These combines will represent the new definition for high efficiency harvesting
By Evan Karigianis
Farms.com Writer
Case IH has redesigned and improved its industry-leading Axial-Flow combines for its 2019 lineup. The new 250 series combines will change the way farmers approach harvesting.
A highlight of the 7250, 8250 and 9250 combines is the optional Automated Farming System (AFS) Harvest Command™. This system proactively monitors and adjusts combine settings, turning even an inexperienced operator into an expert.
“AFS Harvest Command automation offers producers the advantage of automatically adjusting (the combine) based on feedback from sensors to target the maximum ground speed and engine load set by the combine operator,” Ryan Blasiak, Case IH harvesting marketing manager, said in a July 27 press release. “No extra time or margin for operator error is required to establish a baseline, maximizing quality and throughput.”
The new automation system from Case IH determines the best settings for the terrain and crop condition by utilizing 16 state-of-the-art sensors to adjust seven combine functions: ground speed, rotor speed, cleaning fan speed, presieve, upper sieve, lower sieve, and cage vane angle.
The AFS Harvest Command is available for use in corn, soybeans, wheat, and canola. The operator simply selects a mode that suits his or her harvesting goals. AFS works within a producer’s predetermined limits and provides maximum efficiency in the field.
The four modes of automation, the Case IH release says, include:
- Performance — Maximize grain savings and grain quality while optimizing throughput.
- Grain Quality — Maximize grain quality while also saving grain and optimizing throughput.
- Fixed Throughput — Operator can fix the machine throughput and the machine will adjust to save grain and maintain a quality sample.
- Maximum Throughput — Operator can maximize the throughput while automation adjusts combine settings to save grain.
The most significant standard change from previous models is the combine’s upgraded transmission system. The 250 series combines now features a two-speed ground drive with a wider speed range instead of the typical four-speed transmission.
“What this means for the customer is we have a harvesting speed and a transport speed,” Blasiak said to Better Farming. “I no longer have to stop at the edge of the field to shift into a lower gear range to get that tractive effort to get out of the field. So, I have increased tractive effort and a wider speed range to really maximize harvest and efficiency in the field.”
Farmers will enjoy a smooth ride thanks to the two-speed transmission and the HI/LO propulsion system. The combines can maintain a steady speed even when climbing a hill and can effortlessly switch from speed (HI) to tractive effort (LO), he said.
Case IH has also streamlined and improved the overall structural quality of the feeder house for improved durability and reliability.
“We have improved the thickness of the chain, it is 25 per cent thicker on the inner thickness of the sidewall and 12 per cent thicker on the pin itself,” he said. “Likewise, we have gone from a three-piece feeder floor to a two-piece feeder floor and we have lowered that 20 mm … to reduce the wear and bottlenecking.”
The redesigned feeder house has a variety of add-ons to create peak harvest efficiency. For example, the new feeder house fore/aft adjustment provides 11.5 degrees rearward adjustment and can conveniently be tuned in-cab. Additionally, Case IH has an optional lift package that delivers up to 13,500 lbs. (6,124 kgs) of lift capacity, supporting even the heaviest chopper heads on the market.
While the next generation of Axial-Flow combines offer many advantages, the true “Case IH advantage is the passion that everyone has,” said Blasiak.
“Not only within our corporate company but also within our dealer network. They’re there answering calls all hours of the nights to keep our customers up and running, doing whatever it takes. ... We understand agriculture and what it means to the producer. We’re not just doing it for a job, it’s a passion. “
Case IH photo