TerraClear TC100 Rock Picker – Rock clearance

Robot: TC100 Rock Picker
Task(s): Rock clearance
Development start: January 2022
Pricing: US $29,999 (€30,403 according to the exchange rate of 22-09-2022)
Manufacturer:

TerraClear’s TC100 Rock Picker is a versatile solution that enables highly efficient and precise rock picking with minimal soil disruption. Capable of operating in a wide range of field conditions and compatible with your existing equipment, it delivers an entirely new way to pick rock. 

Because the TC100 Rock Picker minimizes ground compaction and ground disturbance, it’s effective in most field conditions, such as traditionally cultivated, no-till, seeded, stubble, and more. This flexibility is critical for a couple of reasons. First, modern farming increasingly emphasizes soil conservation practices (ex. no-till and minimum till). Second, working in more field conditions significantly expands the window when one can pick rock. 

It’s widely compatible with equipment that farmers already own. Attaching via a universal mounting plate, it works on multiple chassis, including compact track loaders, backhoe loaders, and tractors.

The TC100 Rock Picker makes it possible for one individual to do what used to take a crew of people. It is simple and easy to use, saves farmers time, money, and labor, and reduces the risk of equipment downtime due to rock damage. 

Drive train type

N/A – Platform dependent

Characteristics

The key components of the picker include the precision end-effector, which is the part that grabs the rocks. It’s mounted on a rail at the bottom of a rock bucket so it can quickly grab the most problematic rock sizes, typically 4” – 26” in diameter. Durable belts on the end-effector grip the rocks, enabling automatic alignment for all rock shapes and orientations, even flat or buried ones. The TC100 has an integrated 100” rock bucket and rock cage, allowing the operator to fill the bucket completely before needing to dump.  

Navigation system

One of TerraClear’s companion solutions is a Rock Map. The map, accessible via an intuitive app on Android or iOS, shows the operator the size and location of each rock.

Specifications