Topcon introduces Apollo application controllers for air seeders

Topcon Precision Agriculture announces the new Apollo line of application controllers designed to bring market-leading functionality to air seeders.

The Apollo application control ECUs (electronic control units) include the CM-40 control module and the EM-24 expansion module. Apollo application controllers feature the Topcon “easy-to-use” Horizon software when combined with the X30 console. They also have ISO UT compatibility enabling their use with virtually any ISO-VT console on the market.

Nathan Watkins, product manager, said, “There is nothing like the Apollo line on the market today. It combines advanced rate control, advanced path planning and section control with high accuracy autosteering and agronomic controls to bring unmatched performance and efficiency to virtually every brand of air seeder currently in use worldwide.”

Seeder features include multi bin/tank rate control of up to eight tanks with any combination of granular, liquid and NH3.  Multi-section boom control allows up to four sections with two multi-section granular booms (one for seed, one for fertilizer) and two multi-section liquid/NH3 booms. Each multi-section boom can have up to 16 individual sections. Optional blockage monitoring is available to monitor 100+ lines.

“These units bring Topcon industry proven performance in an easy-to-install, easy-to-use, stackable, weatherproof and ISO compatible solution. Apollo offers virtually unlimited capabilities in variable rate control, auto section control, blockage monitoring and more,” said Watkins.

The advanced auto section control (ASC) timing feature allows setting section times to individually compensate for product travel times to the outer sections of the drill versus the inner sections.  This feature is designed to provide increased accuracy with the wide seeding drills currently being used in the market.

An implement modeling feature adds depth to the air drill that takes into account the front and rear of the implement when using auto section control.

The blocked head monitoring option provides up to 40 sensors per EM-24 module, and up to a maximum of 240 sensors. Other options include: granular drive and liquid/ NH3 drive (proportional and actuator); stopped shaft monitoring; granular section sensing and section control; implement lift/lower control; down force pressure control; pump speed monitoring; forward speed fallback; and more.

Michael Gomes, vice president of business development for Topcon Precision Agriculture, said, “We are very excited to announce this new product that helps fill out the growing Topcon portfolio of precision farming products. Apollo application controllers for air seeders is just our initial release, as the line will be offering leading control capabilities for sprayers, spreaders and row crop planters in the near future.”

Additional information is available at topconpositioning.com.

About Topcon Positioning Group
Topcon Positioning Group is headquartered in Livermore, California, USA (topconpositioning.com). Topcon Positioning Group designs, manufactures and distributes precise positioning products and solutions for the global surveying, construction, agriculture, civil engineering, BIM, mapping and GIS, asset management and mobile control markets.  Its brands include Topcon, Sokkia, Tierra, Wachendorff Elektronik, Digi-Star, RDS Technology, NORAC and 2LS. Topcon Corporation (topcon.com), founded in 1932, is traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (7732).