The fertiliser spreader disc vane body is the wearing element bolted to the spinning disc of a twin-disc broadcast spreader. It accelerates granular fertiliser from the feed point to the discharge edge and sets the trajectory that determines spread width and pattern symmetry. Fabricated vanes are pressed from sheet and welded to a base plate; the weld toe erodes first, the vane lip rolls over, and once the profile changes the spread pattern drifts, producing striping that shows up as uneven crop response. Ningbo Ruican casts the vane, the mounting boss and the discharge lip as one piece in AISI 420 or EN-GJS-600-3, then CNC machines the bolt face and hub seat so every vane in a set is interchangeable on the disc.
Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Casting process | Silica sol lost wax investment casting; water glass route offered for high volume disc vane sets |
| Material options | AISI 420 (hardened and tempered), EN-GJS-600-3 ductile iron, EN-GJS-500-7 |
| Dimensional tolerance (ISO 8062-3 CT grade) | CT6-CT7 as cast; CT5 on the hub bore, bolt circle and vane mounting face after machining |
| Machining | 4-axis CNC milling of the mounting face, CNC turning of the hub bore, drilling and reaming of the bolt circle |
| Surface finish (Ra) | Ra 3.2-6.3 um as cast; Ra 1.6 um machined on the hub bore and mounting face |
| Weight range | 0.6 kg to 3.2 kg per vane depending on disc diameter and vane length |
| Typical lead time | Tooling 4-5 weeks; first article 2-3 weeks after tooling; production 5-7 weeks |
Key features
- AISI 420 vanes are hardened and tempered to 45-50 HRC at the discharge lip, roughly doubling vane life over pressed mild steel in abrasive granular fertiliser.
- One-piece casting removes the base plate to vane weld, the operation that fails first on fabricated vanes and the cause of most mid-season warranty claims.
- Hub bore and bolt circle machined to CT5, holding bolt hole true position within 0.1 mm so a replacement vane drops onto the disc without filing.
- Cast discharge lip keeps the vane profile identical across the set, holding spread pattern variation within 5% across the working width on twin-disc spreaders.
- EN-GJS-600-3 option gives 600 MPa minimum tensile strength with better impact behaviour where the spreader works stony or frozen ground.
- Smooth cast wall at Ra 3.2-6.3 um reduces fertiliser build-up on the vane face, cutting wash-down time and limiting corrosion between seasons.
- Vane sets are balanced as a matched group on request, holding residual imbalance low enough to protect disc bearings at 900 rpm.
Applications
- Twin-disc broadcast fertiliser spreaders and mounted or trailed spreader bodies.
- Lime and pelletised fertiliser spreaders working at 12 m to 36 m working widths.
- Pneumatic spreader outlet deflector bodies and distribution head vanes.
- Broadcast seeders and cover crop seeders sharing a disc platform.
- Spreader retrofit and aftermarket vane kits for existing machine fleets.
- Municipal and amenity salt or grit spreader disc assemblies.
Quality & compliance
Ningbo Ruican produces these vane bodies under IATF 16949 and works to ISO 9001 documented process control. Each release ships with EN 10204 3.1 material certification tied to the melt heat number, plus hardness survey results across the discharge lip and dimensional reports generated against the approved drawing. PPAP and FAIR packages are available for new part introductions, and heat lot traceability is maintained from raw material certificate through heat treatment to the finished part. Abrasive wear testing, spread pattern evaluation and field trials are performed to the method and acceptance criteria defined in the customer’s specification, with results reported rather than assumed.
FAQ
Can you work from a sample vane rather than a drawing?
Yes. Send a worn or new sample vane and we will 3D scan it, reconstruct a CAD model, and return the model with a DFM review covering draft angles, gating position and machining allowance for your approval. Production then runs from the approved model, and we keep the tooling stored and maintained for repeat aftermarket orders.
What is the minimum order quantity for a new vane design?
We accept prototype and pilot quantities from a single tooling set, typically from 50 pieces, then move to multi-cavity tooling once annual volume justifies it. Many spreader programs start with a pilot batch for field validation and scale in the following season, using the same tooling family.
Can you harden and temper AISI 420 or boron steel?
Both. AISI 420 vane bodies are hardened and tempered in-house to the hardness range on your drawing, commonly 45-50 HRC, with a hardness survey reported per lot. Boron alloy steel brackets are quenched and tempered to the specified range, and furnace charts are filed with the heat lot records.
Do you machine the vanes fully in-house?
Yes. All CNC milling, turning, drilling and reaming is done in our Ningbo facility on 3, 4 and 5-axis machines, alongside heat treatment and finishing. Keeping machining in-house means one control plan covers casting, heat treatment and final dimensions, so interface disputes do not arise between suppliers.
What does tooling cost for a disc vane set?
Tooling cost depends on vane size, cavity count and whether existing patterns can be adapted, and is quoted as a one-off charge with the piece price shown separately. We confirm the figure within five working days of receiving the drawing or sample, and the tooling remains yours, stored and maintained for the life of the program.
Send your fertiliser spreader disc vane drawing, sample or 3D model for a DFM review and a tooling plus piece price quotation. Contact Wendy She — sales@cnsandcasting.com — WhatsApp +86-13777124360, to start your spreader wear parts program with Ningbo Ruican.
