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Exploring the Latest Innovations in Cotton Picker Gathering Wheels

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Technology is becoming more innovative every day, and with it comes the latest and upcoming technology in the cotton-picking industry. For the modern-day cotton picker, we will discuss the newest technologies changing the cotton-picking sector, making the industry more efficient. You will learn about the most recent products already on the market for sale and those still in studies at the most prominent universities.

The Latest Innovations in Spraying

Spraying herbicides to kill unwanted weeds is critical to keeping the cotton healthy when it is time for harvesting. John Deere took the 12-row sprayer and innovated it to make it more efficient for cotton farmers’ requests. They made it into a self-propelled device that can detect the weeds from the plants. With cameras and upgraded technology, they designed the See and Spray Ultimate.

The See and Spray Ultimate saves on the wasteful use of herbicides, which brings relief to the overhead spending from farmers. It allows them to use the spray more efficiently to keep the machines rolling without stopping and refilling in the middle of the field.

The cameras detect the different colors between the weeds and the plants. When the system detects the weeds according to color, it releases the spray to eliminate the weeded areas, keeping the cotton plants safe. This process saves money, time, and product inventory.

The New Cotton Picker and Stripper

On a ten-hour day, the farmers see about 100 acres more ground covered with the 12-row cotton stripper than the previous eight-row. This upgrade adds up to 48 percent per day productivity.
The cotton-picking machines are a step ahead of what will be required in the future from cotton farmers to have the cotton tagged and labeled. This product added to the cotton picker and stripper is the John Deere Harvest Identification Cotton Pro. It is already making things more accessible by providing data on the quality of the cotton harvest from the field to the mill.

Cotton farmers are paid according to quality, not weight or amount. There is a process where the tag is embedded into the module wrap that goes around the cotton. The John Deere Harvest Identification Cotton Pro uses a frequency identification reader to gather information from the tags.

Each tag has a serial number in which data is stored, delivering the following information:

  • Farm
  • Client
  • Field
  • Machine Identifier
  • Variety
  • GPS position of the wrapped location
  • Date
  • Time

Currently, it is utilized for proficiency in labeling, organizing, and allowing the farmer to get the most out of their sale. This process is only done through cotton farming, but the future could tell differently. This tactic would give the cotton industry the upper hand since they already have an implemented system.

Those who oversee the agriculture industry could force farmers to produce all of this data information to track all farming habits from start to finish, offering a more valuable record of harvesting.

How Upgraded Cameras are Helping During Harvesting

Like in a car, a cotton picker has blind spots, which can cause issues in certain areas of the machine that could be avoided. This delivers an all-around computerized vision to the cotton harvesters while in motion. The cameras allow the operator to maneuver the machine throughout the field easily.

If a part is not working correctly, the driver can immediately spot it to shut the machine down and repair it. It is also meant to help the operator ensure that all the cotton is picked and stripped without any problems. With the assistance of artificial intelligence, it works in favor of spotting weeds and spraying them accordingly.

These cameras are equipped to handle the fields for up to 12 miles per hour, allowing the operator to monitor everything on the go.

More Comfort and Technology Inside the Cab

Even the cab sees its share of innovation as it is built quieter and has more comfortable features. It has a larger space with computers and mirrors to offer better vision, and with the windows strategically placed, it lets in more light. Operators who drive them claim it is much better than its previous models, where vision is restricted in some areas of the machine.

The cab is sealed better, which lets in fewer sound effects from the powerful motors and mechanisms working, which can deafen a person over time. All of these features together assist the driver to stay on task without as many breaks, making the labor efforts more efficient.

Upcoming Technologies for More Efficiency

Everything in today’s world is turning toward AI technology and robotics. It continues to innovate agriculture positively and offers more efficient labor and better days in productivity. These are some of the upcoming products that are still undergoing studies and experimentation at certain universities:

  • Robotic cotton harvesters: These are designed for farmers with smaller acres and rotate their crops. Mississippi State University and scientists continue to perfect the robotic cotton harvesters to pick the cotton without taking all the debris. It is expected to be a reality once all the issues are resolved.
  • Drones: Drones will be used to spray the fields. Research is underway at Texas A&M University to bring the accuracy level from 60 percent to 100. At this time, farmers are using drones to spot trash in the fields and to be the eyes of the farmers for miscellaneous reasons.
  • Laser Weed Removal: The University of Georgia is studying the use of lasers in place of herbicides. It is a machine placed on a rover operated by a computer. The lasers would be CO2 pushing out 40 watts of power. All that is left is to find a cooling system before this technology is released to farmers.

