Autonomous weeding

Weeding is a chore for everyone, especially in agriculture where, in addition to weather conditions and the effects of sand and dust on machinery, the relentless growth rate of weeds can be frustrating. To meet this challenge, the Dutch company AIGRO UP has developed an autonomously travelling weed control robot with drylin® W profile rails and linear housings from igus®. With the help of various sensors, the robot can travel thousands of kilometres continuously and completely autonomously along the trees in all weathers to weed them.

Requirement, challenge and solution for autonomous weeding

Requirement

For their autonomous weeding machine AIGRO UP needed components that could withstand all weathers, reliable, durable and could cope with being exposed to dirt, dust and sand.

Challenge

Traditional weeding in agriculture is difficult and time-consuming. Manual weed control can cause considerable physical strain as well as high costs. This can only be achieved with a high degree of automation and special components. The aim of the Dutch company is to make the towing hitch smooth-running, dirt-sensitive and flexible in the event of any alignment or parallelism errors in the construction. In addition, the method of weed control requires an economical and efficient solution.

Solution

The manufacturer relies on linear profile rails and housings from igus® to ensure that the weed control robot remains stable even when exposed to the elements and scattered sand and dust. The drylin® W profile rails and housings are available in various designs and can be customised. They are very robust and durable and offer excellent gliding properties without any lubrication. In addition, weather influences and the ingress of sand and dust do not play a role. The development of AIGRO UP focussed on uncomplicated and reliable handling. As a result, the robot offers an affordable option for the mechanical removal of weeds or the mowing of areas and has a battery life of hours. The GPS function is used exclusively to navigate between different rows and fields.

Applications in use in the agricultural industry

Agricultural bearings in Lemken machines

No more wasting time with self-lubricating bearings

igus® has been successfully collaborating with Lemken since 2008. Various Lemken machines are equipped with igus plain bearings, among them the cultivator Karat 9. In the overload elements, the metal bearing points previously used had to be lubricated up to one hour per day to prevent wear and corrosion. By switching to lubrication-free polymer plain bearings, the farmer saves valuable time. Furthermore, the dirt resistance and stability of the plain bearings increase service life and dependability.

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No more wasting time with lubricating bearings

Agricultural bearings in bale trimming machines

Heavy load up to 15 tons is made possible

Maintenance-free and resistant to dust and dirt, the iglidur® G plain bearings are used in hinges, locking systems and hydraulic cylinders of bale trimming machines from Optimal-Vertrieb Opitz. They replace red brass solutions, that were produced in-house and required both a relatively large installation space and lubricants that polluted the environment. The new polymer bearings need no lubrication and withstand all edge loads without problems.

Sumo UK Ltd chooses igus bearings in cultivation equipment

Renowned manufacturer of cultivation equipment, Sumo UK Ltd , know that engineering is fundamental to success and there is no room for error. Producing equipment that often weighs upwards of ten tonnes requires technical solutions that can take high loads frequently and with ease. This is where igus® was able to provide the perfect solution.

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