Turfco’s MagnaPoint Shows the Impact of Blower Angles on Productivity

Blowers set too low, too high can add as much as 5.5 hours to workload

After hearing from superintendents and sports turf managers about losing operators to hours spent blowing debris, Turfco looked at how using different blower angles can impact golf course and sports turf productivity, and how its Torrent 2 Debris Blower could be modified to help operators in the field. The company found that setting blower angles too low or too high can add 2.7 to 5.5 hours to an operator’s work, taking away labor and productivity that are critical to daily operations.

Turfco found that it can take as little as 0.27 seconds of reaction time with a remote to miss the optimal angle on any blower. In response, the company designed its MagnaPoint technology for the Torrent 2 with patent-pending adjustable magnetic stops that allow operators to pinpoint the optimal blower angles for common debris at every pass. Because superintendents and managers can set the blower angle in the shop, it removes the guesswork for operators in the field.

“We realized that two of the biggest challenges right now are labor and productivity and by setting the blower angle too low or too high, you’re losing valuable hours during the day,” said Scott Kinkead, executive vice president of Turfco. “But when operators can find the optimal blowing angle, this translates into getting the job done faster and moving on to other duties.”

Turfco’s observations showed that:

• Close to 31 percent of distance is lost when a blower is set 15 degrees too low.
• Distance can be reduced by as much as 48 percent when a blower is set 30 degrees too low.
• Blowers set above the optimal blowing angle can reduce the distance debris is blown to as little as four percent.
• Blowers set to horizontal or higher have zero results in moving debris.

To show how changing blower angle can impact debris removal, Turfco created a video available for viewing and sharing on YouTube. To see more about Turfco’s Torrent 2 Debris Blower, visit turfco.com.

 About Turfco

Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Turfco Manufacturing is the topdressing leader in the golf and sports turf industry. Turfco built the first mechanized topdresser in 1961 and continues as the first choice of professional turf managers worldwide. By offering the best machine in each category, Turfco provides products that allow turf managers to accomplish topdressing and material handling objectives. For more information call 800-679-8201 or visit http://www.turfco.com.