Fertilizer distributor with up-to-date maintenance prevents losses

The recipe for planting, managing and harvesting good production is already in the minds of many Brazilian producers. However, what often goes unnoticed is the preventive maintenance of machines and equipment used on a daily basis on the property. This is what happens countless times with fertilizer distributors, who are left aside during the rush of one harvest after another. This, according to Essio Pedro Ferrari, agricultural technician at MP Agro, from Ibaté-SP, can cause damage that easily exceeds R$ 20 thousand per piece of equipment annually in losses between repairs, purchase and exchange of parts on an urgent basis, waste of product and mainly hours not worked due to the equipment being stopped. 

The best period according to the professional to schedule preventive maintenance of the equipment is right after the applications and to carry out a detailed analysis of the condition of the distributor before even starting to use it. “This planning on the part of the producer helps prevent the machine from breaking down and stopping in the field when using the implement”, highlights Ferrari.

But, what are the main items that should receive attention during maintenance? The MPAgro technician points out:

It is worth noting that lack of maintenance can lead to other problems such as the blocking of the intermediate and rear rollers of the distributors, affecting the entire machine system and even the rupture of the rubber belt. Furthermore, failure to change the oil can result in wear on gears, bearings and seals. Dirty and saturated filters can prevent oil from passing through, compromising blocks, valves, engines and pumps. “For this reason, we always advise our customers to carry out maintenance on time, thus preserving equipment with a high investment value for many years”, adds the MP Agro technician.