Contact Certi-Pik, USA for Your Next Order

Farmers and dealers needing cotton harvesting accessories or parts can check out our website to place an order online or by phone. If you have questions about our aftermarket parts, contact us Certi-Pik, USA. Our Customer Service is happy to assist.

Disadvantages of the Cotton Gin

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During the majority of the time throughout the 1700s and even into the early 1800s, the two main crops that were grown in the South that brought in cash were indigo, which was used to dye fabrics, and tobacco. There were fields of cotton that grew naturally throughout that area, but most farmers chose not to harvest the cotton since it could be very costly as well as time-consuming to remove all the seeds, which had to be done before the cotton could be sold. Due to all of the work that was required to grow then harvest and clean the cotton, it made it a crop that was not very profitable for farmers.

The people of the South looked on in envy as the economy of the north was much stronger than their own. Most southern people did not make a large income from the agricultural industry unless they were owners of large plantations that grew the crops that brought in cash, since those people tended to be much wealthier. Northern farmers made more money from the same crops that were grown in the South. To add salt to injury, during the late 1700s, the price of tobacco decreased quite a bit. This hit the southern area of the United States hard when it came to their economy. It was very devastating to their overall financial outlook.

That all changed when, in 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin along with encouragement and input from others.  He named the cotton gin the way he did because the word gin was slang for the engine. The machine was designed to remove the cotton seeds from the fiber of the cotton without a human being having to do it by hand.

When this invention was combined with the steam engine that was invented by James Watt, it made the process of cleaning cotton so much easier, since the steam engine was used to power the cotton gin. This made it much easier to remove the seeds from the cotton without the use of about 50 people having to do the work. This saved farmers a boatload of money while making them a large profit from the cotton they sold as well as the seeds for cotton oil and the seeds could be used to grow more cotton plants. The southern economy was then boosted by the cotton industry.

Although the cotton gin had many pluses to it, there were also some disadvantages. Read on for a detailed list of some of the disadvantages of the cotton gin, or contact us for more information!

Learn More!Disadvantages of the Cotton Gin

Many southerners became very dependent on the cotton industry and the cotton gin. Cotton producers also depended more on slaves, and so slavery was more deeply entrenched for another 70 years as more people were needed to care for and pick the cotton to fill a growing demand for the crop.

The more cotton plants that were grown, the more the soil began to lose its fertility and nutrients. This non-fertile soil led to numerous disadvantages for continuously growing cotton and the ability to grow other crops before crop rotation was effectively utilized.

Other inventors copied the work of Eli Whitney which then caused him to lose money. He also had to spend money to fight legal battles in an effort to protect the patent he had on the cotton gin. Basically, his invention made others much richer than it ever did him.

The government also began to levy expensive taxes on the farmers for the cotton they produced.

All-in-all, even though the cotton gin had many advantages to it, it came with some disadvantages as well.

Contact Us

In today’s world of farming, including the harvesting of cotton, more modern equipment is used. The cotton pickers of today are made with the latest technology but still need to be maintained with new or replacement parts to keep them in optimum working order. Certi-Pik has been producing those parts for cotton pickers all over the world since 1988 and is a trusted name in the cotton picker industry for new replacement parts largely fabricated and inspected in house in the USA. To help the industry further we’ve partnered with our customers in enhancing OEM parts and designing new specialty parts to use when rebuilding a machine from the ground up.

Contact the trusted cotton picker parts specialists at Certi-Pik today for all of your cotton picker new and replacement parts and services.

Case International Harvester / Case IH Module Express FAQs

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Case IH has had a long-standing reputation for building the highest quality of farm equipment, including tractors and machinery used on cotton farms. Technology has improved over the years, and Case IH has made it a point not just to keep up, but break out with new innovations. Here are a few common questions about the Module Express models.

The series of Module Express machines are very popular among industrial, commercial, and even with smaller cotton farms who rely on efficient harvests each year.

How Much HP Does the Engine Have on the Module Express?

