Having produced 46,000 self-propelled harvesters, Claas is entitled to think it has got a handle on the market, but that’s no cause for complacency, and so once again it has moved its game ahead with improvements to the chopping cylinder.
The company has designed a completely new cylinder which it calls its V-Flex type and claims that it marks a new milestone in chopping cylinder technology.
Initially available as an optional alternative to the V-Max chopping cylinder, it is said to offer greater versatility when it comes to knife configuration.
In combination with the new knives that it comes equipped with, Claas maintains that it has set new standards for smooth running and knife service life and enhanced chopping quality.
Extra choice
This new cylinder is in addition to the V-Classic and V-Max units already available across the range, it now becomes an option for the Jaguar 900/900 Terra Trac series.
The new design enables higher throughputs in addition to reducing noise levels and ensuring smoother running with more consistent crop flow, especially for chop lengths over 12mm.
High knife stability and the triple bolt connection also means that the distance between the cylinder and the shear bar can be reduced to achieve better chopping quality.
Claas has also reconfigured the knife sharpening operation to make it more user-friendly. In addition to the control options for knife sharpening and shear bar adjustment, the two operations can be combined and the cycle reduced to a minute or so.
Saving fuel with Claas
All these improvements also deliver greater efficiency with further reductions in fuel consumption per tonne of throughput.
The V-FLEX chopping cylinder is available in four versions with either 20, 24, 28 and 36 knives and can be configured with a full set of knives, or half or one third the number of knives to extend the length of cut, which ranges from 3.5 to 53mm.
Another improvement to the harvester range, is a new Carraro rear axle with a load capacity of 9t and 10-hole rim.
This allows 4WD to be engaged under load while at the front the pick up has also been upgraded with a redesigned auger.
