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The QEW from WEDA Dammann & Westerkamp has won the 2026 DLG Innovation Award EuroTier in silver. The liquid feeding tank represents a fundamentally redesigned generation of mixing tanks for liquid feeding systems, which addresses a major weakness in existing livestock housing technology: the extremely labour-intensive and hazardous maintenance work required inside the tank.
No need to climb into the tank
Until now, maintenance and cleaning work in the lower section of liquid feed tanks has involved a great deal of organisational effort: according to current accident prevention regulations, work inside the tank requires extensive clearance testing, active ventilation and the presence of a second person to provide safety support when entering via the top hatch. Furthermore, to replace the worn-out bottom bearing, the use of lifting equipment or an external service engineer was absolutely essential, as the heavy agitator had to be lifted. WEDA’s new, award-winning QEW now eliminates the need to enter the tank and allows the bearing to be replaced in just a few minutes directly from the outside at barn floor level.
Maintenance access at floor level
The tank features a generously sized, pressure-resistant maintenance hatch in its lower section. The hatch can be opened simply by loosening a few nuts, giving users direct, ground-level access to the sensitive bottom area and the bearing unit. The bottom bearing of the agitator shaft has been completely redesigned for this purpose: thanks to a special split bracket, the bearing can be pulled out sideways once the screws have been loosened. It is no longer necessary to lift the heavy agitator shaft, together with the drive and gear motor unit mounted on it.
Flow-optimised geometry
The redesigned, conical tank shape and a specially adapted agitator ensure improved flow characteristics. Feed components are homogenised more quickly and deposits on the tank walls are effectively minimised.
Key features and benefits at a glance
- Maximum accident prevention and safety: Staff no longer need to climb into the tank to carry out cleaning and maintenance work. This reduces the risk of suffocation from unnoticed residual digester gases.
- Significant ergonomic benefits, as there is no longer any need for heavy overhead work or climbing inside the confined tank.
- Enormous savings on maintenance and servicing: The site manager can replace the bottom bearing quickly and easily themselves – without the need for a factory technician or specialised lifting equipment.
- Maximum operational reliability: Downtime of the feeding system during servicing is reduced from several hours to a minimum, thereby guaranteeing a reliable supply for the animals.
- Thanks to the improved tank geometry and the ow-optimised agitator, mixing is optimised and segregation is prevented.
September 29, 2026 - WEDA Dammann & Westerkamp
