The spotlight is once again on innovations by agricultural machinery manufacturer PÖTTINGER in a year that takes a break from physical trade fairs. A grassland farming system was awarded an innovation prize: Agraria Wels, one of Austria's leading trade fairs, awarded the Silver Fox 2020 to the FLOWTAST glide bar. This time around the prize was awarded online.

The award

Agraria, the Austrian agricultural technology fair, awarded the Silver Fox in cooperation with the Austrian Farming Magazine, the Upper Austrian Chamber of Agriculture and the Land of Upper Austria. This award focuses on practical benefits for the farmer. The FLOWTAST glide bar won the best in field category.

The innovation in detail

The new glide bar is available as an option instead of jockey wheels on the TOP 842 C centre-swath rake to track the ground close to the tines over the whole surface. FLOWTAST glides effortlessly over wet and peaty soils, as well as deep furrows, holes and wheel marks. If jockey wheels sink in, the tines inevitably scrape the ground and the forage becomes contaminated.

FLOWTAST is made of a special synthetic material that is extremely resistant to wear and abrasion. Each glide bar consists of five individually exchangeable 15 mm thick plates that are mounted close to the tine arc. This guarantees perfect ground tracking and tine control. The sickle shape of the bar offers the best gliding properties even during sideways movements.

A hydraulic cylinder provides weight alleviation for the rotor unit so that the low ground pressure of approx. 200 kg conserves the soil and the glide bar. The result is reduced wear and lower stress on the frame of the rake.

This award impressively highlights PÖTTINGER's leading role as the specialist for the best forage.