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Wednesday 28 September 2011
The new Massey Ferguson 2170 XD, Extra Density, large square baler packs in between 15%-20% more material into bales. Designed specifically to lower transport costs with 1.2m x 0.88m bales, the new machine has a higher output and produces fewer, heavier bales reducing handling time.
“For more than a decade Massey Ferguson has offered machines that make this bale size, which offers optimum transport capacity in many situations,” explains Mark Grigson, Product Marketing Manager – Harvesting. “Now the new MF 2170 XD makes much denser and heavier bales, further helping to optimise transport space and cut costs.
“Evaluation trials in the UK this season have shown an increase in bale weight of between 15% to 20% from the MF 2170 XD, compared with the standard model. The machine was regularly making bales with an average weight of 550kg, in wheat straw at at 12.5% moisture. This offers big benefits for all. Baling productivity increases and the fewer bales are cleared faster, which also cuts handling time. The higher density also reduces transport costs because the bales make more effective use of the available truck space and the end-user also needs less storage space.”
Trials prove the baler is capable of producing high density bales in a range of crops including hay, haylage, straw as well as oilseed rape haulm. The MF 2170 XD – in common with all MF 2100 Series larger square balers – is designed and built in AGCO’s Hesston factory in the USA, which pioneered the big square bale concept 33 years ago and remains the industry leader. To produce the high density, engineers at Hesston have completely redesigned the driveline, enormously strengthening the components and structure to handle extra load.
• New XD flywheel - twice the weight for increased energy and inertia
• Uprated XD gearbox with stronger, larger components and mounting points
• Improved structural integrity to handle the higher loads
• XD Extra Density chamber design with new density cylinders
• Standard high speed tandem axle
• Options of new Integrated Bale Weight System and HayBoss preservative applicator
A huge new XD flywheel, which weighs more than 0.5t, is designed to create the additional inertia and maintain the momentum needed to produce the extra density during baling operations.
Weighing in at 545kg and, with a width of 250mm, it is both 91% heavier and more than twice the thickness of the standard version. These flywheel dimensions produce greater plunger inertia, which increases the impact force onto the crop and creates the extra bale density.
To handle the extra load and flywheel force Hesston engineers have developed a new, considerably stronger gearbox encased in a much thicker casting than the standard version. Inside, all the gears and bearings have been uprated to manage the transmission of the exceptional power throughput with, for example, a new output shaft that is nearly 20% larger than the standard. PTO input is now via a heavy duty Type 3, 1 ¾in, 20-spline shaft to match the power requirement.
The entire driveline and structure on the MF 2170 XD has been developed specifically to provide the strength and integrity needed to handle the extra density. New, heavy duty mountings now support the new gearbox within the robust chassis, which has also been designed to accommodate the larger XD flywheel.
The plunger crank arms from the gearbox are the same as those used on the top of the range and extremely well-proven, MF 2190, 1.2m x 1.28m large square baler. These transfer drive through reinforced plunger load arms to the significantly strengthened XD plunger.
A new bale chamber design not only increases the compression on the material to form the Extra Density bales, but also does this at a lower hydraulic pressure than the standard MF 2170. Engineers at Hesston have achieved this using new XD Density doors on the side of the chamber. These have a new, refined profile with a gradual curve which improves compression.
New 115mm diameter XD hydraulic density cylinders, 25mm larger than standard, now act on the chamber. These are mounted in new cast, bell crank pivot supports, designed specifically to handle the extra pressure. Although these provide considerably more compression than the standard baler’s rams they require less pressure, which reduces the load on the on-board hydraulic system and increases longevity of the components.
Massey Ferguson balers are renowned for rock solid knotter reliability and the MF 2170 XD continues to use the original pioneering Hesston-designed, double knotters. The six knotters are kept clean and clear of debris by the standard, transverse impeller blower that operates across the whole width and enhances reliability. An electronically-controlled automatic knotter auto-lube system is also standard and helps to deliver consistent performance knot after knot.
High capacity baling starts with an even, uninterrupted feed, so in common with all MF 2100 Series balers the new MF 2170 XD is fitted with a 2.26m effective working width pick-up.
The MF 2170 XD is set to be the contractors’ choice, so Massey Ferguson is providing a suspended tandem axle as standard. This self-steering independently sprung axle, which runs on 500/45-22.5 tyres, enhances comfort and stability during transport, while providing optimum flotation and ground clearance in the field. This high speed axle is rated at 60km/hr (where permissible) and is available with hydraulic or pneumatic brakes.
The MF 2170 XD, like all the balers in the MF 2100 Series, comes with an ISOBUS 11783 compliant terminal, which controls and monitors the entire baling sequence. This also means the baler can be operated by any terminal that complies with the same standard. Similarly the baler’s terminal can also run other ISOBUS implements.
The recently introduced Integrated Bale Weighing System (IBWS) is an option that operates through the same terminal. This allows the operator to monitor individual bale weight, flake width, bale length and total bale weight, which provides the great benefit of enabling contractors to buy straw or sell forage by the precise tonnage, rather than on a per bale or area basis. Another significant advantage of weighing the bales is it allows operators to reduce costs by achieving maximum truck payloads, without the risk of overloading.
Up to a third more output can be achieved by balers equipped with the option of the HayBoss G2 bale preservative applicator system. Applying Balers Choice preservative allows crops to be baled at moistures between 15% and 30%, but stored normally without the risk of developing harmful moulds and dust. It also protects the material in the tighter, denser bales and can improve hay quality, while reducing crop losses.
The HayBoss system is offered in four modules, which build from basic moisture monitoring, a fully electronic applicator system, a Wet Bale Management System through to sophisticated automatic individual bale ID tagging.
