At the Ag in Motion farm show, SeedMaster displayed a prototype drill with a very different opener design from what the company originally introduced: a single-knife model with dual down pressure and and trip control hydraulic cylinders.
When it enters production later this year, it will be the third SeedMaster opener design buyers can choose from when spec’ing out a drill.
“From SeedMaster’s founding more than 20 years ago, it was a dual knife opener system that really was at the core and foundation of the business,” SeedMaster’s global sales director Tim Criddle says. “Today, we actually have three different openers.”
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SeedMaster’s original opener design is a dual-knife configuration with an offset shank for side banding fertilizer. It has already added a dual-knife, inline design to its product offering. This second dual-knife configuration allows for better seedbed utilization. It also improves flow in heavy trash conditions.
“We have a prototype that we’ve been running successfully, and it’s a single knife. We’re actually going to be marketing a handful of (single-knife) units for 2025,” Criddle says.
VIDEO: SeedMaster serves up prototype seed opener
The single knife design also has another new feature: it uses what the company calls an “independent trip” system, requiring two hydraulic cylinders on each opener. One is mounted vertically where the opener mounts to the tool bar to controls down pressure.
“The second is all about controlling trip force,” Criddle says. “When trying to do both on one cylinder, it was really difficult to find the sweet spot. It allows you to fine tune the packing pressure. It allows you to fine tune the trip.”
SeedMaster will be offering a limited number of the new single knife opener drills for the 2025 growing season, with full production to follow after that.
“We’re in the process of finalizing what our preproduction is going to be on this, he adds. “getting pricing to the dealers and taking a slight number of orders for 2025.
“Today our product offering is all about listening to customers and giving them a choice. It’s part of our evolution at SeedMaster and our approach to opener offerings.”