The Case IH Module Express generates 400 horsepower via an 8.7-liter diesel engine. This amount of power is what is expected with an industrial cotton harvester, and is designed to provide the power you need to have consistent efficiency year after year when harvesting your cotton crops.

It uses a 6-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, which provides the balance of power and fuel efficiency cotton farmers need. More options include an engine built by Case or by Cummins, according to your personal preference.

What is the Capacity of the Module Express’s Basket?

The Case IH Module Express is available with either a basket, the 620 model, or one of two modules, the 625, and 635 models. The basket is specified for 10,500 pounds, the modules can hold either 10,000 or 12,000 pounds. This provides for a volume of 1,000-1,400 cubic feet in a roughly 8x8x16 foot module bin. This size is consistent with what other makes and models of cotton harvesters provide, and will not slow you down by forcing you to stop and unload at unexpected times.

Just like every other aspect of this harvester, the basket or module attachment you choose is designed to meet the needs of farmers who have the utmost of expectations concerning the equipment they use, and you won’t be disappointed with the Module Express.

What is the Maximum Module Weight of the Module Express?

The Case IH Module Express produces modules of standard height and width yet half the length, so they are easy to manage on the farm and can still fit in a regular shipping module truck by placing two half bales in it.

The weight of a standard module is 20,000 pounds, or 10 metric tons, so the bales produced by this machine are half sized at 10,000 pounds, with a minimum size of 4000 lbs. Although these bales are considered half-length, they are consistent with industry standards because they do fit into the traditional system of transport and processing.

How Many Bales Can the Module Express Wrap?

Although the Case IH Module Express does not wrap its modules automatically in the harvester compared to the John Deere round module builders, they can be manually wrapped easily with the 16 foot cover. It’s designed to hold the cotton in either a module or basket while running a row, and drop off the harvest for pickup at the end of the row.

Additionally: its good practice to place modules end to end with previously placed modules for easier loading on the transport truck. It can keep harvesting all day long until you’re ready to come in for refueling and evening cleaning at the end of the day. It doesn’t use either plastic or string, but instead after being deposited on the ground the cotton is held in a tension bale tight enough to hold itself together. From there, it can be separately tied or wrapped according to yours, or your purchasers, needs.

How Many Row Units Does the Module Express Have?

Depending on the model, the Case IH Module Express can have either 4 or 6 row units. They are designed to be spaced for narrow, wide, or medium rows between 30 and 40 inches apart. Height sensing is an automatic computerized system designed to give you the best yield efficiency during each harvest.

By harvesting 4-6 rows at once, you’ll be able to keep up with the production expected of commercial farms, and conduct the work at a speed which allows you to provide cotton to the needs of industrial level purchasers.

What Pro Units are available for Usage on the Module Express?

Pro Units are a John Deere product, Case IH makes the Module Express. The drum units for this model consist of two drums per row, one on each side, picking from both sides of the plant.

Each drum has 12 bars and 18 spindles associated with each bar. That’s a total of 432 spindles per row unit to assure quick and efficient harvesting according to the expectations of commercial farmers who need to harvest as much as possible in a day, every day of harvest season.

How Large is the Fuel Tank on the Module Express?

The Case IH Module Express boasts a 200-gallon fuel tank, enough to run for a full day between refueling, so you don’t have to come in from the fields before finishing a day’s worth of work.

It has different drive modes for different purposes, whether harvesting cotton, doing a second scrap run to pick up any leftovers from a previous run, or driving between fields at over 16 miles per hour. Each mode is designed to get the most fuel efficiency and make sure the 200 gallons is going to be plenty for your everyday use.

How Large is the Water Tank for the Moistener System on the Module Express?

The water moistener system holds 365 gallons, enough to conduct a day’s worth of work. The last thing we want is for you to run this machine without proper cleaning. Engineers made sure you’re not going to run out on a typical day in the field, so it can operate as efficiently as it was designed. Without the moistener system, the natural oils in the cotton will clog any machine, that’s why it was so difficult to invent the first cotton harvester.

Case IH provides an efficient cleaning system to keep spindles working all day without getting clogged up, so you can keep working. Keep in mind, the moistener system works during the day, before being parked at night the harvester is going to need a deeper cleaning to assure it’s ready to be refilled and get back to work the next day.