16 beautiful modification projects to fine-tune your combine harvester-Farmers Weekly

2021-12-16 07:19:21 By : Mr. Jay Yang

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The Internet is flooded with technologies to improve the harvesting performance of combine harvesters.

We have selected some convenient items used by farmers around the world-some help to grow crops behind the combine harvester, and others treat chaff to reduce subsequent weed seed problems.

There are even some fashionable additional features, such as coffee holders and floor mats, to make the life of the ride more comfortable.

The Autocast system was originally developed by Michael Godfrey, a farmer in Cambridgeshire, and has been sold by the Littleport-based engineering company Techneat since 1997, and has recently recovered slightly.

As early as its heyday, Techneat replaced more than 100 land-wheel drive planters every year. In 2007, it transformed its current appearance-Autocast V2.

Autocast’s 200-liter split hopper is installed on the back of the combine harvester’s header to spread the seeds across the width of the strip when the previous crop is cut, and then cover it with a layer of chopped straw.

See also: Articulated Tribine combine harvester is the king of American harvest

Its most common use is for economical and efficient rapeseed cultivation. If necessary, you can choose to mix massive particles, but the increasing use of cover crops has once again increased people's interest. V2 can also be applied to the application of Avadex pellets, helping to maximize its use other than automatic seeding at harvest.

Techneat now offers GPS rate control and hydraulic fan options for headers over 25 feet. The planter has been successfully extended to 40 feet.

The starting price of a device is about 5,600 pounds, which includes GPS, hopper, lever sensor, seed flow detection and automatic working switch. The company also provides a full set of fitting services for an additional fee.

Glenvar, an Australian company based in Perth, saw an opportunity to increase harvesting efficiency by connecting the baler directly to the combine, and proposed its Bale Direct System.

The bolt-on kit connects the large square baler to the back of the combine through a drawbar fixed on the front drive shaft, and uses an independent hydraulic motor to drive the baler instead of a power take-off.

Since the system directs all crop residues to the front of the baler, it can pick up 30% more straw than running a separate machine, and the bales are clean and uncontaminated.

It can also suck up 98% of weed seeds, which is a big attraction for Australian growers who have problems with herbicide-resistant ryegrass, preventing the return of seeds and eliminating the need for straw burning.

The system has not yet been tested in dense European crops, but has proven itself on the North American prairie and Australian grain belts for several years, and can be adapted to most major combine harvester and baler brands.

US-based Hillco Technologies provides a system that allows owners of the S-series John Deere to combine with ProDrive gearboxes to harvest grain and round bale crop residues in one go.

The Single Pass Round Bale System is hung on the rear of the harvester by the towing ball, and the chute connected with the shredder system emits the material into the accumulator.

Once the accumulator has enough energy to make the bale, it will start to feed the John Deere 569 strapping machine connected to the back and allow uninterrupted operation without stopping to empty the bale room.

The hydrostatic drive unit powers the unit and absorbs up to 70 horsepower from the combine harvester.

It was originally designed to collect what American farmers call "maize MOG" (materials other than grain) for use in feedlots, and it has also been tested in small grain crops and soybeans.

The rough pricing for the SPRB system is $112,000 (£83,000), which does not include the John Deere 569 Round Baler.

The operation of the combine harvester can be awkward, and installing one or more cameras to monitor performance or eliminate blind spots can significantly reduce the stress on the driver when sitting in the seat for a long time.

According to Chris Baldwin of Reversing Cameras UK in Ramsgate, UK, the popular camera is located at the back end, unloading the auger and each side to pass through narrow locations such as gateways.

The one placed on the top of the grain bin can also be used to monitor the grain level and keep an eye on the hanging branches on the headland. Some people even install them in the internal organs of the machine to watch out for blockages.

Nowadays, cameras and monitors cost two cents. There are many on eBay and Amazon, but Mr. Baldwin suggested that farmers spend a little more money to obtain reliable equipment that can be used continuously in harsh environments.

Most choose to use fully waterproof wired systems wirelessly, because they are directly powered by the monitor in the cab, and the cable needs to be connected to the wireless camera anyway, so a lot of work is required.

Compared with the cheaper CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) version, the CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera will provide better resolution, color and low-light performance.

