With the Swadro BaleTrain TC 880 Pro, Krone offers an intelligent combination for swathing and baling in one single person operation. This combination is based on the modified Swadro TC 880 twin-rotor rake, which merges with a round baler . The sole requirement placed on the baler is the ability for bottom hitching using a K 80 ball-head hitch and a PTO drive operating at 540 rpm.
The functions of both machines and their work processes, are automatically controlled and coordinated via intelligent sequential controls. By combining two processes during forage harvesting, working time is reduced, along with fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, and the number of field passes and road journeys are kept to a minimum. This concept also helps to significantly relieve the burden on the ground and, of course, on drivers. Both the rake and the round baler can still be used in solo operation, thus enhancing flexibility and efficiency of the Swadro BaleTrain TC 880 Pro.
Harmonised processes
The Swadro BaleTrain TC 880 Pro is hitched to the tractor via a K 80 ball-head hitch and is also forced steered via a K 50 and a steering linkage. The twin-rotor rake is equipped with an end-to-end drive train for the PTO drive of the round baler. A manual gearbox on the rake ensures that the round baler is always driven at the required rotational speed and the rotational speed of the rotors can be adapted to the harvesting conditions. This means that the rotors can be set to two speeds or completely decoupled by means of a neutral gear.
The rake offers all the necessary connection options for coupling a Krone round baler. The forced steering of the rake ensures that the entire machine combination follows the track, so that the pick-up of the baler can pick up the swath, cleanly and without loss, even when driving around the tightest curves. The forced steering also ensures manoeuvrability at the headland and additionally enables easy manoeuvring in narrow field or yard entrances.
Operator comfort with automatic functions
The “AutoBale” system combines several automatic functions. The automatic lifting system ensures that the rotors of the rake and the pick-up of the baler are automatically lifted when the net or the (peripheral) film of the baler is inserted. The automatic reversing function ensures the same effect when reversing the combination. This relieves the burden on drivers when operating this complex machine combination. Automatic steering is also helpful. It automatically deflects the rake axle to the left or right with the help of the steering signal of the baler, thus enabling optimum filling of the bale chamber by picking up the swath as required. In particular, the automatic steering system always intervenes by readjusting if there is no uniform swath in inhomogeneous crops. This ensures that the baler is optimally supplied with crops under all circumstances and always produces optimally shaped bales.
The Swadro BaleTrain TC 880 Pro is operated via the new and clearly laid out ISOBUS user interface. With the interface, the basic functions of the baler, such as lifting/lowering the pick-up or opening/closing the tailgate, can also be carried out via rake operation, even if the baler otherwise has to do this via control units. The baler can then also be included in the automatic functions.
