NH raises output limits with extra 15% claimed
NH raises output limits with extra 15% claimed
Just when you thought
designers had squeezed every
last drop of performance out
of a conventional combine
harvester build, New Holland
announces the CX range.
Andy Collings reports from its
demonstration site in Seville
NEW Hollands straw-walker combine line-up now includes the CX range, which is claimed to be capable of a 15% increase in output when compared with models of similar power.
Combine product manager Nigel Mackenzie says his firm has spent a lot of time refining key areas of the combine to improve throughput.
"Through correspondence with our customers, we identified areas for improvement," he says. "These included increased capacity, quality grain, minimal straw damage and wide straw-spreading capacity."
These are logical expectations that generations of growers have wanted from combines in the past. But New Holland engineers believe they have now succeeded in improving what, in its basic concept, has changed little over the years, to reach previously unattained limits.
The CX range comprises eight machines – four five-straw walker models and four six-straw walker models. Topping the range is the 880, which, powered by a 374hp Iveco engine, has an output equalled only perhaps by New Hollands rotary TF78. Tank capacity for the 880 is 10,500 litres. The 820, 840 and 860 models make up the rest of the six-straw walker builds.
Heading up the five-straw walker models is the 780 with its 272hp New Holland engine, followed by the 760, 740 and the baby of the new launches, the 218hp CX 720.
So what has New Holland achieved? Starting with the all-important header unit, drive speed has been increased to ensure a continuation of power to the knife and auger components. There is now also a wider opening to the elevator and the elevator itself is equipped with U-shaped slats to help reduce grain damage.
Other header features include single-point connection for hydraulic services, hydraulic reverse for the elevator and the table auger, and ground synchronised reel speed. Lateral float is standard and auto float is optional.
But it is in the threshing department that New Holland claims to have made the most advances.
The main threshing drum now has a diameter of 75cm – 25% bigger than the TX range – which, with its 111í angle of wrap from the concave, gives a threshing area on six-walker models of 1.18sq m. This, says New Holland, is almost 40% greater than any current New Holland combine and bigger than any other on the market.
From the drum, the crop is passed to the rotary separator by a rotary beater. Use of larger diameters on these two units, combined with the main drums, is claimed to result in high outputs, but not at the expense of damaged grain.
A large post-drum separating area includes the use of returns roto-threshers, two in six-straw and one in five-straw walker models.
Grain tanks fill centrally from the top by a bubble-up auger and, when full, grain discharge rate to trailer is put at 105 litres/sec, the largest grain tank is empty within 90 seconds. A feature of the Iveco-powered 860 and 880 models is a 27hp power boost which kicks in when unloading on the move.
Answering customer calls for greater spread and chop of both chaff and straw, the CX models are fitted with an integral unit that employs cab-adjustable deflectors.
Chaff is blown through the straw chopper to ensure it, too, is spread across the full cutting width of the combine. Should straw be required for baling, it is deflected over the chopping unit, but the drive is still engaged to enable the chaff to be spread independently.
For the operator, the CXs cab has all the expected luxuries – adjustable steering wheel, suspended seat and controls neatly mustered on the right-hand console.
All header and speed control are on a single lever, and adjustments for drum speed, drum gap, fan speed and other essential areas of the combine are by toggle switches on the side of the panel.
The CX can be programmed to put all main settings in pre-set positions for up to 16 different crops, with the overall operation monitored and displayed on a TV unit. Further refinement allows the use of moisture control, yield monitoring and data logger. For yield monitoring, New Holland has developed the "Massflow" sensor which operates from the clean grain elevator and, by design, will work with all crop types. *
CX combine specifications
CX720 CX740 CX760 CX780 CX820 CX840 CX860 CX880
Grain header (m) 3.96-6.10 3.96-6.10 3.96-7.32 4.57-7.32 5.17-9.12 5.17-9.12 5.17-9.12 5.17-9.12
Maize header 5 or 6 5 or 6 5 or 6 5 or 6 6 or 8 6 or 8 6 or 8 6 or 8
Threshing drum diameter (m) 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75
Theshing drum width (m) 1.30 1.30 1.30 1.30 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56
Concave area (m2) 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 1.18 1.18 1.18 1.18
Rotary separator diameter (m) 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.72
Multi-thresh system Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std
Tot powered separation area (m2) 2.11 2.11 2.11 2.11 2.54 2.54 2.54 2.54
Straw walker number 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6
Straw walker separation area (m2) 4.94 4.94 4.94 4.94 5.93 5.93 5.93 5.93
Total sieve area under
wind control (m2) 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 6.50 6.50 6.50 6.50
Grain tank capacity (litres) 7,600 7,600 9,000 9,000 9,000 9,000 9,000/10,500 10,500
Grain tank width (m) 3 3 3 3 3 3/3.3 3/3.3 3.3
Grain tank unloading
speed (litres/sec) 105 105 105 105 105 105 105 105
Gross engine power (kW/hp) 160/218 175/238 190/258 200/272 200/272 220/299 245/333 275/374
Power boost (kW/hp) NA NA NA NA NA NA 20/27 20/27
Fuel tank capacity (litres) 500 500 500 750 750 750 750 750
Transmission 4-speed 4-speed 4-speed 4-speed 4-speed 4-speed 4-speed 4-speed