Innovative and full of technologies, Horsch's Leeb 5.280 VL is a self-propelled sprayer that will certainly positively impact the Brazilian market, with unprecedented solutions in the application of pesticides
In yet another field test with agricultural machinery, the team from Cultivar Máquinas and the UFSM Agrotechnology Laboratory went to the city of Pinhão, in the state of Paraná, to test the Horsch sprayer, model Leeb 5.280 VL.
This sprayer was presented to the Brazilian market in April this year, during Tecnoshow de Rio Verde, in Goiás, but it had already been in the field since November 2021, when it went on sale, with the sale of a first machine to a brand customer. This equipment was launched in Germany in 2020, being one of the most prominent products. For now, the sprayer being sold in Brazil is entirely assembled in Germany, however, starting next year, national machines will also be built, already with the Finame code. According to the Horsch team, which was supporting us in the test, a first prototype of the national equipment is already being prepared and will be ready later this year. Horsch's validation procedure, both for imported machines and those built here in the country, is quite strict and includes field tests. Those interested in this machine could see it on display, in addition to Tecnoshow, at AgroBrasília and Bahia Farm Show, which were the recent fairs in which Horsch participated.
The sprayer we tested had been on the farm, where we were to carry out the test, since December last year and has already been used extensively this harvest. Currently, the brand already has some units sold in operation in Brazil, with other units expected to arrive.
The model we tested received this designation Leeb 5.280 VL because it has five thousand liters in the tank and 280 hp of engine power. VL is an abbreviation for Variable Large, which indicates the possibility of varying the width of the machine.
The engine that powers the Leeb sprayer is from the FPT brand, model N67, with six cylinders, a total volume of 6,7 liters and 280 hp of maximum power, with turbocharger and electronic fuel injection. There is a difference in relation to other sprayers, in which the heat cooling from the engine has a vertical flow, that is, the ventilation is upwards, avoiding the heating of other parts of the machine. Access to the air filter and hydraulic oil reservoir is easily achieved by moving the operator across a platform that surrounds and provides access to the tank, just behind the cabin.
The brand, in its marketing strategy, chose not to use reseller networks but rather dealer networks, where customers must have the service of at least one technical consultant and another commercial consultant at each dealership. This attitude is intended to maintain the quality of customer service, with guaranteed spare parts and labor, as all teams in the dealership network receive targeted and constant training.
A self-propelled sprayer is a vehicle for applying liquid products, at considerably high speeds for agricultural activities and equipped with pressurization systems, formation and localized deposition of drops on different targets.
The Horsch Leeb uses a one-piece chassis, called ComfortDriveFlex, with side members and cross members forming an “H” shaped structure. The project provided for a 50%/50% weight distribution between the front and rear of the vehicle when working. To achieve this, the manufacturer's engineering team chose to individualize the application bar, using a parallelogram-shaped structure, which transfers weight to the rear, and the cabin had to be placed in an advanced position at the front, balancing the whole in the longitudinal direction. Also, in order to distribute the weight and balance of the machine, two pairs of radial tires measuring 380/105-R54 were fitted to this sprayer, which are larger in diameter than what is usually applied to this type of machine. Large diameter tires expand the contact surface lengthwise, being very favorable for traction even in the varied relief conditions found in Brazil, in addition to reducing soil compaction.
The transmission of movement, from the engine to the wheels, is done by a Continuously Variable Hydrostatic Transmission. It uses a hydraulic pump, with individual motors on each wheel. On each of the wheels there is an inductive sensor, which instantly measures the rotation and indicates to the system a possible loss of adhesion of the wheel with the ground, causing the flow to be directed to another wheel, reducing slippage and ensuring drivability, safety and precision. in driving. Therefore, the hydraulic circuit is neither crossed nor in-line, as each wheel has its own sensor and hydraulic motor with independent movement. A characteristic of this vehicle is that there is a predominance of the rear axle in relation to the front, as the rear wheel motors have greater capacity than the front ones, due to load transfer when climbing ramps. At high travel speeds, close to 30km/h, only the front wheel hydraulic motors are used. The transmission provides speeds of up to 35km/h in operation and 50km/h when traveling.
There is total integration between the engine and transmission. As maintaining travel speed is a priority in a sprayer, as the applied dose varies, the management system controls the rotation of the engine, which does not work at a fixed speed, adjusting it to the desired travel speed. During field work, it is verified that the engine is constantly changing its speed and the travel speed remains constant, even if the vehicle is going up or down the terrain or there is an obstacle to overcome, such as a terrace, for example. Therefore, the multifunction control has the role of controlling the speed of the equipment, and not the engine rotation directly. Automatic engine speed management ensures lower fuel consumption and less component wear, as well as protecting the equipment from possible operating errors, such as activating the pump at high speed.