The cost of a monitor and a single CCD camera plus wiring is approximately £150. Those who want a more comprehensive view can buy a four-way split-screen display, four cameras, and wiring for between 380 and 410 pounds, depending on whether you choose a 7-inch or a 10-inch screen.

Anyone who has driven a large combine harvester at night will tell you that decent work lights are a godsend, and high-output LEDs can improve night visibility around the machine.

Halogen lamps are not suitable for long-distance lighting and produce orange-toned "dirty" light, while LEDs produce white light that is closer to daylight.

If you consider switching to LEDs, Graham Smith of Retrofit Parts in Newark said buyers should pay attention to low-quality products because they don't emit so much high-quality light.

The power of LED lights is described in terms of theoretical and actual lumens (a measure of visible light to the human eye).

The cheaper version from China usually touts a high theoretical lumen value to attract customers to buy, but the key figure is the actual lumen level.

The EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) rating is also essential to ensure that the lamp will not interfere with the radio and other electronic equipment on the machine after installation. A good IP69 rating will ensure that it is waterproof and dustproof.

Retrofit Parts sells Nordic Lights and combine harvesters made in Finland. Mr. Smith said that the most popular setting is to unload the auger and install a 24w light behind the machine-both are particularly useful when combined with a camera. .

In addition, the two 50w devices on the front armrest will flood the driver's field of vision. On Claas and John Deere machines, this can be done by unplugging the existing halogen devices and replacing them with LEDs.

If you choose Nordic's N series, the lenses are interchangeable and provide flood and spotlight versions, depending on your preference or operation when moving between machines.

A 24w unit sells for 55 pounds each, while a 50w retail price is about 165 pounds. The company also offers cheaper KL series for those who are more budget-conscious. Other well-known brands include Grote, Hella, JW Speaker and Tyri.

On any machine, reaching the most awkward grease nipple and delivering the right amount of grease at the correct interval can be a chore, but the combination of surroundings can be even more so.

They are also expensive, so they should be maintained regularly to prevent wear and maintain resale value. This is where the automatic lubrication system can help.

Proponents say that providing lubrication for bearings and connecting rods when the machine is used at preset intervals is the most effective way to lubricate and effectively use grease or oil.

The SKF Lincoln brand 24v electric P203 grease pump with a 2 kg fuel tank is sufficient to meet the needs of most combine harvesters, and together with the separation valve and piping system for six lubrication points, the cost is approximately £1,100.

As more lubrication points are added, this will increase.

Flexxifinger, a Canadian company based in Assiniboa, Saskatchewan, offers a wide range of crop lifters designed to pick up short or flat crops more easily.

The company's main selling point is its patented rapid separation system. The "QD" nut is connected to the knife guard, and the spring mechanism of the lifter will snap into place during installation.

Simply push the spring down to pull the elevator down for disassembly, saving a lot of time when switching between crops.

Although most of Flexxifinger's elevator product portfolio is more suitable for North American conditions, three models will attract UK business.

FlexxiFloat 250 is made of cast metal, suitable for higher, denser European cereal crops, and is said to withstand the harshest ground conditions.

The heavy-duty crop hoist is a similar concept, but has a nylon hoisting finger, and the DFO is specifically designed for the spiral header that is widely used in the UK.

The price of the lift ranges between 54 Euros (48 GBP) and 72 Euros (64 GBP) and can be shipped from Flexxifinger's European warehouse in Germany to the UK.

For more information, please visit the Flexxifinger website, where there is a concise "find your crop lifter" tool to help potential customers choose the right tool for the job based on crop and soil conditions.

The American company TractorMat provides customized foot pads made of high-grade durable plastic for a series of John Deere, Case IH and New Holland machines (including combine harvesters).

If you spend 100 hours in a taxi a week, keeping it clean is a good thing, and it won’t cause any damage to the resale value.

The mat is flexible and easy to install, prevents excessive wear on the original floor, and has a high lip on the edge that can hold dust and spills. It can then be quickly taken out and cleaned under pressure.

For keen buyers, a customized logo can be molded as required.

The price of a single cushion for Deere, Case or New Holland models is approximately US$175 (£130), plus shipping.

OXX Coffeeboxx claims to be able to provide fresh filtered coffee in the harshest environments, making it ideal for spending long nights on a combine harvester.

