Since its inauguration in 1983, AMAZONE Ltd has participated in the Cereals Event as it toured around the country in those early years before settling in the A1 corridor. The shape of the machines on show over those 40 years has certainly changed when we considered the ZA-U 1001 twin disc spreader and D7/30 EC-N conventional drill in combination with the REV 30 reciprocating harrow as the state-of-the-art products at that time. Nowadays we have the 15 metre wide Condor 15001-C direct tine seeder, the ZA-TS spreaders capable of spreading up to 54m, work rates up to 60 ha/h and with spread pattern accuracy monitored by radar along with wind speed and direction catered for during spreading. Spraying moves rapidly towards plant by plant application with the realisation of spot spraying and DirectInject.

As part of their 40 year anniversary celebration, and to compliment the usual impressive array of cultivation, seeding, spraying and fertilising kit, this year’s Cereals Event will see AMAZONE open up its Stand 948 to an exhibition of its machinery development over the last 40 years along with an open-house seminar programme starting each day at 11am and running throughout the middle of the day. These seminars, given by industry-leading experts, will offer visitors to the Stand the chance to catch up on the latest thinking behind crop establishment and crop care demands.

With regard to new kit at this year’s event, there will be four distinctive additions to the Amazone line-up:

Amazone to showcase Schmotzer hoes at the Cereals Event

Schmotzer has been manufacturing quality hoes for almost 100 years and, following its takeover, is now part of the AMAZONE Group. The Cereals Event will mark the launch of the brand in Britain where the new Venterra 2K series hoes will be on the Stand.

The key feature of the Venterra is its ability to be used over longer periods due to its deep underframe clearance and increased lift out height enabling the continuing use of the hoe during the growing season in crops of up to 50 cm high; even when coming out of short work into the headland and using GPS SectionControl to lift out each tine element individually. The machine is compact, with a close centre of gravity, to reduce soil compaction, both in work and when turning.

In working widths of 4.5  to 6.75 m and able to cope with row widths from 45 cm up to 75 cm, the hoe is ideal for maize, sugar beet or any other row crop. The Venterra 2K is guided between the rows using the HORUS Pro camera set-up which provides precise guidance even at high forward speeds meaning potentially higher work rates per day. Downtime is minimised by the RAPIDO quick-change blade system. Additional tools, such as row protectors and following harrows can be easy added if required. The parallelograms are equipped with maintenance-free bearings for the minimum of stoppages.

The multi-purpose, interchangeable tool system means that the hoe can be set up for a number of different functions with trailing tools such as ridging discs or finger wheels being mounted on a separate parallelogram for improved contour following.

The new AMAZONE 02 Rotamix rotary harrows

The new KE 02 Rotamix rotary harrows span working widths from 2.5 m up to 4.0 m rigid and for tractors from 150 hp through to 240 hp. Now, new on the stand for first time will be the flagship KE 6002-2 400 Rotamix folding rotary harrow. Designed for solo use only, the 6 metre KE 6002-2 is for tractors up to 400 hp. High output in the field, and the machine quickly folds to a 3 m transport width for rapid and safe transport between fields

System Rotamix – close-coupled, compact and four extra tine carriers over 6 m

Along with the rest of the KE 02 models equipped with the Rotamix system, the KE 6002-2-400 rotary harrow has four tine carriers per metre working width across which the incoming power is distributed. The trailing tines produce a very good crumb structure, even on heavy soils making the new rotary harrows therefore very well suited for seedbed preparation, particularly following the plough.

The number of tine carriers permits the use of a smaller spur gear diameter. This has allowed the design of the rotary harrow trough to be very robust, yet very compact and therefore lightweight. The short coupling distance ensures that the leverage effect on the tractor is reduced, and it therefore has a lesser lifting power requirement than with other rotary harrows.

The tried and tested Quick+Safe system provides the 290 mm tines with an integrated stone release and the tines can be easily exchanged without the need for tools.

