Swedish drill maker Vaderstad has unveiled its latest drill additions.

Called the Spirit R 300S (pictured right) and 400S, they offer 3m and 4m working widths respectively, with one central beam forming the backbone of both new drills.

That makes the machines not only light to pull but also easy to get at and maintain, according to Andy Gamble of Vaderstad UK.

Up front is what Vaderstad calls the System Disc Aggressive, a series of 450mm conical discs mounted in an X-formation that both mix and even out the soil profile.

Depth can be adjusted on the move from the cab, either via a control panel or the company’s E-Control on an iPad.

“Offset support wheels with 400/55-15.5 radial tyres consolidate the soil, while seed placement is carried out with a series of 380mm, offset V-discs with hydraulic pressure of up to 80kg, followed by 380x65mm consolidation wheels,” he says.

The moulded plastic seed hopper has a capacity of 2,800-litres, while there are two electrical Fenix III metering systems fitted to the Spirit R – one either side – meaning that one half can be switched off if required.

This new metering system has been designed for smaller working widths and delivers even seed distribution to each seed coulter at rates of one to 500kg of seed/ha and at speeds of up to 15kph.

The 3m version requires just 110hp to pull it, depending on soil type and conditions, and both will be available from autumn 2016.

SeedEye seed counter

A clever new seed counter is now available for the Spirit R 300-400S, Rapid A 400-800S and Rapid A 600-800C drills, too, with the system controlled via E-Control on the iPad display in the cab.

The operator sets the desired seed volume per square metre on the display. Then, if a seed coulter deviates from the preset variation, an alarm sounds and the blocked coulter is shown in red on the display.

Each seed hose is fitted with a sensor unit. As seeds flow through the tube, six optical transistors are illuminated with infrared light. As each seed passes, the light is briefly interrupted and an optical transistor registers a break in the flow.

The total number of breaks is recorded and processed, so that the seed volume can be accurately logged. Accuracy levels are up to 99% for rape and 98-99% for wheat and other grains, even at 250 seeds/sec.

New look for A400-800 drills

Vaderstad has produced more than 23,000 Rapid drills since its launch in the early 1990s and the drill is a familiar sight on UK farms.

The Swedish company has opted to give it a bit of a facelift for the coming season.

Up front, the fan has been moved higher on the front edge of the seed hopper, reducing noise and lowering dust intake, which in turn limits wear.

The hopper now has rear working lights, too, and the platform can be accessed from both sides of the drill thanks to the addition of extra steps.

There is also a new hydraulically locking folding system that should save time when switching from transport mode to work mode.

The Rapid can also be fitted with the new SeedEye seed counter and the refreshed models are available from this autumn.

Opus now available in 4m and 5m versions

Launched last year in 6m and 7m versions, the Vaderstad Opus cultivator is now available in 4m and 5m widths.

Built on the same frame as the larger machines, the Opus can work at depths of 5cm right down to 40cm.

There are 20 different points and shin arrangements available across three rows, making it possible to pretty much configure the cultivator to any number of soil conditions and requirements.

Tine spacing is 27cm and the Opus has a clearance of 80cm, so there should be plenty of space for trash to flow through as well as ensuring soil is mixed thoroughly.