Based in Warman, Saskatchewan, Canada, Pillar was started in 2003 by a number of ex-Flexicoil employees after CNH purchased the company. Dick Friesen worked on the Barton opener in R&D and was approached by Hugh Barton to re-invent the disc opener and develop a double shoot system on a single disc.

As a rule of thumb, the Pillar DH opener at 10km/h requires similar tractor horsepower as an independent tine machine at 7 km/h.

Recommended operating speed is 10.5km/h. You can certainly go faster and still place the seed perfectly but bearing life is reduced and disc deflection can cause wear on the seed boot.

Hydraulic requirements are low. The wings use small amount with the active hydraulic system to transfer weight from the centre section and follow ground contours.

Wear life varies dramatically depending on conditons but as a rule of thumb:

• Disc life is approx 20% longer than other 18" single disc openers (due to self-sharpening angle)

• Seed boots and disc bearings replaced every second disc
  

10" and 12" spacing are standard on the Pillar DH frames, with metric and 3m tramlines available on request.

Minimum spacing is restricted to 10" as the opener generates too much soil throw and infill at narrower spacing. The Pillar opener performs more like a tine that can get through any trash than a no disturbance single disc.

Our experience in some trickier soil types:

Sticky: Pillar openers go surprisingly well in sticky ground, especially compared to other discs. Stubble cover helps with shedding mud from the disc. Soil throw is increased from build-up on the seed boot.

Rocks: Rocky ground increases disc wear but the opener does not bring them up like C-shank tine machines.

In general Pillar Openers are only available with the DH frame and can not be retrofitted to other bars. The mounting bar design is critical to the operation of the unit and performance will be sacrificed if mounted on a different frame.