Photo: John DeereJohn Deere has introduced new additions to their lineup of Worksite Pro attachments. The company says these new pallet forks, PF45 and PF60, are optimized to work with John Deere G-Series skid steers as well as G-and E-Series compact track loaders (CTLs). With these two pallet forks came another that was designed specifically for use in the K-Series compact wheel loaders with the skid steer-style Quik-Tatch coupler. The company also says that all new pallet forks are compatible with most competitive models.
“Our new severe-duty pallet forks offer improved visibility, increased capacity and better durability than the previous fork-frame design,” said Gregg Zupancic, product marketing manager, John Deere Construction & Forestry. “Together with our standard- and heavy-duty options, we offer a material-handling solution to fit every customer’s need.”
Available in lengths of 48 and 60 inches, the severe-duty pallet forks for skid steers and CTLs can be positioned in widths from 45 inches in 5-inch increments to 60 inches in 5.35-inch increments. These pallet forks feature skid-resistant steps on both sides of the frame, as well as a walk-through backrest with a bolt-on option and unrestricted visibility to the fork tips.
Found on all John Deere skid steers and CTLs, the company says the universal, self-cleaning Quik-Tatch attachment system lets the machine easily add and remove the severe-duty pallet forks in seconds. These attachments are backed by John Deere’s service, parts and warranty coverage.
Designed for use on compact wheel loaders, John Deere says the fork frame offers increased capacity, improved visibility and better durability over the previous fork frame design. The company adds that it will enable operators to load the far side of a trailer with ease, and the frame was designed specifically for use on a compact wheel loader with a parallel lift. The tines are ITA class 3B rated, and they are available in either 48 inches or 60 inches.
Exmark introduces new Lithium Grease
Photo: ExmarkExmark says its new Lithium Grease was designed to offer maximum protection from water, temperature extremes and rust.
According to Mark Aldendifer, Exmark marketing manager, the Lithium Grease is designed to meet the needs of the company’s professional customers.
“We developed and tested our Lithium Grease to deliver increased performance for the professionals using our products every day,” Aldendifer said. “And the same qualities that make it the perfect grease for Exmark machines also make it well-suited for the maintenance of any brand of mower or equipment.”
The company says that this product offers high structural stability for outstanding bearing protection at heavy loads and high speeds. In applications where moisture and condensation are a factor, Exmark says that the Lithium Grease has excellent resistance to water washout. As a result of this, the company says that the product is ideal for lubricating wheel bearings, ball joints, chassis lube points, steering linkages and more.
Exmark says that the increased shear stability and high performance synthetic base oil make Lithium Grease an outstanding choice for the everyday maintenance of landscape professionals. Lithium Grease has a National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI) classification of GC-LB, and the company says it is recommended for a wide variety of equipment and automotive applications at both high and low temperatures.
IrriGreen’s Genius technology receives US patent
Photo: IrriGreenIrriGreen Inc. has been granted a U.S. patent for the IrriGreen Genius Irrigation System. This patent, US 9,643,196 B2, covers the software algorithm for IrriGreen. This software digitally controls the spray direction and position, rotational speed and watering distance of IrriGreen’s smart sprinkler heads. Following the contour of the lawn, the company says that the sprays can conform to every corner, curve and angle.
“IrriGreen is the first irrigation system to extend smart control from the controller out to computerized, smart sprinkler heads with embedded software,” said Gary Klinefelter, founder and chief executive officer, IrriGreen, Inc. “Just as inkjet printers spray ink in controlled patterns on a page, IrriGreen Genius Sprinklers ‘print’ water in precise patterns that match the shape of the lawn.”
Using the Genius mobile app, the company says that installers can configure zones and set sprinkler heads all in one step on their smartphones. IrriGreen’s software can automatically set the mapping points, send the data via Wi-Fi to the IrriGreen Genius Server and calculate the spray distances. The system can then digitally control watering patterns, which can adjust Genius Sprinklers up to 437 times per rotation.
The Center for Irrigation Technology (CIT) evaluated one sprinkler head per irrigation zone from Genius against conventional system configurations with six to nine mechanical rotors or spray heads. IrriGreen says that it increased soil moisture by equivalent amounts, while using 40 percent fewer gallons of water.
The company says that IrriGreen requires less pipe and wire, a smaller number of holes for workers to dig and fewer valves and fittings. The company adds that contractors can install IrriGreen in half to one-third the time.
