If you’ve been drooling over the tire inflation technology available overseas, you’re in luck. Precision Inflation, LLC, is bringing that technology — the ability to change tire pressures from the seat — to North America.
“So this technology has been in use in Europe for about 25 years, and 5 years ago, I started bringing it to North America,” says Sally Brodbeck, owner of Precision Inflation, in the following interview filmed at Ag in Motion. “It’s a German-made system called PTG, and it is — for the first time in North America — now being offered on this [AGCO] tractor.”
An ISOBUS-compatible control box in the cap comes preset with road and field pressures recommended by the tire industry, and through a hydraulic-powered compressor, changes tire pressure in just a few minutes. Once the system reaches the desired pressure, check valves ensure it remains that way in the tires, and the air in the line goes to zero.
When not in use, working lines can be disconnected (via quick couplers), and stored in couplings on the mudguards.
“This completely, radically changes the operation and the performance of the equipment and the tires,” says Brodbeck. “And because it has such a big impact on compaction and yield, you see a return on investment usually within the first year.”
James Crouch, Michelin’s farm segment marketing manager, thinks it’s only a matter of time before the technology gains traction.
“In the future, it will expand beyond the 4-wheel drive tractors to front wheel assist, combines, grain tanks, fertilizer applicators – everything that touches the farm.”
Central air inflation will be available on AGCO’s 550HP Challenger MT965E as a dealer-installed OEM application available after Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa. It is already available as an aftermarket application for almost all makes, models and types of agricultural equipment.
PTG, a leading developer of Central Tire Inflation Systems (CTIS) for agricultural equipment. Precision Inflation, LLC works as its North American representative.
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