This is a concept drawing illustrates the left side of the Dickinson Research Extension Center Cross-Slot™ low-disturbance no-till drill.  This drawing and the next two drawings were used by the engineers to develop the final design of the drill.  The final design was drawn using an autocad program by Steffes Corporation engineers.  See the text

It was important the frame fit the openers.  This concept drawing shows the placement of the openers on the tool bars as well as important hydraulic components necessary for proper opener performance. 

This drawing provides the general dimensions of the frame in the top view. 

No-till drill, some assembly required. 

Dean Kovash, project engineer, and Larry Kostelecky, primary fabricator, discuss drill assembly.

Caster wheels with the rated capacity of 4,400 pounds per assembly are added to the frame.  Openers are mounted to the frame.  The drive wheel frame (red) extends from the tool bar to the floor.

The Hege cones were built in Colwich, Kansas and shipped to Dickinson where they were mounted on the drill frame.  Jack shafts are located and welded to the frame. 

Fabricators, Lyle Mayer (left) and Larry Kostelecky weld up frame for mounting one of two operators’ seats.  The bulk seed and dry fertilizer boxes were salvaged from a Melroe 202 drill.

Liquid tank frames are added along with platforms for bulk seed and fertilizer box access.

Adding the finishing touches.  Larry Kostelecky adds the extruded metal floor to the drill.  These panels are easily removed for easy access to interior areas of the drill.  After all  parts were fitted and mounted on the drill, all parts are removed from the drill prior to painting the frame. 

The frame has been painted and now openers, tanks, drop tubes, etc. are ready to be mounted.

The drill is complete and ready for testing. 

This picture shows the right side of the drill.  The openers have fertilizer tubes for both liquid and dry fertilizer. 

Major components of the hydraulic system for DREC no-till drill.  Though the drill is pulled on the lower two links of the three point hitch, the hitch remains level and the openers move up and down on their own.  The accumulators, shown in the upper left photo, equalize the pressure within the system.  The memory valves show in the lower right picture allow the openers to be lifted out of the soil at the end of a pass and then when the openers are set back into the soil this valve “dumps” the pressure of the system back into the openers so the pressure is the same as in the previous pass.  A load cell, not pictured, located on the center opener detects the degree of penetration the opener is experiencing.  A meter in the cab of the tractor provides information to the operator the amount of hydraulic pressure in the system as well as on the load cell.  The operator can make adjustments or a computer can do this automatically. 

The control panel for the solenoids on the two Hege frames.  The cones on each frame are timed to open at the correct starting point in the plot.

CDS John Blue single piston pump (in center of picture) is located on the underside of the frame near the drive wheel.  The hydraulic ram visible in this picture raises and lowers the drive wheel as well as providing the down force on the drive wheel which prevents slipage.  The drive wheel is plumped into the same hydraulic manifold as the openers. 

Pattison Even-Flo manifold system for the liquid fertilizer system is attached to the frame member on the left.  ZeroMax variable speed transmissions are used with the seed and dry fertilizer metering systems. 

Dr. John Baker, agricultural engineer, explains how the blades on a Cross-Slot™ opener works at the Direct Seeding Seminar-Options and Issues program at Dickinson, ND November 24 and 25, 2003.  Dr. Baker spent 30 years with Massey University researching and developing no-till equipment prior to founding Baker No-Tillage Ltd.  The Cross-Slot™ opener was developed based on research Baker directed at Massey University.  Baker is now CEO of Baker No-Tillage Ltd, Feilding, New Zealand.  A video tape of the presentations made during the Direct Seeding Seminar is available by contacting the Dickinson Research Extension Center.