity—and PTx Trimble makes it possible to apply this precision across a wide range of equipment, from tractors to water management systems. Valtrac is also a proud dealer of PTx Trimble technology. PTx Trimble is an industry-leading GPS-guidance, auto-steering, precision spraying, and farm management solutions that helps you work smarter, reduce costs, and increase efficiency on your farm.

For more information about Valtrac’s equipment, tractors and implements, visit their website at www.valtrac.co.za, contact Attie de Villiers at (+27) 83-261-9863 or (+27) 56-817-8006, or email attiedev@valtrac.co.za.