2500 practices a special form of conservation tillage that fractures below the surface while not disturbing the surface except for slit marks left by the tool shanks so that crops can be planted using no-til methods. Patented wing points aggressively lift, twist and roll the soil while laterally fracturing it in order to relocate compacted soil to promote good root structure that improves crop yields. The heart of the new Ecolo-till 2500 is the point that fractures the soil below the surface without disturbing the surface. The point is a large casting with a patented shape that provides the subsurface tilling action. The loading generated by fracturing the soil is the key to the durability of most critical components.
Loading can vary widely depending on soil and climate conditions.
In the past, testing has mainly consisted of running prototypes through fields to evaluate the durability of important components. At the same time, strain gauges would be used to measure the loading on the shanks and other components and this was compared to earlier units for a rough lifecycle estimate. This was a long and expensive process and was a primary reason that the previous generations of DMI equipment took longer to bring from concept to market. The primary reason that DMI was forced to use this lengthy method was the lack of a portable data collection device that would withstand the rugged environment experienced by their prototype units undergoing continuous operation. Test equipment available in the past was heavy and required 120 volt AC power.