The automated transplanter Futura is a state-of-the-art machine. It best represents both the constant investigation for innovative solutions and the drive to technology: the most important guidelines for Ferrari Costruzioni Meccaniche. This machine has been studied for transplanting vegetables, stored in tray of different sizes and materials, like tomato (different configurations are available), cabbages, celery, broccoli and many others. Every robot extracts the seedlings automatically by means of a system based on cylindrical plungers combined with moving fingers. The latter pick up the plugs pushed out of the tray by means of the former. The carousel turns in clock motion. This specific feature is extremely important to guarantee a constant drop of the plants from the carousel to the shoe. The clock motion allows increasing the performance per hour, the precision of planting depth and distance in the row. This important feature guarantees a perfect plant timing without the need of any adjustment. Capacity of Futura is about 8000 plants per hour/row demanding just one operator charge with the task of loading trays into the transplanting elements. Available in both hauled and self-propelled versions, the latter is built with four wheels drive and hydrostatic transmission, it also features an automatic trail following device named “Drivetronic” that allows the operator to control the moving of the machine from the rear. Three different Kubota engines are available: its sizes are respectively 51, 74 and 114 HP, according to the dimensions of the machine. All of them are built in accordance with the most recent low emission legislations. The automotive version has been increasingly appreciated in the last years due to its continuous evolution. In fact, the latest version is equipped with a new motherboard that allow a fully innovative management of the transplanting activity. Its new touch screen is the most suitable for the farming environment and its new pneumatic system is extremely reliable, eliminating dead times, due to malfunctions.
