PRECISION farming technology in Claas’ combine and forage harvester ranges has been recognised by three silver medals in the ‘Innovation’ section of the Agritechnica machinery show’s awards system.

Organisers of the show, DLG, gave silver to the APS Synflow Walker, a new threshing unit in the Lexion straw walker combine models as well as one for the Cemos auto-chopping feature which automatically adjusts the straw chopper. On the foragers, the Cemos Auto Performance controls for the engine power and travel speed of the latest Jaguars is also in the silverware.

The new threshing unit in the Lexions features a 450 mm pre-accelerator drum, a 755 mm threshing drum with ten rasp bars and an additional separator drum with a diameter of 600 mm ahead of the impeller. The width of the unit is 1700 mm in the 6000-series models and 1420 mm in the 5000-series models.

These large drum diameters create low contact angles of 132° (threshing drum) and 116° (separator drum) which, together with the synchronisation of the drum speeds, enables a straighter, gentle and fuel-saving crop flow.

For fast adaptation to all crop types and operating conditions, all the threshing concave segments are adjusted hydraulically and in parallel by the Cebis control systems, while the control system for the bar is integrated in Cemos Automatic.

The auto control of straw chopper has been shown to save fuel and optimises shredding results. With this, the system continuously determines moisture content and quantity of straw, automatically adjusting the positions of the counter knife and friction base in the straw chopper to the current conditions.

Claas said this can save up to 10 % in fuel consumption and using the cab-mounted Cebis terminal, drivers simply specify either the highest chaff quality, or the best efficiency.

The performance controls for the Jaguar choppers, adjusts engine power and driving speed to match the crop intake. It ‘feels’ its way through the crop adjusting speed and power to crop mass on the go.

This keeps the engine speed constant and eliminates abrupt load changes for a more even crop flow, leading to better reliability and lower fuel consumption.