KIK is the rather intriguing German tag for Amazone’s ‘compact and integrated fold-up system’, fitted to its eight-row ED 601K precision seeder. We operated a prototype version of the 6m KIK drill in the spring of 1997
Dropping wide implements on and then plucking them off low loaders represents downtime that most farmers could do without. Seemingly, if a piece of modern equipment now measures over 3m, it needs to fold.
Hence Amazone’s launch of the ED 601K folding precision seeder, which, with the assistance of two double-acting rams, knocks the drill’s total 6m working width down to a road-going 3m. As with many folding mechanisms, KIK is intriguing to see in action: Two outer wings, carrying two seeder units each, rise and slot over the top of the drill’s main section; while, at the same time, the bout markers fold horizontally across the machine and the drive wheels retract hydraulically. The KIK party piece takes less than 10secs to complete, with the operator conducting the whole show from the air conditioned – if he’s lucky – comfort of his tractor seat.
When folded, the ED601 remains relatively compact, measuring about 2.65m from the base of the centre section to the top of the upper row. But there’s more to the 601 than a nifty folding mechanism. When Amazone upgraded the Airplanter, the ED601’s predecessor, the firm took the opportunity to incorporate a host of other changes, too.
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