Case Study: Vogel Engineering boosts seed planter productivity with Eaton electrohydraulic control

New Eaton Electronic Controller Helps Carrots Take Root

Vogel Engineering Inc., based in Holton, Michigan, serves the agriculture market with planting and harvesting equipment for truck crops like carrots and pickles. When a customer wanted to upgrade a seed planter, Vogel needed to replace a chain-driven mechanical system with a hydraulically driven design that could plant at a rate proportional to vehicle speed and be adjusted easily as field conditions changed. Eaton’s EFX electronic controller was identified as a strong fit for the retrofit.

Eaton, working with DTS Fluid Power, implemented an electrohydraulic system using an Eaton EFX 1612 electronic controller and CONTROL F(x) software. The retrofitted seed planter delivered straightforward operator control, ran successfully through the planting season, and increased productivity compared with the previous mechanical design. The project also led Vogel to consider Eaton controllers and software for more of its equipment.

Vogel Engineering

Brian Burgess

DTS Engineer