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A 691hp John Deere 9RX 640 tracked machine mated to an 18.4m Bednar Swifterdisc XE 18400 Mega disc cultivator set a new world record by cultivating 770ha in 24 hours.
Any young fella with a Ford 5000 and an 80-inch Howard Rotovator can’t fail to be impressed by a slightly larger combination that recently set new record by cultivating 770ha in 24 hours.
The new record took place on a farm near the town of Slatina in Romania, with the successful double act being a 691hp John Deere 9RX 640 tracked machine mated to a 18.4m Bednar Swifterdisc XE 18400 Mega disc cultivator. The combination dealt to stubbles of wheat, canola, peas and beans in six paddocks – the largest being 161ha.
This beat the previous record, set as far back as 2007, by 125.4ha. That pairing was a Challenger MT875B and 14m Gregoire Besson cultivator.
Working at a depth of 7.0cm, the cultivator – equipped with 560mm diameter discs (5mm) and a 630mm diameter rear V-Ring packer with scrapers – achieved an average output of 32.6ha/ hour. Meanwhile, the 9RX powerhouse hit maximum speeds of 21km/h and covered a total distance of 450.7km.
The tractor averaged just over 3.0 litres of diesel per hectare with a total fuel use of 2355.61 litres.
Achieved by a team of eight people, the tractor was only stopped for just 24 minutes during the 24-hour period – to change drivers, refill the 1490 litre diesel tank and to deal with a small hydraulic leak on the cultivator.
The Czech manufacturer introduced the Swifterdisc XE Mega series in 2021 and currently offers three models from 14.4m to 18.4m working widths. The XE 18400 weighs in at 22.3 tonnes and folds to a transport width of only 3 metres wide by 4 metres high.
The RX 640 stats are no less impressive, tipping the scales at around 25.5 tonnes and boasting a 13.6 litre JD twin turbo engine mated to an 18-stage powershift transmission.
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With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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