A higher class of performance with the DirectDrive gearbox

The Long-Life-Drive system, ensures a long service life and maximum smooth running. The double sealing system, with cassette seal and labyrinth seals, protects against dust, moisture and dirt ingress.

And at the heart of the new rotary harrow range is the DirectDrive gearbox, via which the higher power flow is transmitted directly to the spur gears of the tine carriers. On the new KE 6002-2-400 Rotamix there is no power redirection thus ensuring an excellent, low-wear, transmission of power. The DriveDrive gearboxes are mounted on both side wings. The rotary harrow can be used with a PTO speed of 1000 rpm. Exchange gear sets enable the tine carrier speed to be adapted to the different soil conditions.

Comfortable setting

For setting a precise and consistent working depth, the KE 6002-2-400 is adjusted via a series of holes. This facilitates a very broad setting spectrum where the working depth can be mechanically adjusted, yet very precisely by an eccentric pin. The setting is designed to be simple and easily set up by the operator.

The height of the levelling board that holds and levels the soil within the tines is precisely guided by the rear roller. The levelling board also deflects upwards thanks to the integrated overload protection. A universal setting tool is supplied for fine-tuning the precise settings; the tool can also be used universally for many other tasks, such as adjusting the height of the side plates or for setting the track markers.

Versatile roller range

Numerous roller types with different diameters for targeted reconsolidation are available for a wide range of site-specific requirements. AMAZONE offers the tooth packer roller for full-area crumbling and reconsolidation. The wedge ring roller, for light to medium soil types, reconsolidates in strips. Optionally also with Matrix profile for an even better drive in lighter soil types. The roller programme is rounded off with the trapezium roller, also giving strip-wise reconsolidation.

New Centaya Special pneumatic harrow-mounted seed drill

At the Cereals Event for the first time, AMAZONE is extending its range of pneumatic harrow-mounted seed drills with the Centaya Special. The new model in the Centaya range replaces the AD-P Special harrow-mounted seed drill.

The Centaya Special is offered in hopper sizes of 1,000 l and 1,500 l and in working widths of 3 m, 3.5 m and 4 m. The pneumatic harrow-mounted seed drill can be equipped with the RoTeC single disc coulter or with the TwinTeC Special double disc coulter.

Compact, user-friendly and precise

The segmented distributor head on the Centaya Special is mounted behind the seed hopper directly above the coulters. This arrangement ensures a short conveying time for the seed. The hopper is positioned well forward and thus offers an optimum centre of gravity close to the tractor. The distributor head can be reached easily via the loading board and can then be regularly checked. Setting the tramline system is also easy to carry out as a result of the good accessibility.

The low profile of the hopper also gives the driver a better overview of the machine. The very large 2.30 x 0.84 m hopper fill opening enables a quick and convenient fill, not just from big bags, front end loaders, but also from small sacks. The deep hopper tip and steep hopper walls reliably guide the seed corn down to the metering unit. Furthermore, this design means that only small residual amounts are left in the hopper.

The Centaya Special harrow-mounted seed drill is controlled either by the machine-specific AmaDrill 2 in-cab terminal or via ISOBUS. The in-house developed AMAZONE ISOBUS software allows intuitive operation by the driver. In combination with the TwinTerminal, the machine can be quickly and simply got ready for drilling.

Smart calibration

Calibration of the seed hopper can be carried out conveniently from the loading board. The easily-accessible metering unit on the bottom of the hopper ensures even seed metering. The seed is gathered in the collection bag supplied and is weighed using the scales that are included as standard.

For other seeds, or different seed rates, AMAZONE offers a variety of different metering cassettes for the Centaya Special. Only two bolts need to be released directly on the metering unit using the handy tool supplied, in order to change the metering cassettes.

In order to make pre-metering, calibration and residue emptying even easier, AMAZONE offers, for the Centaya Special, the Comfort Pack with its TwinTerminal 3.0. This terminal is fixed in place with a magnet close to the metering unit. Calibration is therefore carried out directly down on the machine and there is no need to keep getting up and down from the tractor. ISOBUS control of the seed drill combination can be performed either by the AmaTron 4 ISOBUS terminal from AMAZONE, or by any other ISOBUS terminal from a third party manufacturer.

