Claas buys into bots
German harvesting specialist and tractor manufacturer Claas has acquired a minority shareholding in Dutch start-up company AgXeed, the developer of the autonomous AgBot vehicle.
Using a 445 hp Stage V engine and CMATIC continuously variable transmission, the AXION 960 features the CEMOS machine optimisation and CTIC automatic tyre inflation systems. The former automatically adjusts key machine settings for optimal fuel efficiency and productivity, while CTIC automatically adjusts the pressure of the front and rear tyres for optimal performance during work or transport.
The TOTY awards are determined by an expert panel of 26 agricultural journalists from 25 different countries and are normally presented at the EIMA or Agritechnica exhibitions each year.
Wining the sustainable category ahead of 17 other finalists, the judges were particularly impressed by the ease of use of the CEMOS system.
CLAAS Harvest Centre product manager – CLAAS Tractors, Roger Nehoff, explains that the system is based on a ‘dialogue’ with the driver.
“At the start of a job, the driver enters a range of information about operating conditions, such as soil humidity, soil type and working depth; machine data, such as tyre sizes and front and rear ballast; and implement data into the CEBIS touchscreen terminal. The system then actively explores the potential for improvement and passes on suggestions to the driver. The driver can either confirm the suggestions or request alternative settings,” he says.
“In the case of CTIC, the system automatically adjusts the tyre pressure of the front and back wheels, or optionally, trailed implements, to reduce wheel slip, ground damage and fuel consumption during work or transport.
This makes it possible to achieve intelligent dynamic internal tyre pressure adjustment in interaction with other parameters, such as ballast, and real-time performance data.”
Independent field tests conducted by a leading German research organisation found the two systems increased productivity by an average of 16.3% and reduced fuel consumption by up to 16.8% during cultivation.
The DLG field tests showed four out of every five operators were able to improve their productivity or fuel consumption using CEMOS.
CEMOS is available on all new AXION 900/800 and ARION 600/500 tractors equipped with the CMATIC variable transmission, while the CTIC tyre inflation system is available for all models in both series.
