The industry’s preference for potato planting and ridging in a single working pass has never been higher. Dewulf has been responding to this demand with the Smart-Float principle for some years.

The technology was developed originally for the CP 42-cup planter (75 cm) and is now available for the Structural 4000 belt planter. The planter actively and continuously maintains a steady working depth of soil cultivation and planting by using Smart-Float. Growers can save time, gasoline, and man hours by using this method. The CP 42 Smart-Float now comes in 4 x 90 cm sizes.

ISOBUS or HMI?

The current series of Smart-Float machines allows you to independently modify rotary cultivation and planting depth from the cabin, using both the HMI and ISOBUS control displays. Section Control and Variable Rate Control, when combined with a GPS-controlled ISOBUS display, can be implemented to meet specific on-site requirements. Both of these functions have been offered for some time in conjunction with the HMI control display under the designations HMI GPS Planting Comfort and Control.

Growing Bed Preparation Comes First

The SC 360 Compact cultivator is the driving power behind the soil cultivation of the CP 42 Smart-Float. Its huge, 650 mm rotor diameter allows it to till deeply for superior growing bed preparation while maintaining the machine’s compact proportions.

“Thanks to its distinctive design, the SC series always loosens enough soil, enabling the planter to easily form a good ridge. The cultivator hooks are also optionally fitted with Widia wear parts that guarantee a long service life. With this CP 42 Smart-Float, the furrow opener beam is also mounted to the planter itself with hydraulic cylinders. This provides even more precise depth control,” according to a recent company press release.

Sensors ensure that the rotating cultivator produces the proper amount of loose soil and crumbling coarseness during planting. The furrow openers ensure a uniform planting depth that follows the contours of the field in this manner.