DLZ Endurance test - Rauch

Practice • Future • Life 

Special edition 

from brochure 1/2013 I PO box 40 05 80 I 80705 Munich 

Tel. +49(0)89-12705-276 I reddlz@dlv.de I www.dlz-agrarmagazin.de 

Endurance test: AXIS-H EMC+W 

Spreading 

to the point 

Distributed by: 

RAUCH Landmaschinenfabrik GmbH 

D-76547 Sinzheim; PO box 1162 

Phone +49 (0) 7221/9850 

Fax +49 (0) 7221/985200 

info@rauch.de; www.rauch.de

dlz Technology 

Spreading 

to the point 

Endurance test The Axis-H-EMC is a hydraulically powered fertiliser 

spreader with a working width of 18 to 50 m. The application rate is regulated 

electronically by the mass flow; additionally, a pair of scales control the 

residual quantity. Here is our verdict after one season. 

Photo: Feuerborn 

dlz agricultural magazine ◾ Special edition

dlz Technology I 

Weighing spreaders are 

very much in fashion. 

They allow you to control 

the amount of fertiliser precisely 

and make unwanted excess 

or insufficient quantities a thing 

of the past. The operator also doesn‘t have 

to worry about turning it off; thanks to a 

computer and sensor, the spreader always 

applies the desired amount of fertiliser. 

What‘s more, variable flow behaviour no 

longer leads to wrong fertilisations. While 

other manufacturers control the application 

rate with the help of a weighing frame, and 

so can only regulate the application rate of 

the entire spreader, Rauch can individually 

regulate the spreading amount at each 

dlztest 

metering slider. This increases the 

precision. This is made possible by 

the EMC technology. We tested 

an Axis-H 30.1 EMC+W with a 

3,000 l. container, a Müller terminal 

with a partial width controller 

and automatic activation OptiPoint. 

"Weighing" with pressure 

sensors 

For determining the spreading amount by 

means of the mass flow principle, Rauch 

uses a simple principle: the higher the torque 

is at the spreading disc, the bigger in turn 

the application rate will be, and so the bigger 

the pressure in the hydraulic system will 

be. With the help of oil pressure measure- 

Quick overview 

What's special about the Axis H-EMC+W 

is how it determines the application 

rate with the help of the mass flow principle. 

With this, you can take advantage of the linear 

correlation between the oil pressure in the 

hydraulic motors of the spreading disc and 

the fertiliser flow rate to the metering sliders. 

The application rate can be controlled and 

adjusted individually for each side without 

the need for large weighing technology. The 

scales in the spreader serve only to determine 

the contents of the container. In the test, the 

spreader demonstrated a good spreading 

pattern and accurate application. 

Rauch Axis H-EMC+W 

Minimum use (MU): 590 ha/year 

MU = 

FC 

€ 2,537 

= 

LR–VC € 4.50 – € 0.20 

FC 

Fixed costs/year: € 2,537 

(= 10 % of the cost price € 25,367) 

VC 

LR 

Variable costs/ha: € 0.20 

(wear, maintenance) 

Loan rate € 4.50/ha. 

(without a tractor, driver and diesel) 

Sample calculation with sample values 2013 

ments, the application rate can be determined 

with great precision. The trick to it: if 

more fertiliser enters the spreading discs, the 

pressure in the hydraulics increases. Pressure 

and changes to the spreading amount 

follow a linear correlation. The higher the 

pressure, the bigger the spreading amount 

applied, and vice versa. The problem with 

it: The pressure changes in the system are 

very small and it must be measured very 

sensitively. The development from the initial 

concept to being ready for practical use 

therefore took some time. The advantage 

of this system is its imperviousness from 

impacts and bumps, which always influence 

the weighing process. Weighing spreaders 

with weigh cells must therefore filter the 

measurements and separate the accurate 

readings from the inaccurate ones. This is 

not necessary with the mass flow system 

from Rauch. The system is also very easy to 

set up. There just needs to be a pressure sensor 

in the hydraulic line to the motor for the 

spreading discs. However, the EMC system 

cannot determine the residual quantity or 

the tank capacity. Rauch has therefore also 

used a weighing frame with two weigh cells 

– a request made by many practitioners. 

