When the optimal window of time for seeding and sowing crops is short, and there’s plenty of ground to cover, Australian growers rely on high-performance seeding equipment to expedite their field planting processes and improve the quality of their yields. When choosing the right equipment for the job, Motion’s Russell Randal says it’s important for farmers to take into consideration the scale of an operation, the type of crop, the topography of the land, and what their budget is. 

“Depending on these factors, there are various types of planting machines that have different intended uses and advantages,” says Russell. “If the land requiring tilling in preparation for planting, traditionally tillage equipment such as a disc or a chisel plough can be used to turn the soil. However, with advantages in modern planting technology, no-till equipment has gained popularity.” 

For example, Russell explains that no-till air drilling machines can be used in tow behind tractors for precise rapid planting that tills, by opening a slit in the soil, dropping in seed and closing the seed trench, all while managing residue efficiently in the field. “No-till air drill carts are particularly economical and conveniently build healthier soil to reduce erosion while reducing money spent on fuel and labor.” he says. “And many of these machines include sensors and software now for monitoring seed to soil contact.” 

For larger scale operations and equipment budgets, Russell says integrated planters and drawn row units will allow farmers to cover more acres with their massive, rowed arms that turn soil and use hydraulics and vacuum air to disperse seeds quickly and efficiently.” 

All these types of equipment require specialised parts, components and maintenance to run smoothly, which is where Motion comes in. “We carry a range of bearings and housing units that are specific to the agriculture segment which we supply directly to farmers or to equipment service and engineering companies that concentrate on maintaining and improving the performance of planting equipment,” says Russell. 

Additionally, Motion and Japanese bearing manufacturer NTN’s long-standing joint venture has allowed them to get a greater understanding of bearing requirements for seeding applications, from a manufacturing standpoint. As a result, Motion has been able to provide expert engineering consult on the production and supply of bearings that go into seeding equipment. 

According to Product Manager for Industrial Bearings at Motion, Tony Tormey, Genuine OEM approved bearings for the disc hubs on planter and drill wheels are in high demand due to the scarcity of suppliers who manufacture this particular type of bearing.

“While most bearing companies will carry a variation of this bearing that will suit wheel disc hubs, 90 percent of the time a double row ball bearing or angular ball bearing will be used, which after extended periods in field cannot handle the shock load of heavy seeding and sowing activities,” says Tony. 

He explains that the specific bearing type required for disc hubs is a double taper roller bearing and NTN is one of the only suppliers that carries this type of bearing and the appropriate sealing solutions for it. 

“NTN’s Double Tapered Roller Bearings are designed so that the tapered vertex of the raceway surfaces on the inner and outer rings converge at one point on the centerline of the bearing. This allows them to withstand dynamic loads. The tapered rollers are guided by the compound force of the inner and outer raceway surfaces which keep the rollers in place.”  Furthermore, with the introduction of NTN’s next generation ULTAGE roller bearings technology, their Double Tapered Roller Bearings have an even greater load capacity, longer service life and greater allowances for misalignment and speed than ever before. The result is significantly improved service life of drilling and planting equipment and maximised productivity in the field. 

“Our exclusive access to the best planter bearings available to the market through our joint venture with NTN is just another example of our capabilities as an industrial solutions provider,” concludes Russell. “When we identify an opportunity for improved service to the agriculture industry, we make it our mission to determine the best possible avenue to add that to our offering.”  

NTN ULTAGE Tapered Roller Bearings
Features and Benefits

Optimised internal design 

• Pressurised and tempered steel cage 

• Hardened steel inner and outer rings

• Guided rollers

Improved performance

• 30% greater basic dynamic load rating

• 10% higher allowable speed

• Up to 3x longer service life

• Lower dimensional change over time