Only fertilise the things that should grow

A test on a field close to Buxtehude: an agricultural machine with an intelligent spray system from Herbert Dammann GmbH drives over the field and applies a herbicide. Within milliseconds, cameras along the entire working width of the agricultural vehicle record each individual plant and provide signals about where spraying is required – and where it is not. “The system can be detect very small weeds from a size of six millimetres both before and after seed spreading and differentiate between these and cultivated plants,” explains Managing Director Nadine Dammann. “Then only the necessary things are fertilised in real time.” Not “the more the merrier”, but really properly dosed according to the principle “as much as necessary, as little as possible”.

“This precision plant recognition is the future,” says Nadine Dammann, absolutely convinced. “We are currently testing different systems for their practical feasibility.” The technology can save up to 70 per cent of herbicides used otherwise. This benefits the environment and reduces costs. This is precisely the aim of the development work by Nadine Dammann and her team, which not only works in crop protection technology, but also in the areas of communal, platform and airport technology. “We want to enable our customers to work efficiently, saving costs and time,” explains Dammann. “We do this by delivering innovative and precision applications which are both economically and environmentally beneficial.”

The Tridem crop protection sprayer also embodies precision. With a working width of 42 meters, 20,000 litres capacity and high-precision agricultural chassis, it’s a power pack and one of the most important innovations of the company. It was used in its first practical season and extensively tested at ‘Agro-Team Unseburg’, an agricultural operation in Unseburg, Saxony-Anhalt, in 2022. Owner and CEO Marc Glowienka and Head of Production, Dieter Böhm, are delighted with the vehicle: “The Tandem Profi-Class crop protection sprayer with 14,000 litres already won us over, but after we tried out the Profi-Class Tridem, we don’t want anything less than the 20,000 litre tank capacity now,” says Dieter Böhm.

Technologically speaking, the Tridem crop protection sprayer comes with several innovations from the Dammann company. The herbicide concentrate is mixed with water to create a spray solution. It always needs to be well mixed and the components optimally integrated. DAMMANN has developed the ‘rotating mix and cleaning machine’ for this, known by the German abbreviation RRW. It is attached in a barrel and consists of several stirring nozzles which continuously turn in the barrel and thereby keep the liquid moving. The RRW also means the inside of the barrel can also be easily cleaned after removing the solution, which is all the more important in a container of this size.

As in the tandem spray, there is an axle relief installed which ensures that there is always sufficient support on the K80 bearings and the drawbar trailer axle, even in difficult conditions. This ensures comfortable driving and reduces wear on the materials. The Tridem can also save time – through its size alone. If used optimally, it can replace other machines and thereby also reduce the number of personnel required.

The vehicle is equipped with three pneumatic BPW axles and hydraulic drawbar suspension. BPW was chosen in particular because quality was of the highest priority for the DAMMANN: the square axle beam with reinforced axle cross section of the BPW products, the KTL coating, the BPW wheel bearing system and the BPW brake cam shaft with the spherical bearings of the pneumatic axle make them extremely robust but at the same time smooth-running – and all these advantages mean an extremely long life expectancy.

Bergische Achsen KG and Dammann have already enjoyed a trusted collaboration for many years. In the context of new EU requirements for devices which spray crop protection products, the new homologation of the tandem field spray recently became necessary: “The vehicle had to go through various tests in order to demonstrate that it fulfilled all the conditions of the corresponding regulation,” explained Frank Rothe, Area Sales Manager Customised Solutions at BPW Bergische Achsen KG. “We were happy to support Dammann with the practical driving trial here, which included braking tests, among other things. The results were perfect.”

Driver Ronny Pobanz also gushes about the excellent road-holding properties of the ‘big spray’: “It drives more easily than the 14,000 litre capacity container on the tandem axle.” The Tridem model is more agile with three axles: the first, steered axle is followed by a second rigid one – and the third which is steered again. This means the vehicle can manoeuvre very well, despite its size. The Tridem has 6 wheels and the drivers always have control, even in the bends, thanks to the mechanical-hydraulic positive-steering; the spray maintains perfect hold on the roads. The pneumatic suspension also plays out its full range of advantages here – it can optimally adjust to uneven ground and is so sensitive that it can even compensate for holes and bumps when working in the field. A comfortable drive is beneficial for all the vehicle materials and the ground. It is also much more comfortable for drivers. From his trailer with a view at the rear, Dieter Böhm even says: “the trailed sprayer is more comfortable than the driver’s seat!”