This all-in-one portable coffee machine weighs only 5 kg and does not require power supply, so with the help of an inverter, you can easily sit in the cab and provide the driver with fresh coffee-say goodbye to the old and warm coffee in the thermos.

It takes only 90 seconds per cycle to make a cup of coffee with a standard K-Cup coffee pod, and its 2.5-liter water tank allows you to work long shifts.

Unfortunately, it is not yet available in the UK, but it is certainly only a matter of time. For customers in the U.S. and Canada, Coffeeboxx is priced at $230 (£171).

The chaff deck is an Australian invention designed to control the traffic agriculture (CTF) system and the bolts on the back of the combine harvester to capture the chaff and weed seeds before they hit the spreader.

The material is then placed on a closed conveyor belt, which distributes it behind the rear wheels of the combine harvester. Since the tracks in the CTF system are usually heavily compacted, this makes it difficult for any grass seeds to start growing.

The kit is connected to the hydraulic circuit of the combine harvester, but the power requirements are low, so it is believed that it will not have any impact on the harvesting performance of John Deere, Case and New Holland machines under Australian conditions.

A UK trial organized by AHDB was conducted in the summer to see if the system (sold by Primary Sales Australia) could provide any value against black grass.

Throughout Australia, it is not uncommon to see the unusual trailer-type unit of joint traction-the chaff car.

Specifically designed to capture weeds and voluntary seeds before they spread to the back of the machine, the chaff cart usually has an auger or conveyor belt that collects material from the back of the screen and transfers it to a towed hopper.

Then at a given interval throughout the field, the operator presses a button in the cab to trigger the opening of the hydraulic tailgate or sandwich-type body, dumping the material into piles.

All the chaff is placed in the same place, it will form a row, which can be burned to destroy unwanted seeds. (Usually some careful cultivation is carried out around the pile to prevent fires.)

Cleaning the air filter is always a troublesome thing, which inevitably leads to the rest of the day being covered by all the nasty things that the engine does not want to inhale.

But keeping the filter clean is essential to maintain engine performance and avoid costly damage. Although many manufacturers recommend replacing rather than cleaning the filter, this rarely becomes a reality and may become a very expensive past.

It is almost impossible to obtain a uniform air flow to reliably remove the entire filter without damaging the fine fibers or paper elements. To overcome this problem, the air filter shock wave was developed in the United States and sold here by Chandlers Farm Equipment.

The four-nozzle rotating nozzle rotates through the compressed air flow to evenly spray dust from the filter from the inside to the outside. It is mounted on an aluminum shaft and can be slid up and down through a cover used to seal the end of the filter.

Air Filter Blaster is available in 3", 4.5", 6" and 9" rotor heads, with a retail price of £425.

The team of William and Tim Johnson, based in Kentucky, has developed a series of different products over the past 30 years to improve the performance of the combine harvester.

Grain Saver/Rock Guard is a very simple device that was originally designed to help reduce the loss of soybean headers, but it is now widely used in all crop types.

Effectively fix a 5 cm high steel belt behind the knife, spanning the entire width of the header, and it forms a lip to prevent loose grains from falling forward from the table.

At the same time, it can prevent stones, soil and other foreign objects from turning up from the cutter frame and entering the combine harvester. As a cross section, it can be bent with a knife, and it is estimated that it will take about 5 minutes to adapt to the width of the header per foot. It costs $25 (£19) per foot.

Debris Deflector is a simple tarpaulin that forms a diagonal plate to keep the top of the elevator trough free from debris. When it is pushed up by the head screw, it is guided directly down onto the table.

It is held in place by two large magnets and can be easily disassembled to remove the header or clean the cab windows. It is priced at US$349 (£259).

The dust collector is installed on the top of the feeder housing to help keep the air intake elevator area clear of debris and reduce the amount of dust splashing on the windshield, and continuously send air downward to deliver the material to the ground. 

The hydraulic drive, which is estimated to take 30 minutes to install, costs US$1,799 (£1,333).

The old straw shredders are not always the best at shredding and distributing materials, but a simple change can change this. The Johnsons developed a replacement cover that, like modern shredder devices, has a fixed counter-knife to retain material on the swinging shredder blades.

It is said that this additional device helps to chop up the green stems and improve the uniformity of the entire stubble. Suitable for all kinds of John Deere combine harvesters, the price ranges from US$1,795 (£1,330) to US$1,995 (£1,478).

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