New Holland has introduced the next generation BigBaler

New Holland has launched the next generation BigBaler range which has set a new benchmark in the professional baling segment. Up to 20% capacity increases and up to 5% denser bales will significantly improve productivity and profitability. Cutting edge features such as the all-new MaxiSweep™pick-up and enhanced pre-compression chamber crop flow monitoring have been combined with renowned industry firsts including advanced CropID™systems and proven features in the form of Double Knot technology to offer professional hay and forage operations, straw contractors and large scale arable farmers unsurpassed baling performance.

The four model range produces bales from 80x70cm to 120x90cm. Crop-to-crop flexibility has been engineered by design, and the BigBaler guarantees performance in conventional crops, as well as in non-traditional crops such as sugar cane and maize stover, perfect for the burgeoning biomass sector.

“Today’s BigBaler range is the culmination of over 25 years of baling excellence, and represents the flagship baler in our extensive baler offering” Stated Bob Hatz, Hay&Forage and Crop Production Product Management. “The BigBaler is built at our Centre of Harvesting Excellence in Zedelgem, Belgium, and has been engineered by design to meet the stringent quality, productivity and reliability requirements of modern baling businesses. Over 200,000 bales, equivalent to ten seasons’ output,  were produced before even the first production BigBaler rolled off the line.” He concluded.

 

All-new MaxiSweep™pick-up performance for improved feeding

The MaxiSweep™pick-up has been completely redesigned to ensure that every last blade of profitable crop is safely baled. Tine strength has been significantly improved on CropCutter™models with the adoption of 6mm coil tines as standard for increased durability when working in rough terrain and in stony fields.

The addition of a roller wind guard ensures smooth crop flow from the swath to the baler and it prevents crop flow disturbance for uniform bale production. Swath transfer has been further enhanced by the sculpted pick-up side shields. Their distinctive ‘S’ shape design draws all crops in, even when negotiating tight corners and smoothly feeds snagged crop into the pick-up. The pick-up edge now features crop guides to assist the final tine in collecting every blade of crop.

The new feed assist roll is situated behind the roller wind guard and features a system of two overshot and one undershot counter rotating augers that transfer the crop from the pick-up to the rotor or packer feeder, depending on the model, whilst simultaneously merging the flow of the crop to ensure that it matches the exact width of the feeder. The feed assist roller then positively directs the condensed crop flow into the feeder for increased, constant feeding.

 

 

Variety of crop processing options for tailored crop management

The BigBaler offers three crop processing systems.The Standard Packer features two packer forks with six single tines each for 870 and 890 models, and three packer forks with nine single tines each for 1270 and 1290 models. This traditional technology directly feeds the crop into the pre-compression chamber for long, unbroken straw or hay, perfect for equine businesses.

The Packer Cutter variant, available on BigBaler 870 and 890 models,has three, six double-tine packer forks with six removable knives. This option offers the ultimate in crop processing flexibility, and enables contractors to tailor bale production to individual customer requirements.

The densest bales, perfect for the biomass sector, are produced by CropCutter™models. The ‘W’ pattern rotor is specifically designed for each baler and offers a configurable chop length. It also features a removable knife drawer for easy maintenance and offers tailored knife configurations. The BigBaler870 and 890 models can be specified with either nine knives in medium cut, or 19 knives in short cut guise, and the BigBaler1270 and 1290 come with 15 or 29 knives respectively. These knives can be individually regulated to fine tune the chop length: medium cut chops to approximately 8cm, which is ideal for chopped bedding straw for cattle sheds, whereas the short cut option shreds crop to a mere 4cm in length. This is perfect for silage or straw for chicken sheds, as well as for biomass operations.

 

Best-in-class feed SmartFill™indicator system ensures uniformly dense and well-shaped bales

The BigBaler’s proven pre-compression chamber technology has been further enhanced by the introduction of SmartFill™feed flow indicators. This system uses a network of sensors, situated at the entrance to the pre-compression chamber, that monitors the flow of crop into the chamber to guarantee square edged bales of uniform side-to-side density. This information is displayed on the IntelliView™IV in-cab monitor, so that the operator can see at a glance if the crop is being evenly fed, and if one-sided build up is occurring, he is immediately informed to drive either more to the left or right over the swath by large on-screen arrows.

 

Plunger speed increased to 48 strokes/minute for faster crop throughput

The all-new, heavy duty gearbox, has enabled a 14% increase in the plunger speed for higher throughput into the bale chamber which means that higher ground speed is now possible. This offers a significant productivity improvement for operations that work in moisture sensitive crops, or for those who bale in areas with unstable weather conditions. The introduction of a larger diameter, high inertia flywheel which neutralises variations in crop flow has made this possible.

 

Distinctive styling enhances serviceability and safety

The BigBaler benefits from distinctive New Holland styling. Characterised by flowing elegant lines that scythe through the air, this quintessentially New Holland design, fully in line with all flagship harvesting products, offers significant advantages in terms of servicing and safety.

The ultra-wide single-piece front shield opens on gas struts, an industry first. This provides unfettered access to all moving parts, as well as to the automatic greaser and oiler for swift daily maintenance for minimum downtime. The single-piece side shields use an identical opening logic, and form a hermetic seal around the twine compartment to prevent dust ingress, which improves both knotter performance and the maintenance environment. The super flat service deck on the top of the baler has made servicing even easier, together with reducing possible areas of debris accumulation.

