Spelle, in August 2024: With the XDisc 710, Krone is launching a new direct cut header, designed to meet the call of the field for added efficiency and comfort. In addition to maize, a number of other, sometimes very high-yielding energy crops have established themselves as a farming trend. Used as biogas substrate and animal forage, these crops require optimum quality harvesting with increasingly powerful forage harvesters. The new XDisc 710 masters all these challenges thanks to a range of technical modifications and its working width of 7.10 m, compared to the 6.20 m offered by the XDisc 620 that continuous to be in stock.

Perfect cut with time-proven technology

The cutterbar of the new XDisc 710 is based on the KRONE EasyCut mower technology used already in the XDisc 620. Thanks to the perfect overlapping of the blade paths guaranteed by the SmartCut system, you can achieve optimum-quality, stripe-free cutting every single time. With the help of SafeCut, the cutting disc is jacked up in the event of short-term overloading by foreign objects. This makes sure that it does not come into contact with neighbouring cutting discs and avoids damage to the drive. The cutterbar is equipped with integrated quick-change blades.

In the XDisc 710, two of these cutterbars are rigidly connected, driven by a central input gearbox with universal shafts, each of these driven by a right-angle gearbox which makes for a frictional connection. Even at a high throughput, the cutting unit delivers very even cuts, which is one of the key factor for optimum chop quality.

The drive train is designed for a high input power. Accordingly, the cutterbar drive does not require an overload clutch, which increases the reliability and reduces the downtimes. The drive of the auger conveyor is secured with a star ratchet clutch integrated in the gearbox and excels by a long useful life.

For clean cuts under all conditions, the following conditions can be adjusted easily: The bearing pressure can be set infinitely from the cabin of the forage harvester. Tool-free, easy setting of the cutting height is carried out via the centrally adjustable sliding skids. Should an adjustment of the cutting angle be necessary as well, this can be done using a 3-way adjustable hole pattern on the round arch support.

Lower power requirement per meter of working width

With its large diameter of 900 mm, the feed auger is designed for high throughput. The speed of the auger conveyor can be optimally adjusted to the intake speed of the forage harvester in three stages, depending on the cutting length of the crop. In addition, the basic height of the auger conveyor can be manually adjusted in three stages using eccentrics to allow the crop to pass through. The freely movable auger conveyor can also easily move upwards in the case of bulky crops.

In coordination with the crop press roller unit, this ensures an even crop flow. The perfect interaction of cutterbar, auger conveyor and crop press roller unit significantly reduces speed peaks in the drive. This brings impressive benefits: Lower power requirement per meter of working width and savings of up to 10 % diesel fuel (litres per ton) with around 20 % higher throughput (tons per hour) compared to the XDisc 620.

Optionally, the XDisc 710 can be equipped with cutoff blades at the sides that can be swivelled up and down hydraulically, independently of each other, without leaving the comfort of the forage harvester cabin. This unique, innovative feature offers a huge advantage: Efficient use of the maximum working width prevents harvest losses from laterally protruding ears or climbing plant parts at the edge of the crop, which would occur if the cutoff blades were not actively swivelled up.

Integrated transport chassis for minimum tooling times

The optional integrated transport chassis, available exclusively for the BiG X forage harvester, replaces the additionally required transport chassis and constitutes a very practical, time-saving and unique solution. It makes setting down and securing of the header on a separate transport wagon obsolete and significantly reduces the changeover times. Furthermore, there is no need to find a suitable parking space for the transport wagon before the start of harvesting, and no time is lost for cumbersome manoeuvring, especially when space is limited.

The direct cut header with integrated transport chassis is equipped with a single axle on the right side of the adaptation at the header. At the left front side of the machine, there is the drawbar with folding support jack. When the hydraulic system has been coupled and the header raised, the driver can swivel the drawbar and the axle of the running gear directly from the cabin. For use in the field, both running gear components are hydraulically swivelled behind the header so that they do not impair the view of the working area.

For transport on public roads, the driver simply swivels the running gear and drawbar back into the transport position, places the direct cut header on the ground and then attaches it to the forage harvester's tow coupling.

Thanks to a lighting system permanently integrated into the header, the cutting unit can be transported safely on the road in compliance with the law.

Easy and convenient to maintain

Not only the tooling times but also the maintenance times have been reduced. Maintenance tasks can be performed without attaching the header to the forage harvester. Just fold up the guard cloth for easy and fast blade replacement thanks to the quick release fastener.

The drive chain for the auger conveyor is actively lubricated. This helps to keep the effort for maintenance of the direct cut header to a minimum while increasing the lifetime of the drive chain.

Conclusion: Krone’s new direct cut header XDisc 710 makes it possible to use the huge potential of the powerful forage harvesters even more efficiently for harvesting the high-yielding energy crops. This is made possible by the crop flow optimized in terms of throughput and chop quality, as well as by the comfortable adjustment options at the machine. The optional integrated transport chassis increases the positive effects on the effectively used working hours by reducing tooling times.

Press contact:

Markus Steinwendner
Head of Marketing KRONE Agriculture
+49 5977 935 188 20
markus.steinwendner@krone.de
www.krone-agriculture.com