Qubik, the 4.0 transplanter from Checchi & Magli

The marketing of the Qubik transplanter, presented by Checchi & Magli of Budrio (Bologna) at the 44th edition of EIMA International, has just begun. It is a machine conceived for professional use and designed with the aim of increasing productivity in transplanting pressed cubes. "Qubik features a farmflex front roller for soil preparation and levelling. Each unit is equipped with a furrow opener, and the planting area of the seedlings," explains the sales manager of the Bologna-based company, Claudio Zarri, "is levelled further by a stainless steel wheel. On either side of the wheel there are guards that protect the transplanting area from excess soil, while rear tamping ploughshares accumulate the soil at the base of the seedlings for better rooting". The cubes, placed by conveyor belts (they are equipped with an adjustable guide for sizes between 3.2 and 5 cm), are positioned on the ground by electropneumatic clamps. The transplanting depth is adjusted by linear actuators that allow optimal adaptation to the ground and can be kept constant thanks to an optional probe.

A multifunction digital panel to control the parameters completes the basic equipment of the Qubik, which can be expanded with some optional extras such as the climatic cover and folding side platforms for box storage. The new transplanter from the Budrio brand is available in versions ranging from two to eight rows. The operator can adjust the distance between rows by means of a crank (optional) starting from a minimum of 23 centimetres while the distance between rows can be set starting from 5 centimetres with an indicative production of up to 7,200 plants per hour per row. "Qubik," adds the Checchi & Magli sales manager, "is able to work even at low temperatures thanks to solenoid valves and pneumatic cylinders designed to operate at up to 10 degrees below zero. The technological equipment is also high-profile, with the 4.0 Smart Performance Control (SPC, valid for tax credit purposes) system designed to remotely monitor the transplanter's performance and any anomalies, as well as providing information on scheduled maintenance intervals. Qubik can be combined with tractors from 65 to 100 horsepower."