Even though the application rates with the 

EMC system correspond very closely to the 

control measurements, the weighing technology 

offers the benefit of precise control 

of the residual quantity. And therefore the 

area that it is still possible to spread can 

easily be determined. 

Simple environmentally 

optimised boundary spreading 

But the hydraulic drive offers even more 

advantages: The spreading range of the 

spreaders can be adjusted via the remote 

With the Axis H-EMC, the electronics take over 

the switching on and off at headlands and the 

eight-piece partial width controller. 

www.dlz-agrarmagazin.de

Technology I 

1 2 3 

Photos: Feuerborn 

1 The spreader is suspended in a weighing 

frame with two weigh cells. It is in this way 

that the Axis controls the contents of the 

container and the residual quantity. 

2 Every spreading disc is powered on an 

infinitely variable basis by a hydraulics 

motor. A sensor measures the pressure to 

determine the spread rate. 

3 Hydraulic block instead of universal 

shafts: We powered the Axis with the load 

sensing hydraulics with the control line 

from the tractor. 


4 

5 

6 

controlled spreading disc speed and the 

drop point. As such, with the help of GPS 

positioning, automatic partial width control 

of the fertiliser spreader is possible, and 

works independently for the left and right 

thanks to two hydraulic drives. The option 

of changing the speed of the spreading discs 

while simultaneously adjusting the drop 

point means environmentally optimised 

boundary spreading can also be conducted 

easily without a fertiliser stream or other 

resources. Double-sided environmentally 

optimised boundary spreading is thus also 

possible – a practical solution which we 

have valued greatly on narrow fields. 

Switches on and off 

automatically 

When do you switch the fertiliser spreader 

on or off at the headland? Research has 

shown that it's being switched on too early. 

The fertiliser thrown behind flies further 

behind than you might think. If switched 

on early, it is thrown on the already fertilised 

headland, leading to over-fertilisation. 

It's a different story at the end of 

the field: Here, if the slider is closed too 

4 The drop point and disc opening 

(application rate) are controlled automatically 

from the terminal by actuators. 

5 The spreading discs can be replaced 

very easily, whether that's for switching off, 

emptying or changing to a different 

spreading range. The spreading blades 

are made from wear-resistant steel. 

6 The agitator fingers are very gentle on 

the fertiliser. The large opening enables the 

drop point to be adjusted for changes to the 

amount or for environmentally optimised 

boundary spreading. 

early, it will lead to under-fertilisation. But 

when is it the right switching on point? 

The technicians from Rauch have ensured 

that the switch point depends heavily on 

Technical data 

Measurements/Weights 

Capacity 

Spreading width 

(depending on spreading disc) 

Width 

Filling height (with bodywork) 

Filling opening (Width x length) 

Empty weight (with 3,000 l) 

Maximum load capacity 

Total weight 

Application rate 

Hydraulic pressure 

Hydraulic capacity 

Disc speed 

1,200–3,000 l 

18–42 m 

280 cm 

1.53 m 

2.80 x 1.30 m 

475 kg 

3,000 kg 

3,475 kg 

max. 500 kg/min 

210 bar 

45 l/min 

250–1,100 r.p.m. 

Basic price of test machine (fertiliser spreader Axis- 

H EMC+W with scales, EMC mass flow control, CDA 

spreading technology, ISOBUS job computer) 

Other special accessories 

Tank extension XL 1800 

Transport rollers 

Tarpaulin 

Müller terminal 

GPS receiver Egnos A 100 

Trackleader II 

Section Control 

Source: manufacturer information 2013 

www.dlz-agrarmagazin.de

I Technology 

1 2 3 


the fertiliser. Calcium ammonium nitrate, 

for example, flies differently to urea fertiliser 

or complete fertiliser. It was possible 

to determine the switching on point by 

creating a three dimensional spreading 

pattern. The fertiliser flies in a half-circle 

from a fertiliser spreader. An even 

spreading pattern arises from the driving 

speed and the initial and return trip (overlapping). 

Through the three-dimensional 

spreading pattern, the technicians can 

emulate the spreading pattern with the 

help of a computer simulation, which they 

would otherwise determine via the trays. 

The spreading range behind can also be 

determined for different types of fertiliser, 

and so the right switching on and off 

points can be found. OptiPoint, together 

with Section Control - the GPS protected 

headland and partial width control - can 

be used to determine the precise switching 

on point at the headland, specific to each 

type of fertiliser. When using the spreader, 

we have often wondered how long it 

takes for the metering slider to re-open 

after being used at the headlands. Conversely, 

we were already at the headland 

when the slider closed again at the end 

of the field. 

1 The rear is fitted with warning signs and 

lighting for road traffic. 

2 The hopper cover can easily be folded 

forwards for loading. The container is also 

big enough for wide shovels. 

3 The big rollers make it easier to attach 

to the tractor. The spreader can be parked 

easily and quickly. 

Spreader with full range 

of equipment 

Our Axis H-EMC+W was fully equipped for 

the test. Since we also tested the Greenseeker 

from Landdata Eurosoft along with the 

spreader, the Müller-Comfort-Terminal was 

used to operate the Axis. The GPS control 

was not yet running on the CCI Terminal 

100 at the beginning of the test. Along with 

Rauch, this is being distributed and developed 

by, for example, Lemken, Grimme and 

others. Almost any ISOBUS-Terminal will 

do for the spreader nowadays, provided the 

software updates match. A GPS antenna is 

needed in order to be able to use GPS Control. 

We initially worked with an RTK correction 

signal for radio transmission from 

the machinery; this signal uses the tractor 

for its steering system. However, there were 

initially problems here with signal masking, 

which led to problems with the partial width 

controller. When we were spreading with 

the GPS A100 antenna from Hemisphere, 

the GPS Control ran smoothly. GPS Control 

consists of the components VariSpread 

for spreading width control and OptiPoint 

for switching on and off automatically at 

headlands. 

User-friendly operation 

Handling the spreader is very easy. The load 

sensing hydraulics with the control line is 

used for the motor. However, the Axis also 

works with tractors with no control line or 

with a constant current hydraulics system. 

Thanks to the stable big rollers, attaching it 

to the tractor is simple: connect the hydraulic 

lines, ISOBUS cable and electrics, adjust 

1 Operating the Müller Comfort Terminal 

is easy. Here is the screenshot showing the 

most important functions for the fertiliser 

spreader. 

2 All sub-menus can be reached from the 

main menu. It is operated with buttons or 

the scroll wheel on the top right. 

3 All types of fertiliser can be loaded into 

the system. All spreading values can then 

be loaded from the fertiliser charts while 

changing the type of fertiliser. 

the spreader in the three point, and you're 

done. The settings and the operation are performed 

via the terminal. Various sub-menus 

make it easy to get an overview. Along 

with the operational display with which the 

spreader is used in the field, there are six additional 

submenus. The most important one 

is the fertiliser setting. Here, the values for 

each type of fertiliser can be loaded into the 

fertiliser charts. This takes a bit of effort at 

first, as the values must be entered by hand. 

Afterwards, the data can be downloaded 

from the fertiliser charts filed in the system 

– practical. The driver only has to enter the 

spreading range parameters for the headland 

control by hand. For the most part, all values 

for the spreader can therefore be automatically 

set from the terminal without having 

to leave the tractor. The spreader finds the 

desired application rate very quickly without 

any calibration test. 

Necessary calibration 

The spreading discs' no-load measurements 

every time the motor has been switched off 

are somewhat irritating. One is carried out 

immediately prior to the fertilisation. A second 

is carried out automatically after two 

1 2 3 



dlz Technology 


Terminal 

test results 

Menu navigation/Clarity 

Ease of use 

Setting the spreader functions 

Design of the fertiliser charts 

Documentation and data transfer 

Compatibility with other ISOBUS 

terminals 

Functionality and operational features 

Function of the automatic metering 

Function of the hydraulic drive 

Edge and boundary spreading function 

Eight-piece partial width controller 

Automatic headland switch 

Residual quantity control 

Agitator 

Handling and maintenance 

Attachment to the tractor 

Manufacturing quality 

Emptying the residual quantity 

Cleaning 

Other 

CAN 27 m 

CAN environmentally optimised 

boundary spreading for borders 

NPK 27 m 

NPK environmentally optimised 

boundary spreading for borders 

Accuracy of headland spreading 

Wedge-shaped spreading 

performance 

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2013 

Large mudflaps protect the spreading discs 

against mud from the wheels. 


Roland Opitz has been 

using his Rauch Axis 

50.1 for three years. He 

uses the ISOBUS-enabled 

Greenstar Monitor in his 

John Deere 7530 as the 

terminal for the spreader 

and steering system. As 

the spreader processes a substantial amount 

of data, it takes some time at first to enter the 

values for the fertiliser. But afterwards, when 

all parameters have been stored, operating it 

comes easily. The partial width controller and 

automatic boundary spreading work brilliantly. 

Of particular note is the fact that, at woodsides 

with a weak GPS signal that doesn't prove sufficient 

for automatic steering, the spreader nonetheless 

spreads very accurately at headlands 

and on borders. Adjustments to the drop point, 

speed and amount of fertiliser were always implemented 

reliably. Opitz is very happy with the 

workmanship. After the first year, a conversion kit 

was added as a bearing failure on the agitator 

arose on account of dampness and fertiliser 

residue. But after the construction was changed, 

minutes if the fertilisation has not begun. 

Fertilisation usually begins with environmentally 


at the edge of the field. However, environmentally 


or partial width reduction may not 

be activated for the speed measurement. 

With the largest construction frame, the 

spreader can hold 3000 l and is 2.80 m wide. 

User survey 

the spreader ran perfectly. Aside from that, there 

were no complaints. 

Roland Opitz, Staufenberg 

Andreas Weinfurtner has now been using his 

Axis 50.1 H EMC for three years. A crucial 

factor in his decision to buy it was the hydraulic 

drive and the corresponding accuracy of the edge 

spreading. At first, Weinfurtner worked with a test 

machine that was then returned to the company 

Rauch. There were initially problems with lack of 

accuracy due to the cold oil. However, these were 

remedied and today the spreader works perfectly. 

Weinfurtner uses his Axis with a GPS track guiding 

system and is delighted with the edge spreading 

features. The operation via the CCI-Terminal comes 

easily after a short familiarisation period. 

Weinfurtner sees an additional advantage that 

is not to be underestimated with heavily dusty 

fertiliser. Since the Axis measures the flow 

of material each time, the spreader readjusts 

automatically if fertiliser sticks in the container 

and thus obstructs the flow. The application rate 

therefore remains constant. 

Andreas Weinfurtner, Rieden i.d. Oberpfalz 

The computer therefore switches off these 

functions before the measurement. The environmentally 


must then be reactivated. Otherwise, 

your precious fertiliser will land in your 

neighbour's field if you don't remember 

to activate the environmentally optimised 

boundary spreading. It is the opinion of 

Rauch that this problem was fixed with 

the software status 2.0300. 

Our overall impression 

The spreading pattern and the precision of 

the application rate during the EMC dosing 

by means of oil pressure measurement won 

us over completely. It is handy that the 

working width and amount of fertiliser 

from the tractor can easily be changed in 

four steps for each side. The environmentally 

optimised boundary spreading works 

accurately at both sides. This appealed to 

us particularly on small size fields with a 

field width of less than 27 m. The actual 

application rate matches the adjusted 

values very well. We found the automatic 

headland and partial width Section Control 

with OptiPoint brilliant – a real benefit. The 

spreader is very well manufactured. Almost 

all fertiliser spreading parts such as the 

container base, deflector hoop, spreading 

discs, spreading blades and agitator shafts 

are made from stainless steel. The tarpaulin 

fully covers the spreader after it's been 

filled, so no slight rain showers interfere 

with the output. 

fe

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