With a very precise variation, from 5cm to 5cm, the project contemplates the adjustment of the gauge between 2,60m and 3,50m, both to reduce this measurement for transport and to adjust it to a configuration of other machines, for traffic. controlled. It is very simple to adjust from inside the cabin, moving the vehicle at a reduced speed. There is no lock and after the procedure the service can now be started. This modification uses hydraulic pistons placed internally within the axle shafts. The system is combined with a pneumatic suspension, where there are shock absorbers and pneumatic springs, like double bellows bags, and two rods that guide the course. In addition to adjusting the gauge, on this machine it is possible to adjust the free space between 1,60m and 2m between the ground surface and the equipment. Two hydraulic cylinders in each suspension assembly make this adjustment. All of this makes it possible to operate in different crops, easily adapting to different spacings and plant heights.
The sprayer works with a hydraulic circuit in which two axial piston pumps are mounted, the first serves the spraying system and coolers and the second supplies all components that use dynamic oil such as cylinders, controls, etc.
On the right side of the machine we have access to everything surrounding the engine. The Diesel fuel tank and fueling location, as well as access to oil filters are within easy reach and easy to see, facilitating maintenance. Fitted in the warehouse we have a place that serves as a toolbox, with a door.
The syrup or water tank is made of polyethylene, with a capacity of five thousand liters, and is mounted in a central position on the vehicle, being very favorable for maintaining weight distribution, as as the volume is emptied, the weight does not unbalance. and its distribution, as is the case with equipment that has front or rear deposits. To homogenize the syrup, seven agitators were placed at the bottom of the tank and driven by the pump return, two at the front of the tank, one at the product outlet, two in the central part and two at the back of the tank.
The spray circuit begins with the spray pump, Hypro brand, centrifugal type, with a flow rate of up to 1.177 liters per minute, which receives the fluid from the tank and generates pressure in the system, passing through two valves: the first three-way selector , can be placed in three positions, the first being closed, the second receiving liquid from the main system and the third position is the one that moves the clean water system, which has two reservoirs, one on each side of the sprayer, totaling 550 liters . In addition to being mandatory by law, this system is very important for several functions during the application of liquid products in agricultural activities. There is also a 15-liter reservoir exclusively for washing hands and sanitizing the operator.
In the first valve, once the option of using water from the main tank has been selected, a second valve comes into action, which has five routes, which are: 1) the flow directed to the application with agitation; 2) the flow directed only to agitation; 3) the flow directed to the product mixer with the water from the tank; 4) the flow directed for discharge and/or transfer; 5) cleaning the filter and high pressure showers inside the tank.
To protect the entire spraying system and its components, the factory engineering included three protection filters against the passage of impurities, starting with a 20 mesh filter placed before the pump and two more 80 mesh filters in the post-pump line. .
All external operations related to spraying are on the left side of the machine, including access to the pump and filters. The controls for preparing the syrup, supplying the product, cleaning and sanitizing and pre-adjustments for operation are gathered in one place, in a type of panel. Thus enabling greater ergonomics, simplicity and agility in operation.
As we mentioned before, the spray bar is individualized from the vehicle, attached to it by means of a central frame, which connects to the sprayer chassis by means of a parallelogram, which raises and lowers the bar without changing the vertical position and, consequently, without changing the direction of the jet. The central frame can be adjusted to a distance from the ground of 0,30m to 2,70m, which can be used for crops at different stages of growth and chemical products of different nature and purpose.
Innovative and very interesting is the connection point between the bar and the central frame, which is unique. This means that only one point connects the bar to the rest of the equipment, giving it the freedom to oscillate and adapt to the movements necessary to remain horizontal. A sensor called a gyroscope detects the oscillation and, communicating with the bar's other height sensors, ensures that it always remains level with the ground. This stabilization system, called BoomControl, is the industrial property of Horsch. The system also has a pair of hydraulic cylinders, which act separately to stabilize the bar, and six ultrasonic sensors, three on each side of the equipment, in addition to two tie rods that keep the bar stable. Hydraulic accumulators were placed in the center of the frame, to dampen vibrations resulting from the vehicle's movement on agricultural terrain, which is generally uneven.
A highlight that we were able to prove in the field test was the automatic nozzle selection system, called AutoSelect, which works with three spray nozzles. This system, which was awarded as an innovation in the 2017 edition of the International Agricultural Machinery Show, in Paris, automatically selects nozzles according to work speed, providing greater quality in application uniformity. The height of the nozzle holder bar automatically adjusts to the type of nozzle used and depending on its distribution profile. By activating all the nozzles (active nozzles at 25cm above the boom) or closing the alternate ones (active nozzles at 50cm), the spray height can be modified, avoiding drift and increasing efficiency. Thus, as the flow needs to be increased, which operates with pulse width modulation, the sprayer electronics releases nozzles through pneumatic control, and can, depending on need, be applied with a distance between nozzles of 25cm to 50cm. , the first being called auxiliaries and those that are 50cm away, called main.
For Brazil, a single bar length of 36 meters is available, divided into six sections, three on each side. In the nozzle flow cut-off system, the bar is divided into 42 sections, interrupting the flow, when overflowing, at every two nozzles in the central part of the bar and at each nozzle at the ends of the bar. The last section is entirely made of aluminum and has an anti-shock device with obstacles, which prevents damage to the bar.
