Harvester Rods

What are Plastic Harvester Rods?

Ertalon 66SA harvester rods are a component in agricultural harvesters that are used to beat crops that results in the fruit falling and being collected. They play a crucial role in modern agricultural practices by helping to efficiently and effectively harvest crops with minimal damage to plants.

Benefits of Ertalon harvester rods

Durability – Ertalon 66SA is known for its strength and resilience, which makes it suitable for withstanding the stresses and strains of harvesting operations.
Flexibility – Ertalon 66SA harvester rods are flexible enough to bend as they come into contact with crops without breaking, ensuring smooth harvesting without damaging the plants or the machinery.
Resistance to Abrasion: Harvesting involves a lot of friction and contact with plant material. Ertalon 66SA and Ertalon 6SA’s resistance to abrasion ensures that the rods maintain their effectiveness over extended periods of use.
Corrosion Resistance: Unlike metal rods, Ertalon 66SA is not susceptible to rust or corrosion, which is advantageous in agricultural environments where exposure to moisture and other corrosive elements is common.

Dotmar has qualified engineers that can provide direct support with plastic harvesting rods.

MATERIAL SELECTION CONSIDERATIONS

Material selection is a critical consideration when choosing a plastic for harvester rods, as it directly impacts the performance, durability, and maintenance requirements of these components. Here are some key material selection considerations for plastic harvester rods:

Stiffness & Flexibility

Since this component is repeatedly required to flex back and forward, the material must have adequate flexibility and fatigue strength, combined with sufficient strength and stiffness to allow for efficient and effective operation. It should be noted that this is obtained via multiple factors, such as material properties, size and shape.

Abrasion

The abrasive conditions are significant when selecting a material for harvester rod, therefore a material that combines the mechanical properties together with Abrasion resistance is critical. Materials such as Ertalon 6SA and Ertalon 66SA are often good engineering choices.

Friction

Due to the repeated and constant impact contact with the crop and the harvester is moving, frictional properties are a consideration so the crop is not damaged.

Fatigue

The constant and sustained flexing of this component can fatigue traditional engineering materials, as well as filled grades of polymers, therefore high grade virgin materials such as Ertalon 6SA and Ertalon 66SA are ideal for this application.

Corrosion

The working environment constantly has varying levels of moisture that will cause traditional engineering metals to corrode. Ertalon will not corrode, and becomes tougher as moisture is absorbed into the material.

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