STAHELI WEST, INC.
Advanced Hay Equipment
For Precision Farming
This Patented "DewPoint" technology
enables Commercial Hay Growers to bale hay
anytime the crop is sufficiently dry,
without the need to wait for natural dew.

Steam produced by the DewPoint 6110 is injected into the hay as it is lifted from the windrow by the baler pickup and further as it passes through the feed chamber of the baler.  The treatment of the hay is accomplished by injecting steam through a series of distribution manifolds mounted in the baler. 

Bale Moisture is monitored continuously and adjustments to the steam injection rate are made by the machine operator as needed to maintain optimum bale moisture conditions at all times.

Steam is an extremely effective moisture medium for controlled hydration of hay during the baling process.      1 Gallon of water will produce approximately 1700 Gallons of Steam at sea level (more at higher elevations).  Therefore, when baling hay on a warm windy afternoon you will likely add about 5-7 gallons of water in the form of steam to one ton of dry hay.   This equates to only 2-3% moisture addition by weight but this 5-7 gallons of water applied to this 1 Ton of Hay is converted into 8500-12,000 gallons (or more) of steam which allows every leaf and stem in that Ton of Hay to be treated without becoming too wet. 
   When the injected steam contacts the dry crop material it instantly condenses and bonds with other water molecules in the vicinity which causes instant absorption into the dry crop material.   This is the reason the DewPoint system works so efficiently by adding the steam as the hay is picked up and passes through the baler.  The machine operator has full control of baling moisture enabling him to produce a consistent product through a wide variety of ambient conditions.

Does the DewPoint method of baling hay pay off?

    Replicated University Studies have proven that mechanical leaf loss using this Dew Simulation Process is about 1/2 of the typical leaf loss which occurs when baling with good Natural Dew.  The preservation of this valuable component of the forage can actually offset the operating costs of the DewPoint machine which at current fuel prices is about $1 to $1.50 per ton.

Capital outlay for baling machinery is much lower. 
One DewPoint equipped baler will typically replace 3-4 conventional balers depending on local atmospheric conditions.  Since hay can be baled any time it is dry enough, the window of quality baling time can range from 12-24 hours daily. 
We will normally bale 200-250 acres in a 10 hour day with one machine.  Several times we have baled 500 acres with one machine in a 24 hour period ahead of rainstorms. 
The greatest limiting factor for baling time with the DewPoint System is when there is too much natural dew which is typical at night during the mid & late summer monsoon seasons.  Even then we are usually able to bale from noon to 1 or 2 am using the DewPoint System.  Try that with a conventional baler.

Machine operator labor costs are much lower. 
When your man goes to bale he can bale, instead of a whole crew of operators and their machines waiting around for half the night for acceptable natural dew conditions.

Maintenance costs are lower on fewer machines and farm operations can afford to trade up in balers more often to keep newer less troublesome machinery in their operations.

Lifestyle is so much more enjoyable during the hay season using the DewPoint System.  When you go to bale, you can bale, .  .  .  . and get it done on time each day.

Dew Simulation provides very significant benefits with regards to storage and truck and ship transport of hay. As mentioned above, using this process to provide your baling moisture, you can bale with thorough high quality steam injected moisture which provides excellent baling conditions, yet the moisture reading of the bales will be at an acceptable level for storage and shipping.

Also, when using steam, bale density can be increased by 20 to 25% if desired, while baling at the same speed and utilizing the same horsepower. Increased bale density allows many more tons of hay to be stored under valuable barn space.  Fewer bales are needed on trucks to reach legal weight limits.
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Karl Schmutz, Director of Exports for "Mountain Sunrise Feeds" in Beryl, Utah has seen a lot of hay go through their Hay Press Plant over the years.  They purchase 3x4 and 4x4 rectangular bales of Alfalfa, Oats, 3-Way and other forages from many growers.   These Big Bales are run through a compression and repackaging process for both domestic and export sales. Schmutz comments,
"The Big Bales made with the Staheli DewPoint  Machine are the best we see here.  Because of higher bale density and quality, legal truck weights are easy to reach, the bales press and cut cleaner and easier through our plant and there is less processing waste because the hay stays together.  
One of the main differences we notice is that the leaf retention in the DewPoint bales is very good throughout the entire profile of the bale from top to bottom.  Since we slice these Big Bales into sections horizontally to create small compact bales,  good leaf retention enables us to produce a consistent repackaged product from all sections of the Big Bale.  
With conventional bales where the grower depends on only natural dew for baling we often see a lot of loose leaves which tend to filter toward the bottom of the flakes during the baling operation.  That is a problem because the small repackaged bales cut from the top of the Big Bale have less leaves than those cut from the bottom.  
Bales made using the DewPoint System are always consistent."
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Marketing is much easier when your bales are consistent from the first to the last.  Your customers will know what to expect every time.

Utah hay buyer, Evan Brown says, "The 'DewPoint' hay consistency is a real plus.  Baling hay in the day time gets us consistent moisture and bale compaction, and the leaves are all in the bale.  The speed at which this all takes place is amazing.   When baling hay in the middle of the afternoon and the bale hits the ground, there are very few leaves on the ground around the bale.  The hay flakes off very nicely.  The smell and color of the hay is excellent.   The ease of operation and the common sense way the computer operates makes this machine a real asset to not only the grower but also the dairyman and others that feed the hay."
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These are just a few of the advantages of this technology.  It is truly revolutionary to this industry.  Over the past 15 years we have learned a great deal about how to make the "Steam" Dew Simulation Process work well.  We have brought all of that experience together in a "New Generation" Dew Point Machine which is easy to use and well suited for mating to todays higher capacity balers.  The computer controlled system brings a level of flexibility, simplicity and control to this machine which is truly the "cutting edge".

We look forward to having you come for a field demonstration where you can see  and operate the DewPoint 6110 yourself.   We think you will agree that it is the most revolutionary new concept to enter the Commercial Hay Growing industry in many years.


What is the "DewPoint 6110" and How Does It Work?
Last updated: October 27, 2011
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Manufacturer of the patented "DewPoint" Steam Dew Simulation System for Hay Balers