Steel, with its exceptional properties, has become an integral component of modern agricultural equipment, facilitating increased efficiency, durability and productivity....

Herculano has a new range of 2-axis HMB's (HMB 10000 to HMB 18000), similar to the current one, but with a usable height of 1.0 meter....

This simple and intelligent product is considered the best wheel-tightening indicator available on the market. It is designed to indicate their possible loosening on commercial vehicles.

This intelligent solution helps ensure that every driver or user of your trailer can carry out quick and easy visual checks and audits on the wheels of their vehicles.

FUNCTION

Its working principle is to visually indicate the position of the clamping element. By placing the checkpoints in a recognizable pattern, such as tip to tip, any movement is clearly visible at a glance. As well as helping to quickly identify loosening, it is also easy to see whether or not this element has been lost. In addition, it melts at a specific temperature (125ºC) to highlight any wheel or hub overheating problems.

This product is available as standard on Monocoque, Europa, Campanha, Slurry Tankers >= 8000, H2RS spreaders and Platforms.

The sector's biggest challenge is closely related to the latest data released by the UN, which estimates that by 2050 the world population will increase between 2 and 3 billion (from 7 to 10 billion) and according to the FAO, this demographic factor, combined with the increase in the economic power of underdeveloped countries, the demand for food will double, which will require a doubling of agricultural productivity, as arable land is scarce. This need to produce more with fewer resources will inevitably lead to the intensification of agricultural production systems, which may lead to greater risks of pests and diseases, decreased soil fertility and environmental problems such as contamination, salinization and soil erosion. ground. These problems can only be mitigated through the use of innovative technologies focusing on processes with high performance levels, from a precision agriculture perspective, which will have a positive impact on the efficiency of resource use.

Therefore, the future will require more precision agriculture, imposing machines based on precise process automation technology capable of applying products in the right quantity, in the exact location and at the right time and at the same time being able to evaluate and report the status of the crop. and soil in accordance with the principles of agriculture 4.0.

Factors that affect the adoption of precision agriculture include:

– Agricultural entrepreneurs: training, age, investment capacity, computer knowledge, human resources, risk aversion, size, insight;

– Technology: perceptibility of gains, ease of operation, initial investment cost, difficulties in interpreting the data obtained.

– Others: existence of service providers, competent and effective support from manufacturers/sellers, strength of the “innovation system”/communication.

Therefore, we believe that a set of measures to demystify and encourage the use of these technologies must be advanced, such as:

– Change the paradigm of farmers and help in the implementation of a more professionalized culture that looks at the return on investment. So, in all technology, the premise is the same, how much it will impact its costs and whether it will have a return. You have to deliver a relevant service that brings a return on investment and is tangible. To achieve this, investment in purchasing studies of the current and future situation and demonstration days is necessary.

– Training users/Farmers is also essential, transmitting knowledge and enabling them for this new era of agriculture. But this has to be something commanded by the Ministry of Agriculture in a structured way, adopting incentive policies and creating networks and ecosystems for sharing knowledge and skills among all stakeholders.

– Found an association of national agricultural machinery manufacturers , who truly defend the interests, needs and real difficulties of the sector with political power. We have the example of Ansemat in Spain, which is a reference in representing the propensities of manufacturers with a strong mobilizing power with political entities and with a large informative and training component for the Spanish agricultural sector.

– Creation of simple lines of direct financing for farmers to purchase precision agriculture equipment, as if companies and technological institutes are investing in technology, there needs to be national support. Our team finds it difficult to develop new products (agriculture 4.0) that are not salable in Portugal as we continue to be in the era of mechanization, we have to overcome barriers. We must start by renewing our machine park.

– Focus on the issue of safety (replacing potentially dangerous tasks with robotics). Portugal is the third country in the European Union with the most accidents involving agricultural machinery. More than 350 fatalities in five years are the total resulting from tractor accidents in Portugal. The data refers to the period between 2013 and 2017.

