IMS Weedmaster (patent pending) Cutterhead
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The new patent pending IMS Razor Tooth Weedmaster™ Cutterhead bolts directly to the IMS Model 5012 LP Versi-Dredge® in place of the standard cutterhead. The change from the dredge cutterhead to the Razor Tooth Weedmaster™ Cutterhead takes around 45 minutes. This allows the customer to remove aquatic weeds without the purchase of expensive weed removal systems (which start around $200,000 USD) or the use of environmentally toxic chemicals. The Weedmaster™ has been designed to work in several types of aquatic plants including: floating vegetation such as hyacinths, submerged vegetation such as milfoil and hydrilla, and emergent / rooted vegetation such as cattails and reeds. The newly designed Razor Tooth Weedmaster™ Cutterhead with razor sharp reinforced serrated cutting teeth can cut through 9 ft (2.7m). tall reeds and even digest complex aquatic vegetation root systems to prevent re-growth.
The Razor Tooth Weedmaster™ unit mounts directly to the pump inlet door. It measures 9 ft (2.7m) wide and consists of a steel shroud and cutterbar with dual direct drive motors driving the cutter. The cutterbar is constructed of heavy wall tubing with reinforced double edged razor teeth designed exclusively by IMS. The shroud contains two rows of static cutter blades that clean the main cutterbar as it rotates.
Most weed harvesters cut the weeds down to a max depth of 6 ft. (1.8m) and store them in a hopper which must be periodically emptied on shore. This requires unloading barges or pier / shore conveyors which increase labor and diesel fuel costs. The Weedmaster™ is much more efficient because it chops the weeds into 3-5 inch (76-127mm) pieces and pumps them to the shore, up to 1km away, using the dredge pump.
IMS vs. the Competition:
| IMS 5012 LP Dual Function DREDGER / HARVESTER (Weedmaster™) vs. Competition |
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IMS 5012 LP Dredger / Harvester (Weedmaster™) |
Multi-Function Amphibious Dredge |
Conveyor Harvesters |
| Hydraulic Dredge Function |
YES |
YES |
NO |
| Can Cut Vegetation down to 22 ft. (6.7m) |
YES |
YES (depending on make / model) |
NO |
| Can Eradicate Root Systems |
YES |
PARTIAL |
NO |
| Can Cut Vegetation into 3 in. (76mm) pieces |
YES |
NO |
NO |
| Able to Pump Vegetation 1km |
YES |
NO |
NO |
| Requires Dump Barge or Transport Barge |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| Requires Work Boat for Barge |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| Requires Shore Unloading Excavator for Barge |
NO |
YES |
NO |
| Total Diesel Engines for Operation |
Dredge = 1 |
Dredge + Barge + Work Boat + Excavator = 4 |
Dredge + Barge + Work Boat + Excavator or Shore Conveyor = 4 |
Estimated Vegetation Removal:
The Weedmaster™ cutterhead will operate differently in every application. Unlike dredging sand or mud there is no uniformity in cutting vegetation. There are different densities, different stem circumferences, and depending on the season different fiber strengths. All of these factors must be taken into consideration when using the Weedmaster™ cutterhead.
IMS has put together the following estimates based on customer feedback from the field. These estimates are conservative and are for extremely dense vegetation. IMS estimates that you will achieve between 1-2.5 acres of production per day (more with floating vegetation like water hyacinths).
 Floating Vegetation (Hyacinths):
- Equipment Utilized:
- IMS 5012 LP Versi-Dredge®
- IMS Weedmaster™ Cutterhead
- IMS Weed Rake Feeder Attachment
- IMS Winglet Impeller
- Duration: 1 hours time
- Surface Area Cleared: 202.5 m2/hr.
- Height of Vegetation: 0.3 meters
Dense Rooted Vegetation (Grasses, Cattails, Reeds, etc.):
- Equipment Utilized:
- IMS 5012 LP Versi-Dredge®
- IMS Weedmaster™ Cutterhead
- IMS Winglet Impeller
- Duration: 1 hours time
- Surface Area Cleared: 50-100 m2/hr. depending on stalk thickness, root mass, and depth at which the vegetation sits in the mud.
- Height of Vegetation: 1m - 3m
 
This is what 9 ft. (2.7m) tell reeds look like after being cut with an IMS Razor Tooth Weedmaster™ and pumped up to 1km away through a pipeline. The 3 in. (76mm) vegetation pieces 100% environmentally friendly and can be used as mulch, fertilizer, or used to create bio-fuel.
South America Dredging Project
Weed Harvesting
The IMS Model 5012 LP Versi-Dredge® with Weedmaster™ Cutterhead and Weed
Rake remove hundreds of acres of hyacinths from a dam in South
America. The Starwheel Drive propulsion system will not clog in
vegetation and can work in deep water in surface propulsion mode. On
this project the dredge propelled itself in 300 ft. (91m) deep waters.
(Click Images For Larger View)
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The IMS Weed Rake conveys the hyacinths directly into the path of the Weedmaster™ Cutterhead. |
The 5012 LP Versi-Dredge with Weedmaster™ cutterhead starts to remove the infestation from the dam area. |
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Mexico Dredging Project
(Click Images For Larger View)
A Model 5012 LP w/ Weedmaster™ Cutterhead finishes clearing a large hyacinths mat in Southern Mexico. |
The 5012 LP Versi-Dredge® w/ Weedmaster™ Cutterhead discharges shredded hyacinths to a discharge area over 1,000 ft. away. |
Africa Dredging Project
(Click Images For Larger View)
Before 5012 LP
with Weedmaster™ |
Weedmaster™ attacking 6’ tall wall of vegetation |
Weedmaster™ side casting material & clearing the canal |
Note tree in background & reference tree in pic #1 |
After 5012 LP
w/ Weedmaster™ |
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Asia Dredging Project
(Click Images For Larger View)
Before 5012 LP
w/ Weedmaster™ |
After 5012 LP
w/ Weedmaster™ |
Thailand Live Demo
(Click Images For Larger View)
5012 LP using Broadcaster Attachment |
Vegetation Cut & Pumped w/ 5012 LP |
5012 LP w/ Weedmaster™ Cutting Hyacinths |
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