Windbreak wing systems for sprayers: what are the options?
Wingssprayer and Dubex Wave are the well-known names in windbreak wing systems. More recent and less familiar is the Ecoshield system.
Drift reduction and improved penetration of the crop protection product are the main reasons some users opt for a windbreak wing system. In many cases, a windbreak wing can be supplied for existing sprayers, but retrofitting is also feasible for many machines.
With nozzles classified by the manufacturer as class F (fine), a sprayer with a windbreak wing system is upgraded to the 75% drift reduction class. With nozzles from the DRD list (drift-reducing nozzles), a 50% drift reduction nozzle is upgraded to 99% drift reduction. Wingssprayer and Dubex Wave have been on the market for much longer, but after several years of experimentation, the Ecoshield system entered the market 4byears ago. It was developed and manufactured by Rense Wijbenga from Marrum, a village in the Dutch province of Friesland.
Wijbenga has been an SKL inspector for many years and has worked extensively in the maintenance and repair of sprayers, including windbreak wing systems. But in addition to being a technician and inspector, Wijbenga also enjoys designing and building new technologies. He recognised the benefits of a windbreak wing system but noticed that in practice, weight was often a limiting factor for existing systems. Depending on the boom structure, the added weight at the ends of wide booms significantly affects the construction and folding mechanism. He recalls having to install heavier cylinders on machines he had previously modified. His goal was to create something lighter—and possibly also cheaper—which seems to have succeeded. The Dutch agricultural title Boerderij observed an Ecoshield system in operation on a 33 m wide Amazone field sprayer that is now entering its third season.
Polyester panels
Ecoshield consists of polyester panels—a relatively lightweight material—mounted in aluminium profiles and suspended from rubber air-inflated hoses. Ecoshield adds 1.7 kg per metre of working width to the boom. By comparison, Wingssprayer and AP Dubex systems add around 3 kg per metr.
Photo: Mark Pasveer
Wingssprayer is a further development of the Swedish Släpduk system and holds the largest market share as well as the most experience. It uses fibre-reinforced polycarbonate panels mounted on gas springs. Inspired by the success of Wingssprayer, Dubex (now AP Dubex) introduced the Wave system in 2017. It suspends the panels from stiff springs mounted on the boom. Ecoshield applies a similar concept but uses rubber hoses instead of springs. These are lightweight and offer adjustable stiffness: when not pressurised, the panels hang freely and flexibly; when inflated, they become nearly rigid. In practice, 0.5 bar air pressure appears to be ideal.
A windbreak wing system should just about touch the crop or soil. If contact occurs, the panels must be able to yield, while the suspension also needs to sufficiently dampen to prevent bouncing.
Relatively inexpensive
Ecoshield is available as a kit for around €400 ($463.06) per metre of working width. An additional €1,000 ($1,157.65) may be needed for a small compressor. If the tractor is equipped with air brakes, a separate compressor is not necessary. One option includes manually operated valves that allow some nozzles to be switched off, for example in ridge crops like potatoes, when plants are still small, effectively converting the system into a band sprayer.
AP Dubex charges €525 ($606,77) per metre of working width for a new sprayer with the system factory-fitted. As a kit, including various brackets, the price is €600 ($694,6) per metre. About half of the sprayers newly sold in the Netherlands by AP Dubex are equipped with the Wave system.
Wingssprayer offers more options, including a secondary ‘spoiler plate’ designed to generate air turbulence for improved penetration. This setup costs around €1,000 per metre, including installation. Another option is a double wing setup, with which Wingssprayer claims to achieve 99.8% drift reduction. This adds €130 per metre. Dual nozzles, each with its own spray line—such as one for fertiliser and one for standard spraying—are also available. Additionally, a sliding nozzle system is offered to allow quick switching between nozzles. Wingssprayer has also developed a separate nozzle system specifically for Brussels sprouts, though this has not yet been delivered.
