This is a subscriber-only article
Krone Big M 450
Earlier this year, the Irish Farmers Journal brought you the exclusive release on this new self-propelled mower. The new BiG M 450 series boasts a number of stand-out design features including a new cab, a new engine, new running gear and redesigned mower units. Cutting at widths of 9.95m, the new model offers the potential of achieving work rates of 17ha/h.
The self-propelled mower is powered by a 449hp, 12-litre Liebherr engine which is Emission Stage 4 compliant and offers extended 1,500-hour service intervals. Resting on so-called silent blocks, the engine and transmission run quietly.
The three mowers are powered directly from the engine via power bands and driveshafts. Each mower is powered directly from the engine, thus no power losses. The front mower has a split driveline for perfect balance. The front mower also has an angle-dependent lateral displacement. This is the automatic shifting of the mower to either side to follow any sloping ground. This also avoids strips of uncut grass. Cutting height is adjusted hydraulically from the cab for ease of operation.
The attachment of the side mowers has been completely redesigned. Krone has used its unique DuoGrip centre of gravity suspension and link arm controlled design. This allows for uniform ground pressure and a perfect cut across the full working width even on slopes and verges. The side mowers have a completely new breakaway system. In the case of the side mower coming into contact with an object other than grass, the mower will lift up and move back. The space between the cutter-bar and the deck has been increased by 20% to allow for increased throughputs and enhanced crop flow. All mowers are equipped with Krone’s very own SafeCut and SmartCut systems.
The BiG M 450 sits on a completely redesigned frame. The axles rest on four hydraulic rams. This provides hydro-pneumatic suspension on both the front and rear axles. These rams also act as springs. The axles will automatically lower for road transport to a total machine height of 4m. In field mode, the axles will automatically be raised by 15cm.
Krone has changed the existing rear axle on the current 420 model to a higher rounded axle on the new 450 model. The purpose of this is to provide the machine with greater ground clearance.
The 450 model will be running on Bosch Rexroth wheel motors. These wheel motors are also being used in the Big X forage harvester line. They allow the machine to travel at a speed of 40km/h at just 1,250rpm. While in field mode, these motors will run at a speed of up to 25km/h while mowing at 1,650rpm. The objective behind this is to reduce fuel consumption and provide a smoother ride for the operator. The BiG M 450 model will be distributed across Europe with 4WD as standard.
The SilentSpace cab is new to the BiG M mower series. It has been adapted from Krone’s line of self-propelled Big X forage harvesters. This cab contains a high-resolution 10in touchscreen monitor with colour display. The cab has increased vision and a simple modern layout.
Krone EasyCut B 950 Collect
Krone unveiled the EasyCut B 950 Collect mowers at Agritechnica recently.
These are the first butterfly-mower combination that use swath-merging augers, but they do not have conditioners.
Running a mower with no conditioners reduces the machine’s weight significantly and reduces the power required to drive the machine, leading to a substantial fuel saving. The new EasyCut B 950 Collect works at a width of 9.45m and focuses on minimising crop loss as it merges the material.
Krone is claiming that the mower can cut up to 14ha per hour. The mowers are fitted with Krone’s well-established and fully sealed EasyCut cutter bar featuring SafeCut, SmartCut and impact damage protection.
Further features of the new butterfly-mower combination include the ability for operators to select one of three swathing options, either swathing on one or both sides or wide spreading.
Each option is initiated from the tractor seat while on the move. The same as the new BiG M 450, the mowers are fitted with the ground following DuoGrip suspension system which carries the mower in its centre of gravity and guides it with the help of two arms.
The mowers have a hydraulic suspension, which is set from the cab and offers stepless control for perfect ground contouring. Another standard feature on the EasyCut B 950 Collect is independent lift-out which raises and lowers each mower individually.
SIP 1500T FC
The 50th anniversary of Slovenian grass manufacturer SIP, was celebrated at Agritechnica where it launched a prototype of what the company claims to be the world’s widest disc mower. In total, the cutting width adds up to a massive 14.55m (48ft) across its five 3.25m cutter beds. Operating at speeds of up to 15km/hr, the company stated that the five integrated units have a cutting capacity of up to 22ha/hr (54ac/hr).
The five separate cutting units, four rear and one front, are equipped with hydro-pneumatic suspension to provide optimum contour at high speeds.
The front mower cuts a path for the tractor carrying the rear mowers which are carried on a specially designed carriage. Behind the tractor are four mowers with the two rearmost mowers stepped out at the widest position to reach the massive cutting width.
Without a conditioner, the machine weighs in at 9,100kg and requires at least 350hp to operate it despite it being a non-conditioner mower. The 1500T folds to 2.99m for transport with a height of 3.99m. It measures 7.50m in length.
At present, there are two prototypes built with a further three being developed. SIP is looking at the idea of no conditioner, a finger conditioner (durable plastic conditioners for minimum crop damage) and a rubber roller conditioner to meet the different customer requirements.
Five prototypes will be in action next summer worldwide with the company setting a goal of marketing the machines in 2019. At a first glance of the machine, it comes across as being well thought-out and well-designed, but due to the huge scale it is questionable whether it will ever operate in Ireland.
At the show, the company also launched its Star 1250/50T four rotor rake. This rake has the capacity to gather up to 12.5m per run with the ability of raking 15ha/h.
Case and Microsoft launch virtual mechanics
SHARING OPTIONS: