Devon-based self-propelled sprayer specialist Bateman has given its entire line-up a revamp. From an operator’s point of view the most obvious upgrade is a completely new control layout with a customisable joystick surrounded by a rash of brightly back-lit buttons.
Switching between road model and three field modes with their own specific spray functions prompts the switchgear LEDs to swap colours so that the driver knows exactly what each does. The main touchscreen controller also indicates which button does what.
But Bateman being Bateman, the design team have gone to great measures to ensure it’s a one-size suits all set-up so there’s still plenty of traditional switchgear and many duplicated controls. More importantly the company says should all this complex electronic wizardry fail, it can be simply over-ridden to keep the machine moving.
Aside from the internal cab gubbins, much of the range’s running gear has been revised with beefed up suspension components and axles. The boom has been redesigned to accommodate 25cm nozzle spacings and twin clean water tanks integrated into the shoulders of the main spray reservoir to ensure the centre of mass is kept as low as possible. As such the 5,000-litre version is apparently no higher than that on previous 4,000-litre machines.
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