Grass is grass well thats not really true when you consider there are dozens of species and varieties grown for commercial sale.  Throw in a wide range of fertilizers and growing agents that are frequently used, combined with varying moisture content, soil pH levels and climates around the world and it is easy to see that mowing grass is never a one size fits all task.  The mowers, especially the decks, are subject to wear and tear at every turn.

Turf-grass producers, more commonly called sod farms, mow their fields with mowers that range between 22 and 36 feet wide, having 3 to 5 decks each.  Unlike a home owner that may mow the backyard once or twice a week, turf-grass producers mow every day, all day, and cover a lot of acreage in the process.  This continually subjects the mower decks to the multitude of factors that contribute to the accelerated corrosion of a painted steel decks.  To combat this corrosion problem, Progressive Turf Equipment offers turf-grass mowers with heavy-duty galvanized decks.

Galvanized decks are ideal for turf producers with farms that have either acidic or abrasive soils, or where certain fertilizers and other factors can accelerate the corrosion of a painted deck.  Galvanized decks are gaining acceptance for long term durability in these harsh conditions.  For a turf-grass producer, regular mowing is necessary, however, the cost of mowing is a substantial cost to the producer.  The producer must maintain the turf day after day until it is ready to harvest; usually 12 to 18 months after planting.  Minimizing equipment maintenance cost is a positive cost savings for the producer.  Hot dipped galvanizing extends the usable life of the mower deck, lowering the total ownership cost, while maintaining the high quality of cut that customers expect from Progressive Turf Equipment.

A mower deck is approximately 92 inches wide by 50 inches across and is made from 3/16" thick HRP&O sheet steel. It is first formed, then several braces and air deflecting hoops are welded to the shell.  In its final form, the deck must be true in order for the three or four mower blades mounted underneath to cut at the exact same height across its full width.  The initial concern using a hot dipped galvanizing process for a deck shell of this size and design was distortion of the post dipped material.  Even though a finished galvanized deck shell is bolted to a rigid tubular frame, a shell with significant distortion hinders mounting hole alignment, affecting assembly, impacting the overall trueness, and therefore the quality of cut. 

Working closely with the galvanizer, engineers from Progressive Turf Equipment developed both unique handling procedures for dipping as well as certain design specifications for optimal galvanizing quality.   Specialized racking was designed for both transporting and handling of the decks throughout the galvanizing process.   The result is a superior product that has given Progressive Turf Equipment a competitive advantage. The recent redesign of Progressives flagship model has incorporated galvanized decks.  The result has been an overwhelming market acceptance that has directly resulted in increased sales of Progressives product line and the promotion of galvanized decks to the turf-grass market.