AUSTRALIA’S cotton growing industry is rising to the challenge of managing the new-generation self-propelled pickers that have an on-board module-building capacity.
One of the most radical changes in the seed cotton handling and harvest system to debut in the last 30 years, these machines are designed to simplify the picking system, plus offer economic savings to both users and gin operators.
Currently, Case IH is talking up its Module Express 625 – a machine that bundles cotton into rectangular-sized packages.
But the recent appearance of John Deere’s new picker-with-a-difference, its 7760 machine which builds round modules, is concentrating the minds of top industry executives.
As the plastic-wrapped modules begin to dot the Australian landscape, where the machines are being trialled, they must figure out a way to best handle them once they arrive at a gin.
One such man is Namoi Cotton’s general manager operations and human resources, Jeremy Callachor who says his organisation is focused on coming up with a solution.
“At this point in time we are undertaking developments into manufacturing a machine to process the modules,” he said.
The point to make here is that gin operators like Namoi Cotton must make the decision to accept the round module concept ahead of the first of John Deere’s production 7760 units arriving in time for next year’s picking season - and without knowing what the take-up of the pickers will be, plus how many of its gins will be affected.
“From our research we believe the JD picker is a commercially-viable machine although the current economic cycle and size of financial investment required may slow take-up of the picker in Australia,” Mr Callachor said.
“So we need to progress to handle these modules effectively and safely - so we can process them through the gin as smoothly as possible,” he added.
Mr Callachor says the advent of Deere’s plastic-wrapped round modules “completely changes the way” any gin’s feeder bay must operate.
Essentially, it’s all about accommodating 2.4m (8ft) diameter round modules weighing approximately 2.5mt each versus 12m (40ft) rectangular modules each weighing approximately 15mt, which has been the traditional practice up until now.
“So it is quite a considerable challenge at the front end of the gin,” Mr Callachor said.
Namoi Cotton’s Ashley gin north of Moree is in its second year of processing large numbers of round modules, having previously manually handled them last year.
“We are investing in our own R and D to come up with a solution – the best solution to meet our stringent, internal quality benchmarks.”
Mr Callachor made the point that “not much changes apart from the obvious symmetrical and size differences” as far as retrieving modules in the paddock, driving the haulage truck to the gin where, in this instance, some five round modules, as against one, have to be weighed.
While they are also positioned and stored around the gin in much the same way as usual, appropriate equipment to remove the plastic from the round modules and convey the cotton into the gin looks to be where Namoi Cotton is concentrating its energies.
“Once in the feeder bay, there needs to be a solution that allows you to effectively get the plastic off the round modules without causing contamination in the flow of cotton into the gin,” Mr Callachor said.
“And whilst ensuring zero contamination, you still need to maintain the considerable rate of feed to keep the gin operating at maximum capacity,” he added.
“We are confident we have a mechanical solution that can handle round modules at this stage and achieve all of our desired objectives.”
There’s no disguising the fact, however, that Namoi Cotton must guarantee its reputation as a premium supplier of Australian cotton to world wide markets and its solution is geared to this requirement.
The main challenge of its “mechanical solution” is to safeguard its processes from one of the worst contaminants (for a spinning mill) to enter any gin, namely plastic.
“We have gone to great lengths to keep plastic materials out of the gin in any way shape or form yet round modules place plastic right back in the gin,” Mr Callachor said.
Having handled some 2,500 round bale modules last year, Namoi Cotton is confident it is now in a position to process Deere’s round cotton modules to its strict quality standards.
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