Profi October 2021

Since Covid kicked-off, in person overseas press conferences have been pretty much put on hold, changing to a digital format which can be rather hit and miss. But this week I managed to dust off the passport and get back on a plane. It was great to be reunited with the travel bag and get out on the road. It seems everyone else travelling was in the same mindset – I don’t think I have ever talked to so many strangers on my travels. And this goes back to what I have previously penned on this page, that it is great to meet new people and old friends, like other members of the European trade press that I have met over the last 20 years but not seen since Agritechnica…

Claas is set to replace pretty much all of the Tucano line up with the new eight model Trion – a pair of five walkers, a trio of six-walkers, a duo of narrow body, single rotor hybrids and one twin rotor hybrid with most available with Terra Tracs or the Montana self-levelling system. The only Tucano survivor is the baby in the range, the 320. The inner workings of both the Trion walker and hybrid models will be familiar to users of the previous generation of Lexions. But there is a bit more going on under the fresh panel work and new cab. For instance, all 20 variants of the Trion use a British-built 6.7 or 8.9-litre, six-cylinder Cummins engine which is said to offer the right amount of torque, power…

The Burel Group’s acquisition of a majority stake in Italian machinery maker Frandent ensures continued long-term supply of power harrows for Sulky’s Tramline, Master, Progress and TF drills. The agreement provides for the Burel Group to purchase the remaining Frandent shares in 2025. The French company first approached Frandent in 2001 with a request for the Italian manufacturer to supply it with power harrows for its Sulky drill combinations. It has been a successful partnership and Frandent has supplied more than 10,000 rigid and folding power harrows from 3.0m to 8.0m. Founded in 1977 and based in Osasco, Frandent also makes grassland equipment (tedders, swathers and rakes). There are no current plans to distribute these under the Sulky brand. The Italian firm made over 1,000 power harrows and grassland machines last…

A Swedish team has developed an electric drive system to recharge the battery of a main vehicle in the field without it having to stop. Still in the development phase, the patent-pending system developed by the team at Linköping university together with two farms, is compatible with the electrically-powered Fieldgofer autonomous vehicle: another Swedish project. Also suitable for other autonomous and manned machines, the technique relies on a battery pack integrated within interchangeable fertiliser, grain and seed load-carrying bodies. Transferred from a specially designed trailer, the main function of the batteries inside these load carriers is to power electric wheel motors on the main vehicle, and attachments, such as a fertiliser spreader. However, they also recharge the main vehicle battery via a DC-DC converter. This means that the vehicle’s main battery…

The Smart Attach quick hitch system allows the operator to automatically connect and lock hydraulically powered wheeled loader attachments from the safety of the cab. Reducing the time it takes to swap attachments, with the coupling unit’s integrated locking display, the operator can always see that the attachment is securely connected. For all machines already fitted with the new quick-change plate, the display also features an illuminated indicator. Initially available as an option on the large 5-series and some machines in the premium 8-series range, the patented system can be used with non-hydraulic attachments and those with conventional hydraulic coupling systems. Retrofit kits are available to enable existing attachments to be fitted with the system.…

Deere and Company has acquired Bear Flag Robotics for US$250m. Founded in 2017, the Silicon Valley startup develops autonomous driving technology compatible with existing machines. Supporting John Deere’s long-term strategy to create smarter machines with advanced technology, the company first started working with Bear Flag in 2019. Since then, Bear Flag has successfully deployed its autonomous solution on a limited number of North American farms. Working closely with Deere, the Bear Flag team will remain in Silicon Valley.…