Salus Aviation, the New Zealand-based aerospace group, has partnered with IMI to develop a new pneumatic spraying system aimed at improving the efficiency of aerial crop treatment across New Zealand and Australia, with global expansion planned for the Airbus AS350 platform.
IMI’s Industrial Automation division has designed a bespoke pneumatic assembly to manage the controlled dispersal of agricultural chemicals from Salus Aviation’s AS350-mounted spray units. Consistency of flow is a longstanding challenge for operators, as uneven dispersal can drive up costs and reduce crop coverage, particularly in remote environments where reliability is critical.
The system centres on a Kinetrol double-acting cylinder mounted on a ball valve to regulate chemical flow, recently enhanced with IMI Norgren V60 pneumatic control valves to manage switching from the cockpit. IMI says the long-life valves support reliable operation while reducing airborne spraying time and chemical waste.
Ed Ablan, IMI Key Account Manager, said the collaboration allowed the company to tailor its technology to the demands of field spraying. “Our robust IMI Norgren V60 valves offer reliability of performance so that pilots are assured that when they need to activate the opening and closing of the spraying system, it will work as required,” he said. “Using aircraft to spray in often remote areas across New Zealand and Australia is an expensive undertaking, but the IMI-controlled pneumatic system means time in the air and chemical use is as cost effective as possible.”
Philipp Antwerpen, EGM MRO Services at Salus Aviation, said the companies had worked closely to develop a dependable solution. Salus now incorporates the V60 control valve alongside other IMI components, including quick exhaust valves, pressure switches, Pneufit C fittings, and PA2 nylon tubes, to create what it describes as a fully integrated pneumatic control system.
IMI, listed on the London Stock Exchange and a member of the FTSE100, designs and manufactures engineered components for fluid control. Its Industrial Automation division includes the IMI Norgren, IMI Bimba, IMI Bahr, and IMI Buschjost brands. The group employs more than 12,000 people and operates manufacturing facilities in over 20 countries.