At Herculano , regarding the digital revolution, it was a path that we started 3 years ago and as a starting point we started with an analysis of our strategy and market (current and future). We soon realized that there was a missing piece to complete our puzzle on this journey and that was when INESCTEC appeared, in the first phase with an isolated DPA project, a debt solution proportional to the progress towards slurry tankers and Spreaders, it was a “courtship” phase for we got to know each other and then decided to move towards marriage with the celebration of a partnership protocol between the Herculano and the institute signed at Agroglobal in 2018 with the presence of the Minister of Agriculture.

Having said this, we decided to move forward with a new project “Smart Fertilizers”, which consists of the research and development of a smart cistern and spreader, at a competitive, efficient and versatile cost for use in agriculture 4.0 and with a clear contribution to increasing the efficiency of the fertilization operation in the environmental, agronomic and economic components.

Fertilization and organic soil correction nowadays, using manure spreaders and slurry tankers, are agronomic operations carried out with very low efficiency in environmental and economic terms. There are even European regulations, which tend to be stricter, which require greater control over fertilization processes in order to reduce the amount of nitrogen applied.

This moment in which we are experiencing a shortage of raw materials has a strong impact on artificial fertilizers, which are more expensive than ever. Due to high costs, mainly caused by rising energy costs, fertilizer manufacturers are limiting their production. This threatens the availability of chemical fertilizers for the next season. There is a great need for a sustainable alternative, organic fertilizer, to ensure optimal growth.

At Herculano, research for new solutions on the market is constant. In this team, we work daily to increase the portfolio of solutions for the most diverse applications in agriculture. From simple and effective solutions to the most technological and innovative.

In recent months, we have made around twenty new options available for our implements, including: 

Designation	Image	Function	Grades
Lifting 1st axle in hydraulic suspension		Lifting the 1st axle of the suspension for 3-axle vehicles, thus saving fuel and tire wear.	Only for HidroEVO hydraulic suspension – 3 axles
Box 1.0m high		1m high box, for specialized types of work that require the reduced height of the trailer box.	HMB 10000 to 18000
Narrow box 2.3m wide		Narrower box for easier movement	HMB 10000 to 18000
Unilateral unloading Vogelsang bars		Possibility to choose the side you want to distribute the slurry on the 12m, 15m and 18m vogelsang bars.	Vogelsang bars 12m and 15m: CH 16000 to 24000 Vogelsang Bars 18m: CH 20000 to 24000
Double reducer with one speed		The double reducer is used for heavier products where more effort is required from the belt transmitter unit. Only with one working speed.	H2RS 9, 12 and 14
Double reducer with two speeds		The double reducer is used for heavier products where more effort is required from the belt transmitter unit. With two working speeds.	H2RS 9, 12 and 14
Extra safety cables for tipping		Provides extra security when tipping.	HMB, HTP and HGMB
Fire kit for adjustable barrel system		It offers the possibility of using the fire kit using a hydraulic pump in conjunction with the adjustable cannon system.	CH 4000 to 24000
Boom with hydraulic adjustment		Allows transverse adjustment of the boom on HRV harrows, using a hydraulic cylinder.	HVR Grid
HICA 3, 4 and 5 nozzles		It adds a more economical offer to the range of HICA's and is more agile for rough and narrow terrain.	CH 8000 to 24000
Manual centralized lubrication 8-72 points		You can lubricate the equipment's lubrication points all at once in a faster, more practical and simpler way.	HMB, HTP, HDPA, CH and H2RS
GreenPrecision Basic, Pro and Pro Plus Slurry Analysis System		Digital system for controlling and valuing manure as organic fertilizer, providing the farmer with precise data on its composition and quantity to apply, based on the principles of agriculture 4.0.	CH 8000 to 24000
Automatic centralized lubrication 12-70 points		Allows automatic lubrication of the implement's lubrication points in a controlled and programmed manner.	HMB, HTP, HDPA, CH and H2RS
Upper arm 2 joints with purge kit, retention basin and primary siphon 220mm height		Facilitates filling in difficult-to-access pits or deposits, whether buried or elevated.	CH 12000 to 24000

