A DESIGNER and manufacturer of cleaning and harvesting systems for potatoes, has launched a new pre-cleaner, the Terra-Siv.
The self-cleaning Terra-Siv from Scotts Precision Manufacturing Ltd is specifically designed to rapidly extract large volumes of loose soil and debris over a very short distance. It is designed to bolt directly onto the intake of any second-generation Evolution Separators or can be used as a stand-alone pre-cleaner.
Scotts’ Managing Director Derek Scott said the main driver for the design is to assist growers dealing with high soil percentages in their crops.
“The Terra-Siv will turbocharge separators by removing high levels of loose soil and smaller debris. By eliminating this debris beforehand, the separator can operate more efficiently, removing larger particles and leaf matter.”
The crop is supported on the tips of the stars, allowing loose soil to immediately fall between the fingers, while larger particles are drawn down into the valley between the star shafts.
“We have found that by mis-matching the star shaft speeds and adjusting the height of the second star shaft, we can then effectively entrain irregular-shaped objects deeper into that valley without pulling the crop through. The key is to eliminate any flex or movement within the shafts and supporting chassis while keeping the star fingers open in the heaviest of soils,” said Derek.
He said this was achieved by stabilising the spacing between the stars.
“Having uniform star spacings allows us to maintain a very tight tolerance between the cleaning finger and adjacent stars. The use of a square-edged steel finger ensures the gap is repeatedly cleaned, twin roller bearings mounted on a cam shaft consistently flex the soft fingers, completing the self-cleaning cycle.”
The design is focused on low maintenance and tool-free adjustment. Direct drive electric motor/gearboxes, along with remote greasing, are fitted as standard. For operator ease, all adjustments are made via push button or turnbuckles.
The unit consists of six individually direct-driven shafts, providing the following functionalities;