New Holland knows that safety is fundamental, and that when operators are under pressure to bring the crop home in prime condition, short cuts can be fatal. A unique safety system has been developed so that the front shield can only be opened when the baler is completely stationary: when the PTO has been deactivated and when the flywheel brake has been engaged. Side doors can be opened in absolute safety as they only cover the twine boxes and provide no access to any moving components.

 

Improved knotter shielding and impressive cleaning performance increases bale productivity

New Holland has pioneered double knot technology for over 25 years, and the unswerving commitment to continual development has resulted in a segment-leading knotting performance. The upgraded knotting shields ensure that the knotter stays free from debris to prevent costly miss-ties. Furthermore, the airflow around the knotter was mapped using state-of-the art computation fluid dynamic programmes. Areas of stagnant airflow were identified, and three fans have been precision placed to automatically blow away any debris before it clogs the system.

For operations which work in most extreme conditions, such as when baling maize stover, an optional air blow off kit can be specified,which is supplied by the tractor’s pneumatic air brakes. This automatic system, controlled via the IntelliView™IV monitor, automatically directs a high speed air jet to further enhance cleaning performance.

 

IntelliView™IV colour touchscreen monitor for wide-screen baler management

When baling at top speed operators must have at a glance intuitive fingertip control of all key operating parameters. The standard IntelliView™III monitor, or the wide screen IntelliView™IV monitor can be specified. Bale length, density and moisture content, amongst others, can be analysed and adjusted on the move. Knotter fans, automatic oil and greasing can even be controlled via the screen. The BigBaler is also fully ISOBUS compatible for visibility enhancing, single screen technology, and offers perfect integration with tractors equipped with the SideWinder™II armrest.

 

Improved lighting package and operator comfort boost performance

The redesigned lighting package optimises the spread of light around the baler and turns night into day when working late into the night to bale the crop in optimal condition. In addition, two dedicated LED work lights have been positioned on the pick-up to flood the area with light to assist the operator when working in dim or dark conditions.

The comfort package has been designed with professional baling operations in mind. The right hand rail on the flat service deck further enhances safety and a touch of baling luxury comes courtesy of the extra-large tool box and water tank for hand washing.

Efficient road transport and ultimate in-field manoeuvrability

The BigBaler has been designed with transport in mind, and can be configured to comply with the 2.55 metre transport width restriction in specific tyre configuration. The range-topping large wheel tandem axle significantly reduces ground pressure to assist in rapid crop regrowth, perfect for hay and silage operations which perform multiple cuts throughout the season.Moreover, all tyre combinations are well within the three metre restriction for stable high speed transport between fields.

The BigBaler’s already outstanding manoeuvrability has been maintained thanks to the sculpted frame design.

 

PLM bale data management

The BigBaler offers advanced PLM solutions, as bale weight, which can be controlled and analysed using New Holland’s award winning electronic ActiveWeigh™on-the-go bale weighing technology, moisture content, date and time and the bale’s GPS location can all be recorded. All data for each individual bale can be download using a USB stick to create precise yield and field mapping data, so that inputs can be fine-tuned to increase productivity and profitability for future seasons. The Crop ID™ system can transfer all aforementioned data onto a radio frequency tag which can be consulted at a later date for bale traceability. This will be available for season 2013.

 

TwinCutter™ front chopper for a uniform fine chop

The BigBaler range is fully compatible with the TwinCutter™front chopper. The 88-knife rotor with serrated and reversible functionality ensures a uniform, super fine chop no matter what the conditions are. This finer chop produces denser bales that have significantly enhanced combustion profiles,  perfect for straw-fired power stations. This super fine shredding also provides an excellent source of raw fibre, a valuable addition to livestock feed rations.

 

Evolution in baler numbering

New Holland has applied its evolved numbering strategy to the BigBaler range to make its performance immediately obvious to customers. The BigBaler name is the natural progression of the current ‘BB’ designation, making its size immediately obvious. The first one or two numbers, either ‘8’ or ‘12’ represent the bale width in centimetres, ‘8’ for 80cm and ‘12’ for 120cm. The final two digits refer to the bale height in centimetres, either ‘70’ or ‘90’.

 

Model	Bale width (cm)	Bale height (cm)	Plunger speed (strokes/minute)	Processing options
BigBaler 870	80	70	48	Standard/ Packer Cutter / CropCutter
BigBaler 890	80	90	48	Standard/ Packer Cutter / CropCutter
BigBaler 1270	120	70	48	Standard / CropCutter
BigBaler1290	120	90	48	Standard / CropCutter

 

 

New Holland Agriculture's reputation is built on the success of our customers, cash crop producers, livestock farmers, contractors, vineyards, or groundscare professionals. They can count on the widest offering of innovative products and services: a full line of equipment, from tractors to harvesting, material handling equipment, complemented by tailored financial services from a specialist in agriculture.  A highly professional global dealer network and New Holland’s commitment to excellence guarantees the ultimate customer experience for every customer. For more information on New Holland visit http://www.newholland.com

 

Press contacts:

Sarah Johnson, New Holland Agriculture. Phone: 01268 295268,
email: sarah.johnson@newholland.com

Tracy Mannion or Naomi Wellman at Remarkable Public Relations. Phone: 01962 893 893, email: tracy.mannion@remarkablegroup.co.ukor naomi.wellman@remarkablegroup.co.uk