The latest crop of harvest machinery

Ever-more sophisticated electronics bidding to ease operator workloads while optimising performance

As they “thump, thump, thump” along a heavy swathe of straw, the latest big square balers are tapping into evermore sophisticated electronics to ease the operator’s workload, while optimising performance in terms of work rate and bale consistency.

On the latest Claas Quadrant balers, for example, a new approach to density management is used that draws on data collected by sensors on the front chassis beam and also three or all six of the machine’s knotters.

The readings effectively provide a measure of stress on the driveline and the twine, which the automatic pressure control software responds to by regulating the hydraulic pressure applied to the bale chamber compression doors.

According to Claas, the aim of the system is to consistently hit a target bale density – which with the strength of twine is entered into an ISOBUS control terminal by the operator – while allowing even a novice operator to work the machine at peak output. Plunger pressure Fully automatic density control also features on the latest big square baler in the Fendt range, which is available in the UK now that the German marque is pursuing a full-line policy instead of just supplying tractors. The Squadra 1290 Ultra Density is built in AGCO’s Hesston, Kansas, factory in the United States and represents quite a step-up in performance over current machines in the range.

It is aimed primarily at professional operators, either large farms or contractors, and particularly those involved in biomass harvesting who would value the 20% increase in bale weights that Fendt says the new machine can produce.

While the newcomer operates in much the same way as the 1290 XD, which produces the same 90cm x 120cm bale, a flywheel spinning 50% faster and generating 130% more energy, plus a 20% longer bale chamber, helps pack more material into every bale. Packing it in Among Krone’s comprehensive BiG Pack square baler range, the 120 x 90cm 1290 HDP II is the one packing the most material into every bale. It has eight double knotters kept clear of debris by a fan in addition to the compressed air blast found on all Krone balers, and other hardware upgrades are designed to deliver a further 10% increase in bale density and 50-70% higher throughput.

Strengthened components in the variable fill system match the baler’s increased capability, while six hydraulic cylinders bear down on the bale chamber – two on each side and two on top. Speed control A function on Case IH “LB” big square balers regulates the speed of the tractor along the swathe to help maintain consistent performance in variable crops. It can also help achieve consistency in the number and size of slices in each bale, which can be important to some users in terms of handling and dispensing straw once the bale has been opened. Steering guidance Sensors in the pre-compression chamber give operators of latest-spec New Holland BigBaler models left/right steering advice if necessary along narrow swathes. The aim is to avoid filling one side of the chamber more than the other and ending up with distorted bales. Guidance is given through a display on an ISOBUS virtual terminal that also gives access to automatic driving speed control.

The aim of the system is to consistently hit a target bale density while allowing even a novice operator to work the machine at peak output