Spraying applications

Additionally, automated section control automatically turn spray booms on and off as required reducing overlap which uses fewer inputs, reducing costs and improving plant health.

Consider the following example when spraying a field which has a tree located in the field:

• The spray rate controller has five sections and has been connected to the AS7500. The spray rig is making straight parallel swaths back and forth across the field. The boom spray rig is operating in a field with a 5 section controller.

• The AS7500 has all sections ON as the ground has not been previously treated in this area.
• The boom spray rig maneuvers around an obstacle in the field. Sections 5, 4, & 3 have been shut OFF by the AS7500 to prevent over-spray in these areas.
• As the boom spray rig continues to maneuver around the obstacle, Sections 3, 4, & 5 are switched ON by the AS7500 so that non-treated areas are correctly sprayed. Sections 1 & 2 were not shut-off, as there was no area where the full section was in overlap.
• The boom spray rig continues to spray the field around the other side of the obstacle.
• As the boom spray rig continues to spray across previously treated areas of the field, the AS7500 will automatically shut sections ON & OFF as necessary to minimize over-spray.

In the above example the AS7500 switched sections OFF so that minimal over-spray occurred as the boom spray steered around the tree. The AS7500 could be set so that no over-spray occurred in the field, however rather than having minimal over-spray there would be minimal misses.

The most important aspect of this example was that the operator did not have to switch the spray rate controller sections; the AS7500 automatically toggled the sections as necessary.