Zimmatic-blog

Solutions to Help Growers Make the Most of Every Drop of Water

29 Apr. 2019

For more than 50 years, Lindsay has led the way in the development of solutions to meet every grower’s needs.

“We’re celebrating the 50^thanniversary of the first Zimmatic center pivot, which went to work in 1969, but the innovation certainly didn’t stop there,” said Jason Parker, director of sales at Lindsay Corporation. “Since that first pivot, we have continued to innovate - providing growers with the cutting-edge solutions they need to irrigate more efficiently.”

Among the innovations is NFTrax^® – an airless wheel assembly that eliminates flat tires and costly downtime.

“There’s nothing worse than changing a pivot tire in the middle of a field when it’s hot, humid and muddy. So, when the NFTrax was introduced in 2015, it became a game changer for growers,” Parker said. “Because it never goes flat, they spend less time in the field making repairs. It also keeps wheel ruts to a minimum – reducing wear and tear on trucks and other pieces of farm equipment.”

The updated NFTrax 2.0 launched late last year – offering improved performance over varying terrain and field features. A new, optional NFTrax Z-Tread is has an aggressive tread design for areas where more traction is required - slopes, low spots, areas with slick-based soils, etc.

Also developed in the 2010s, the IM3000 Magnetic Flow Meter – an important tool to help growers manage their water resources.

“Water management and conservation is an increasing concern for growers – especially those who live in areas where water use is regulated,” Parker said. “ Flow meters take the guesswork out of water usage. They help growers keep track of their water allocation, check irrigation efficiency, determine pumping plant efficiency and detect any well or pump problems before they become severe.”

Parker said an in-riser version of the magnetic flow meter also is now available – providing growers with the most accurate readings.

“The riser pipe is the best spot for accuracy, because unlike horizontal pipes, the riser pipe is always 100 percent full when water is flowing,” he said. “Another benefit is that installation requires no heavy equipment or cutting and welding of delivery pipes, which saves growers money.”

This is the sixth in a series of posts celebrating the history of Lindsay Corporation and the first Zimmatic center pivot. In our next post in the series, we’ll take a look at the technological advancements that were launched in the 2010s and preview the future of precision agriculture.

Previous posts are available at: