Friday, 05 October 2018 15:45

Cutting crops without cursing

Written by  Mark Daniel
The Convio and Convio Flex draper cutter-bars are said to improve performance. The Convio and Convio Flex draper cutter-bars are said to improve performance.

German harvester specialist Claas has released new cutter-bars for its Lexion range of combine harvesters, with two configurations and three cutting widths. 

Available in 10.8, 12.3 and 13.8m cutting widths, the Convio and Convio Flex draper cutter-bars are said to improve performance, particularly in difficult conditions.

While the Convio unit is ideal for conventionally threshed crops like cereals or canola, the Convio Flex offers a flexible knife bar for increased performance in crops such as soya beans, peas or grass seeds. 

Convio Flex offers a flexible knife, table and side-belt design, allowing excellent ground adaptation to harvest low-fruiting stalks with minimal losses. Also suitable for use in erect growing crops, the Convio Flex can be used as a conventional cutter-bar with the bar and knife ‘locked-out’ before switching to ‘flex’ at the touch of a button.

Both units are suitable for canola, particularly if the option of 425mm left and right feeder augers are fitted to the rear wall area of the cutter-bar and the central trough is protected against leakage with rubber in-fill strips. 

Fully operational integration with the CEBIS control system sees belt speed being adjusted automatically to match forward speed. 

Meanwhile, belt slippage and ‘belt-stopped’ warnings alert the driver to potential blockages so should prove useful in dusty conditions or at night.

In operation, four Auto Contour functions offer the best cutting performance and the ability to deal with changing crop conditions. 

In cereal mode, the bar and knife are rigid, but if isolated areas of laid crop are encountered the operator can switch to flex-mode with a range of movement of 225mm. 

In auto contour flex mode the cutter-bar uses sensor data to continuously determine the best position for optimal crop flow and ground following, as well as the lowest cutting heights.

Looking at the reel in more detail, a newly developed, innovative and adjustable cam track ensures optimal crop flow. The flip-over design is said to prevent wrapping of the crop within the reel. 

The reel assembly is hydraulically driven and has an automatic torque control to prevent tines from digging into the ground.

More like this

New design Claas tractors set for Fieldays debut

Well known for its dominance in the harvesting arena, Claas has channelled its engineering excellence and a deep knowledge of the ag industry with the Fieldays release of the 2025 facelift Claas Arion 600C Evolution and Claas Night Edition Arion 660 tractors.

Featured

Dr Mike Joy says sorry, escapes censure

Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.

People-first philosophy pays off

The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.

Farmer anger over Joy's social media post

A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.

From Nelson to Dairy Research: Amy Toughey’s Journey

Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Faking it

OPINION: Demand for red meat is booming, while it seems the heyday of plant-based protein is well past its 'best…

M.I.A.

OPINION: The previous government spent too much during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite warnings from officials, according to a briefing released…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter