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TIP OF THE MONTH - What is IF & VF farm technology

What is IF & VF farm tyre technology?
IF & VF farm tyre technology is a recent, underused innovation that allows farm operators to increase productivity and efficiency, reduce soil compaction, fuel consumption and total cost ownership compared to standard radial farm tyres. Tyres including this technology will be marked IF or VF before the tyre size marking i.e., IF900/60R42 Trelleborg TM1000 HP.

  

IF 'Improved Flexion'
IF tyres can carry 20% more load, at the same inflation pressure, or carry the same load with reduced pressure compared to standard radial tyres. This is due to structural and compound innovations allowing IF farm tyre sidewalls to operate while flexing more dramatically.  Utilising lower inflation pressure made possible by IF tyres, farmers can increase the tyre ground contact area, traction and fuel economy while reducing soil compaction by about the same amount as the reduction in inflation pressure. Yet another advantage is the tyre pressure of IF tyres is not influenced by driving speed, which a standard tyre is subject to a three-way relationship between load, speed, and air pressure per tyre. Trelleborg tyres including IF technology include the TM1000HP product range.

VF 'Very High Flexion'
VF tyres can carry 40% more load, at the same inflation pressure, or carry the same load with reduced pressure compared to standard radial tyres. Just like IF tyres, the tyre pressure of VF tyres is also not influenced by vehicle speed. However, it is wise to increase pressure by 2-3psi when performing transport work for long periods of time. Trelleborg tyres including VF technology include the TM1000PT, TM1060, TM150 & PneuTrac product range. Mitas VF tyres include HC1000 & HC2000 product ranges.

  

CFO 'Cyclic Field Operation' & CHO' Cyclic Harvest Operation'
CFO/CHO tyres are often used for harvesting machines like combines and harvesters, which have a low working speed, high peaks and variations in loads. For example: a beet harvester drives to a field empty, it starts harvesting and the bunker fills up. A short distance is travelled,  after which the bunker is emptied, and the process is repeated. CFO / CHO tyres have been developed for such work cycles.