Excellent sowing quality with the SWIFTER compactor: innovations for efficient tillage

It is known that the further development of crops, and subsequently the future harvest, depends on the quality of soil preparation. Therefore, it is especially important to properly prepare the soil in the spring before sowing. Pre-sowing equipment plays a key role at this stage of agricultural work. It must be reliable and perform its work well.

This is exactly what the SWIFTER compactor from BEDNAR is. This unit is designed for preparing the soil before sowing various crops, such as cereals, oilseeds, and legumes. Its main function is loosening and smoothing the soil surface, crushing lumps, creating a seed bed, destroying weeds, and nourishing the soil cover. SWIFTER can effectively deal with different types of soil and prepare it for the successful planting of plants, providing optimal conditions for seed germination and development of the future crop.

In addition, the compactor prevents over-compaction of the soil, which is caused by multiple passes of single-function units. After all, he performs up to eight operations in one pass!

The advantages of the pre-sowing compactor SWIFTER model SO 8000F were also evaluated at Herrom Invest-Yarmolyntsi LLC.

The farm is in the Khmelnytskyi region. They have 9,500 hectares of land under cultivation. Traditional crops are grown winter wheat, rapeseed, soybean, sunflower, corn, and sugar beet. The types of soil are different: there are chernozems, clays, and loams. Generally, a mixed tillage technology is used: deep loosening and No-Till technology for corn and sunflower.

The SWIFTER SO 8000F compactor has a working width of 8 meters and performs seven operations in one pass. Starting with the first operation, the tractor-track looseners start the process. A front hydraulically operated Crushbar leveling bar levels out the roughness of the furrow, while a slatted roller breaks up the clods. Two rows of working paws will thoroughly cut and loosen the soil to the specified depth. The compactor works from 2 to 12 cm. Here it is important to note two key points: firstly, the legs have a "3D" effect, which, together with the overall strength of the unit, allows the compactor to work on turns without lifting the working sections. Secondly, SWIFTER has the best overlap of the paws, which ensures the durability of the unit and high-quality work without gaps throughout.

After working paws, the leveling bar calms, and levels the soil. Next, the double-row Crosskill roller contributes to the perfect crushing of lumps and compacts the soil. This roller can be adjusted for different working conditions, wet or dry soils. The last operation is the final leveling with a mechanical bar. A design feature of the middle and finish bar, which affects the quality of processing, is the possibility of adjusting the force of their pressing on the ground with a special screw mechanism.

In addition, all SWIFTER compactors are equipped with hydraulic cylinders on the drawbar that absorb shock and load, which contributes to the durability and quality of operation of the unit.

Therefore, in one pass, the field is leveled, weeds are cut, and an ideal seedbed is created.

The chief engineer also noted the ease of maintenance of the unit and the absence of serious breakdowns during operation.

"We did not apply for a guarantee - there was no need. The unit is not so complicated that you cannot figure it out yourself. In general, SWIFTER is a very reliable compactor and fulfills all the tasks set before it by our agronomists," concluded Ivan Koman.