If you were at this year’s Farm Progress Show, you may have already gotten a glimpse of GSI’s new Z-Series bins, which include Flexwave technology. This fall, you’ll have a chance to actually get your hands on one. A 24-foot diameter model will soon be available to U.S. and Canadian farmers.
In a statement from GSI, the company calls this a first-of-its-kind grain system technology that gives farmers a safer, more efficient, and less labor-intensive option for unloading their grain bins.
For comparison, standard grain bins are typically emptied through a combination of gravity and sweep augers, but there’s always a remaining level of grain on the bin floor that needs to be removed using brooms or shovels. Z-Series bins, on the other hand, utilize two large liners made of durable fabric that alternately inflate and deflate, gently pushing the remaining grain into a central reclaim for removal.
“The result is 99.9 percent cleanout, without the need to enter the bin,” said Jonathan Waits, GSI product manager for storage and accessories. “The inflation/deflation process automatically turns off when the bin is emptied.”
Waits noted that each inflatable liner can unload more than 100 tons of grain at a time using less than one psi of air pressure. The liners are constructed of durable, commercial-grade material designed to last over 30 years under normal conditions. In addition, they can easily be repaired in case of accidental puncture with a simple glue patch.
The 24-foot Z-Series bin has a storage capacity ranging from 5,000 to 25,000 bushels, depending on height. For 2019, GSI expects to expand its Z-Series bins with larger-capacity sizes.