It's a vast range and it won't end there. We have a portfolio of around two dozen products still in the approval or development phase that will be presented to the market in due course. The company's innovative and entrepreneurial philosophy is also reflected in what we offer our customers. It is our mission to offer a wide range of products, always at a competitive price, whether on the national or international market. We know that Herculano is synonymous with reliability and this factor is always taken into account when we create something. It's a source of pride for us as an institution to receive pictures every day of our products that have been working for a long time, or to see a Herculano implement working in the field.

The importance we attach to this type of offer, and the hard, daily work that goes on in this company, is constant. Our "My Herculano" product configurator is further proof of the hard work and commitment of this incredible team. Today we are able to offer users of our products, our customers and possible future buyers what they have always been looking for. With this application, they can obtain information about our implements, as well as configure their own product. Not only the agents who represent us can use it, but also anyone else who downloads the app. This way, everyone can design their own trailer, tanker, spreader or any other implement they need in their daily lives.

There is always room to improve and progress, we have released several versions with corrections and improvements so that this new technology is a work and consultation tool available to anyone.

The future looks promising, and many more new features will appear in our range of products.

Equipment: HDPA 25 Herculano

Client: Allan Noble

Sector of activity: Granite quarrying and some varied agricultural work

Partner Herculano: Ground Gear, Australia

Eugowra is the name of the small town in the Lachlan River basin where Allan Noble and his son Lachlan have their farm.

In addition to their agricultural business, they also operate a busy open-cast quarry that is highly recognized for its red and white decomposed granite, which makes it desirable for all types of civil and housing projects, including roads and residential subdivisions.

Since buying this 25-ton Herculano dumper in 2017, the family has always kept the machine busy, moving 10 to 15 loads a day. One of the features they value most is the loading height, which is lower than any other tipper trailer on the market, allowing them to load it more easily.

Comparing this tractor-trailer combination with an articulated lorry widely used in this industry, Allan is convinced that he made the right purchase decision.

"The build quality of this trailer is incredible. Nothing can break it!"

Another feature he mentions is the trailer's maneuverability, which allows him to access any point in the quarry with ease. He also highlights the safety and stability on uneven ground resulting from the two lateral hydraulic tipping cylinders, especially when compared to the single cylinder used on trucks.

They were also very impressed with the solidity and design of the chassis, which allows for a perfect fit with the box, as well as the wheels specially designed to withstand heavy loads and for optimum handling in tight bends.

Before buying his Dumper, Allan says that his John Deere 8000 Series tractor was an underused asset that spent much of the year idle. With the Herculano trailer, the tractor is now working almost every day, easily transporting loads of 24 to 26 tons.

Despite granite being one of the hardest and most abrasive rocks, Allan says that the HARDOX steel box has held up very well, especially considering the tons of rock that have been moved.

"The years go by and this 6 mm hardened steel shows hardly any signs of wear," he says, "it's shining like a silver plate."

"The other advantage of HARDOX is its high strength-to-weight ratio compared to other types of steel. This lightens the load and helps reduce wear and tear on my tractor and the trailer itself."

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Source: https://www.groundgear.co.nz/ground-gear-australia/tractor-pulled-dump-trailer-case-study/

Herculano has centralized systems for manual lubrication and automatic lubrication systems in its range of optional equipment....

Herculano has made this technology available and incorporated it as standard in a large part of its range, and in some cases it is also available as an option....

Our vast experience in the market has allowed us to understand that the market is constantly changing. Over the last few years we have realized that more and more farmers have specific needs in the work they do....

Slurry is, in itself, a renewable source of fertilizing elements. Well managed, it strongly limits the use of mineral fertilizers, particularly nitrogen fertilizers....