The latest reversible ploughs from Kverneland can be set up and operated almost entirely from the tractor seat, thanks to an Isobus connection.

“It’s not often that a genuinely all-new plough design comes along, but that’s what we’ve got here,” claims Adam Burt, Kverneland UK tillage product specialist.

“The 2500 series signifies the start of a progressive introduction of new models over the coming years.”

See also: Kubota gains control of Kverneland

With four-to-six furrow sizes for tractors up to 280hp, and a choice of 85cm and 100cm point-to-point spacing, the new plough series will be revealed publicly at the Agritechnica show in November.

It will have a sleeker, more rounded leg design with increased offset from the landslide to minimise trash hang-ups.

The new leg will be used on auto reset as well as shear bolt versions, giving 80cm under-beam clearance on both.

Kverneland’s familiar leaf-spring break-back mechanism has been updated for the new plough and the shearbolt-protected leg assembly returns to the working position when the plough is lifted ready for a new bolt to be inserted.

Each pair of skimmers is connected by linkage to a central adjuster, so that slackening two locking bolts and turning the adjuster using a spanner is all that is needed to set both simultaneously.

Encourage operators

“These measures will make the plough quicker and easier to use – and maybe will encourage operators to make fine adjustments to the skims that will improve the quality of work,” says Mr Burt.

But for overall ease of use, the ‘i’ version controlled through an isobus terminal will be the ultimate version. Apart from measuring the tractor’s track width, just about every setting and adjustment, including front-furrow width, is performed on the screen of an isobus terminal such as Kverneland Group’s IsoMatch Tellus.

Once keyed in and stored, settings for configuring the plough for coupling, marking out, working and transport can be recalled and actioned with a tap of the screen. Data memory is available to store settings for several different tractors.

“Getting the plough working will be quicker and easier and, of course, the operator can override and fine-tune the settings according to conditions on the day,” he says.

A new articulated headstock allows the 2500 series plough to trail behind the tractor like a semi-mounted implement.

After moving into the butterfly transport position, hydraulic cylinders shift the cross shaft to a position where it can pivot through 45deg and withdraw locking pins that allow the top link headstock to split to create a horizontal pivot.

“We then have a plough that combines the manoeuvrability of a mounted implement in the field with the ease and comfort in transport of a semi-mounted,” says Mr Burt.

“It runs really smoothly on the road supported on the tractor linkage and the depth wheel.”

Side wheel

A depth control track will be available instead of a side wheel for operators who want to plough close to fences and other field boundaries.

The assembly’s low profile means it can be tucked under the frame while giving a much bigger contact area than a tyre in this position could provide.

Although it lacks a tyre’s compliance, running the plough home on the track has proved successful at up to 20kph or so. Further work is being done to improve performance at faster speeds.

Investment from Kubota

The new plough series will be manufactured at Kverneland Group’s flagship plant in Klepp, Norway where a €30m (£21m) investment programme funded by parent company Kubota has increased the number of processes handled by robots and brought all operations on to one site to increase capacity.

Kverneland engineers are also exploiting the relationship with Kubota by consulting their counterparts with experience of small track assemblies, for example, when developing the novel track system for plough depth control.

Over the past two years, Kverneland Group maintained sales revenues at around €500m (£360m) when the market for agricultural equipment has declined.