Valley 365 Machine Diagnostics monitors your pivots to maximize your efficiency.
Checking and maintaining irrigation pivots takes quite a lot of time and labor during the growing season. Valley Irrigation has introduced Valley 365 Machine Diagnostics, to help growers make that job easier.
Dylan Ward, product manager, explains that Machine Diagnostics uses sensor-driven technology to alert growers in real time to problems with their irrigation pivots that could result in costly downtime. Ultimately, he says, the goal is to keep that pivot moving when the crop needs it.
Sensors gather information on three primary features: the pivot’s alignment, tire inflation and water pressure. Then, that information is relayed to farmers via the Valley 365 app on their smartphone or smart tablet.
Alignment. Machine Diagnostics sensors will tell which tower is out of alignment, instantly reducing the amount of legwork in the field. Farmers can then tell if it’s a mechanical issue or perhaps a field-related issue, Ward says.
Tire pressure. It never fails: If a tire will go flat, it’ll happen in the most inconvenient spot in the field. With Machine Diagnostics, farmers can monitor the current level of pounds-per-square-inch pressure of the pivot’s tires, and set up alerts if they get below a set level. That means they can fix the tire before it causes damage or before the machine has to shut down. And, more importantly, farmers can make that repair at a convenient time and location in the field that they choose, Ward says.
Water pressure. Valley allows farmers to monitor water pressure at the Icon smart panel and at the end of the machine, Ward says. Machine Diagnostics now allows farmers to monitor water pressure at each tower, letting farmers know pressure changes over the length of the machine. Whether it’s hills in the field, or identifying an issue with the machine, this helps provide uniform irrigation and fertigation.
For more information, contact a local Valley dealer, call 402-359-2201 or visit valleyirrigation.com.
