Agriland travelled to Germany this week where Claas was keen to show off its latest mower developments which took the form of five new machines with augers being used for the first time.
It is the Disco 3900 Direct Swather that represents the biggest departure from the company’s normal practice because it is the first machine from the company that relies on augers to transfer the crop across the width of the mower rather than a belt.
The augers can be raised out of work independently of each other and by doing so, Claas suggests that the combination can fulfil four distinct mowing strategies.
The first is full width deposition for the fastest wilting, while the second is integrated central swathing where wilting is not required and the forage harvester will follow on directly from the cutting.
This was demonstrated in the field on a crop of direct cut triticale which was left in a high swath by the action of the augers, greatly facilitating drying by the wind.
The third strategy is to combine the two actions and so consolidate an 18m cut to a 12m swath, while number four is clearing the field margin with the outer unit while swathing with the inner.
Hidden engineering
There has been some subtle engineering undertaken to improve the driveline, which sits above the mower, as well as the crop flow, the auger being tapered, to provide a larger diameter at the inner end.
This might seem counterintuitive at first, but the larger diameter will mean a greater amount of material can be wrapped around it and the corresponding shape of the housing means that volume increases as the crop moves inwards collecting more material on the way.
This then would appear to be a versatile machine that requires less power and a lighter tractor than a belt equipped mower, but the lack of any conditioning will limit its appeal in Ireland or any other region with heavy crops.
Belt grouping
For these more challenging situations, Claas has introduced the Disco 9300 C Auto Swather, a more traditional belt type machine that has conditioners fitted as standard.
This mowing set is at the top end of the range and can cope with power inputs in excess of 400hp, marking it down as a heavy-duty tool for the serious farmer or contractor.
The conditioner is fully integrated into the machine’s design rather than a bolt-on extra, as are the groupers, which are laser welded to reduce weight where it matters, right at the rear where the leverage effect would be greatest.
To help reduce fuel consumption, the mower is intended to work with the PTO running at 850rpm, 1000rpm being kept in reserve for tougher patches within the main crop.
The company claims that this results in an average fuel saving of 22%, a figure derived from tests at Kiel University.
From a digital technology perspective the most noticeable innovation is the slope compensation sensor which is available as part of Claas’ Smart Mowing suite.
This sensor detects gradients enabling the system to control belt speed and the ground pressure of each mower unit; the belt on the lower side being accelerated while the higher unit is slowed down, helping to ensure a tidy and uniform swath.
Entry level trends
In addition to these two new mowers, Claas also introduced the Disco 8500 C Trend and the Disco 8500 RC Trend.
These are lighter mowers intended for smaller tractors of 160hp upwards. The design emphasis is on keeping the centre of gravity low and as close to the tractor as possible. Once again they are intended to run at 850rpm to save fuel.
All the mowers share the company’s Max Cut mower bed which has its upper and lower halves bolted together rather than welded.
By doing so, Claas claims that there is a small degree of flexibility built in which can absorb stress rather than have welds, or even the mower bed itself, cracking over time.
Each unit is pressure tested in the factory before assembly into a mower and the company claims that despite the lack of welding, the combination rivet bolts that are used produce a seal that oil does not escape from.