Along the entire length of the bar there is an aerodynamic deflector behind the nozzle exit, which has the function of preventing drift, which generally occurs due to the action of relative wind, at the jet exit.
Closing the bar is very quick, and can be done in less than a minute, first raising the bar and then closing it forward, until it fits into the support placed in front of the main deposit. In the central frame, it is noted, to close the first section, the existence of double-acting hydraulic cylinders, one on each side of the structure, divided into two parts, the first being for closing the bars and the other for damping. of the bar's vibration, acting in conjunction with the pneumatic accumulators, one with 70bar pressure in the center and two others with 35bar each.
The Horsch Leeb sprayer cabin is from the CLAAS brand, has 3,5m3 of internal space and a glass area of 7m2. Upon entering, you notice the quality and spaciousness of this space. Entry, on the left side, is made with the aid of a rotating ladder, operated from the operator's station.
A premium operator's seat, equipped with position adjustment, both in height and approach to the seat, automatically checks the operator's presence and measures the pressure that the seat must work, warning and interrupting the operation of the equipment, whenever the operator gets up from the seat. seat.
The steering column is adjustable in both height (vertical direction) and horizontal approach. On the right side there is a console, with multifunctional control, with memory of up to two configurable speeds, a multifunction panel and controls, in addition to two monitors. The first is vehicular, fully configurable, which provides very complete information about the operation of the vehicle as a whole. Also to the right of the operator's station there is a spray monitor that is standard, from the Trimble brand, but if the customer informs at the time of purchase, they can use a monitor from another brand, without adaptation problems and conflicts. Also noteworthy is the presence of a reversing camera and digital air conditioning.
This machine impresses, in addition to its construction quality, for its size. The empty weight is 13 tons and can reach 20 tons in working condition, with all tanks full. Transporting a large piece of equipment like this is often difficult. However, one of the distinguishing features of this model, even with its size, is that the design allows it to go from working configuration to transport simply and quickly. When loading or even moving, it can reach a length of 11,7 meters, a height of 3,9 meters and a width of 3,20 meters.
The field test of the Horsch Leeb sprayer was carried out at Fazenda Santa Bárbara, in the town of Boa Cria, Municipality of Pinhão, in the state of Paraná, 77km from the city of Guarapuava. Eduardo Reinhofer's property produces approximately 2.500 hectares of soybeans and corn in the summer and barley and wheat in the winter. All areas are managed under a direct planting system, using cover crops in winter, mainly forage turnip, oats and rye. A very beautiful landscape demonstrates production areas mixed with areas of permanent preservation and legal reserves.
Our test was carried out in an area covered by forage turnip, already in the flowering stage and with an average size of 80 to 90 centimeters. Depending on the stage of the cover crop, we chose a speed of approximately 10km/h, with an application volume of 80 liters per hectare.
We had the support of machine operator Leandro Mendes, who has been in this role on the farm for a few years, but who has extensive experience with other brands. Since the equipment arrived, less than a year ago, he has had nothing but praise for the sprayer's performance, particularly highlighting comfort and fuel economy. He told us that he recently made an application on 500 hectares with just 256 liters of fuel, which is much less than what was spent with the previous equipment, and that the comfort and ease of use of the autopilot allowed him to work on a journey extensive and exceptional, without feeling tired. Even with the displacement to discontinuous areas, it was possible to maintain an average of 14km/h and reach an operational capacity of 47ha/h.
We were helped with all the logistics and information about the machine, by the agronomist João Vitor Dombroski, who is a Horsch Product specialist, and by the electrical engineer Leon Rocha, who has the role of Product Support specialist, in addition to the agronomist engineer Samuel Barros, who specializes in Product Marketing for the brand.
After many hours in contact with the machine and in field work, several highlights can be made. Firstly, the industrial quality of the product, which is remarkable and undoubtedly raises the bar for other products on the market. Many stainless steel components, especially at points of wear due to oxidation, electrical and liquid piping harnesses are well protected and strategically placed to prevent movement and breakages.
There are also some technological refinements, such as the jet of clean water that is sprayed onto the bar's lighting spotlights, which are used for cleaning. Also the four-wheel steering system, which steers in concert, but the wheels on the rear axle may lock.
With such complex and innovative equipment, the manufacturer provides training to its customers' operators through a technical delivery, which is made up of two parts. The first, in which a complete explanation of supply, transportation, general operation, troubleshooting and cleaning of the equipment is provided and the second part, in which an application in the field is monitored. After this training, the support team is available to answer questions both remotely and in person.
The equipment's instruction manual is very complete and is available in the download center on the Horsch website, in electronic format, with 309 pages, containing information on safety, operation and adjustment and for preventive and corrective maintenance of the equipment.
Jose Fernando Schlosser,
Natã Balssan Moura and
Junior Osmari,
Agrotechnology Laboratory of the Agricultural Machinery Testing Center at UFSM
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