CLAAS will be presented with one gold and four silver medals for innovation in agricultural technology at this year’s Agritechnica, Europe’s leading agricultural exhibition, to be held in Germany in November.

Its CEMOS AUTO THRESHING operator assistance program will be recognised with a prestigious gold medal, while its new AXION 900 TERRA TRAC tracked tractor, CEMOS driver assistance system for tractors and implements, CULTI CAM cultivation guidance system and Large Vehicle Alert system will be recognised with silver medals.

CEMOS AUTO THRESHING continuously monitors and automatically adjusts the threshing concave clearance and drum speed on LEXION combine harvesters to best suit the prevailing conditions.

The program forms an integral part of the CEMOS AUTOMATIC platform and works in harmony with the machine’s automated residual grain separation, cleaning and cruise control systems. “This technology allows LEXION combine harvesters to be operated to their peak performance limits,” CLAAS Harvest Centre Product Manager - LEXION, Jonathon Ham, says. “It automatically finds the optimal set-up to allow the threshing unit to operate as gently as possible or as aggressively as necessary. In doing so, it not only improves the efficiency of threshing operations, but the work of the residual separation and cleaning systems. It’s simple to use, there’s no lengthy set-up and the operator can override the system at any time.”

Likewise, CLAAS Harvest Centre Group Product Manager – Tractors, Dave Knowles, welcomed the quartet of silver medals that have direct application to the CLAAS range of advanced technology tractors. “AXION 900 TERRA TRAC becomes the first German half-tracked tractor with full suspension of the entire machine,” he says. “This suspended track system is based on the same technology found on LEXION combine harvesters but has been adapted to meet the specific requirements of tractors. They improve traction and reduces soil compaction, but maintain the drive characteristics of a conventional tractor. The tracks are suspended independently, which guarantees maximum footprint at all times, thereby optimising efficiency and comfort, both in the field and on the road. Like its LEXION counterparts, TERRA TRAC permits a safe and comfortable transport speed of up to 40 km/h.”

Dave also welcomed the pending introduction of the CLAAS Electronic Machine Optimisation System (CEMOS) across the CLAAS range of advanced technology tractors. “CEMOS has become a fundamental part of the operating system on LEXION combine harvesters in recent years,” he says. “This driver assistance system continuously monitors and adjusts key operating settings of the tractor and implement based on operating conditions. It recommends the best settings via the touchscreen CEBIS terminal. If the operator accepts the recommendation, CEMOS will automatically make the adjustments. If required, the operator can also be guided through the settings for the tractor sub-systems, such as CSM headland management.”

The CLAAS CULTI CAM is a precision guidance system for mechanical cultivation in row crops. Developed in conjunction with European ag technology partners, it utilises a high-resolution 3D camera to detect crops and guide implement settings. “Increasing restrictions on the use of certain herbicides and the development of herbicide resistance means many grain growers are returning to selective cultivation,” Dave says. “The processing software identifies the crops and calculates precise control signals, even in windy conditions, high working speeds or heavy work rates. “This technology is equally applicable to conventional row cultivation, specialist crops and organic farms.”

The Large Vehicle Alert System transmits real-time telemetry data of enabled agricultural machinery to navigation systems and smartphone apps, thereby advising motorists of the position and status of farm machinery along their intended route. “This is an important road safety initiative that has considerable application outside of agriculture,” Dave says. “The system can offer alternative routes to drivers, if the number, width or speed of agricultural machinery is likely to cause delays.”

The agricultural technology innovation awards are presented by German Agricultural Society (Deutsche Landwirtschafts- Gesellschaft, DLG).

Images

• CEMOS AUTO THRESHING continuously monitors and automatically adjusts the concave clearance and drum speed to best suit the prevailing threshing conditions.
• CLAAS AXION 900 TERRA TRAC features independently suspended tracked assemblies for maximum footprint and comfort.
• CEMOS for tractors is a terminal-based system that recommends the optimum tractor and implement settings to the operator.
• CLAAS CULTI CAM stereoscopic row camera for hoeing: the new CULTI CAM row camera can calculate precise control signals for row crop hoeing even in windy conditions, crops with severe weed infestation or plants which are not green.
• The Large Vehicle Alert System warns motorists of the position and status of agricultural machinery along their intended route.