Single disc or double disc coulters

The Centaya Special can be equipped either with the RoTeC single disc coulter or with the TwinTeC Special double disc coulter.

RoTeC coulters are maintenance-free and work very reliably, even where large amounts of straw and plant residues are present. The sowing disc and a furrow former create the seed furrow profile and provide optimum seed placement into the soil. The Control 10 depth guidance disc or the Control 25 depth guidance roller prevent the soil from sticking to the sowing disc, thereby ensuring that the pre-selected sowing depth is precisely maintained. Row spacings of 12.5 cm and 15 cm can be chosen.

Equipped with the high-performance TwinTeC Special double disc coulter, the seed drill offers a precise and sturdy double disc coulter. With a disc diameter of 340 mm and a coulter pressure of 40 kg, the coulter provides very precise and neat seed placement, even at higher speeds and on inconsistent soils. Thanks to the trailing depth guide roller, there is always good contact with the soil, so that optimum seed placement is ensured. The coulter impresses with its smooth running, even under the most difficult of conditions. The row spacing is 15 cm.

QuickLink quick coupling system

The Centaya Special harrow-mounted seed drill can be very easily and quickly connected without tools to the various AMAZONE soil tillage implements via the QuickLink quick coupling system. Depending on the soil conditions, it can be combined with the KE 02 rotary harrow or the KG and KX rotary cultivators. The Centaya Special can be combined with the CombiDisc compact disc harrow for use on very light soils.

The all-new Teres 300 reversible plough range

The Teres 300 is the all-new mounted reversible plough from AMAZONE. In 4, 5, and 6 furrows, the new mounted plough is designed for tractors with a horsepower rating up to 300 HP. The Teres 300 is available in two formats, the Teres 300 V, or the VS with hydraulic stone release system; both models are equipped with variable furrow width adjustment as standard. Designed to keep operating costs, both in diesel usage and wearing metal, to a minimum, the plough is characterised by its simple adjustment, its exceptionally light pull and that perfect finish to the working profile.

AutoAdapt front furrow width adjustment

The new ploughs feature the new AutoAdapt front furrow width adjustment which offers a huge advantage in terms of comfort and precision. AutoAdapt means that the front furrow width is adjusted when the overall working width is changed. This is achieved by the parallelogram beam to headstock linkage and a hydraulic connection between the working width cylinder and the front furrow cylinder. AutoAdapt also has a positive effect on both metal wear rates and fuel consumption as the pull line is always maintained square to the lower link cross shaft irrespective of the working width set. The front furrow width can also be over-ridden on the move to ensure the perfect match up, bout on bout, for when ploughing on sloping ground.

SpeedBlade plough bodies reduce running costs

In addition, the new SpeedBlade plough bodies ensure reduced wear costs, even at higher speeds. As ploughing speeds increase, the soil flow up the mouldboard changes and the wear takes place outside of the normal shin area. The new SpeedBlade mouldboard consists of a new extended shin which is then able to be replaced much more cheaply than having to replace the complete mouldboard. This cuts the running cost of the machine. Secondly, the point and wing overlap each other to prevent string and roots getting trapping in between.

Either shear bolt or hydraulic stone protection – the choice is yours

The new hydraulic stone release system protects the plough in stony ground; the pressure on which can be set centrally, or on each body individually, up a maximum trip force of 2,000kg. This runs alongside the conventional double-action shear bolt.

SmartTurn has been designed to cut out pivot wear and tear

And the design of the plough is all about longevity; with its exceptional beam strength, the ProtectShaft lower link mounting, where the cross shaft is carried in bearings to take out the shock load of the plough turning over and when on the road, as well as the gentle SmartTurn turn-over system. SmartTurn actuates the frame swivel cylinder to enable sufficient ground clearance to turn the plough over without having to close up the furrow width on every end, this removes that risk of pivot bearing wear and tear over the years.