With the Swativo T 1040 Pro, Krone is launching its first-ever pickup rake. Thanks to its flexible and gentle operation, this swathing system is particularly suitable for leafy forage such as lucerne.
While rotary rakes are particularly effective for grass and straw from stemmed crops such as cereals, pickup rakes offer clear advantages for leafy and herbaceous crops such as lucerne or clover. Thanks to the Swativo T 1040 Pro’s gentle collection and conveyance of the crops, leaf loss is minimised and forage quality is further improved.
“When developing the Swativo T 1040 Pro, the focus was not only on high-quality forage but also on consistent swath formation and intuitive ease of use,” emphasises product manager Tobias Reher. The pickup rake combines tried-and-tested Krone technologies with design features to ensure even swathing, and, with a maximum working width of up to 10.40 m, proves to be an efficient link in the harvesting chain.
Swathing with no leaf loss
At the heart of the Swativo T 1040 Pro lies the “OptiSwath” concept. This combines coordinated components of the swathing units to ensure a constant crop flow and even swaths. The EasyFlow pick-up, with its five rows of tines, ensures that the crop is picked up with minimal loss and is also low-maintenance. A two-part design ensures optimal ground adaptation, even in difficult conditions. Rubber-coated guide rolls guide the pick-up safely over every contour of the ground at the set working height, thereby further helping to protect the soil and ensure clean forage intake.
In combination with the FlexFlow feed rotor, Krone employs a twin-rotor system. As the speed of the feed rotor can be flexibly adjusted in relation to the pick-up speed, the crop flow can be optimally adapted to different harvesting conditions. The crop is therefore thrown onto the conveyor belt in a controlled and loose manner. With a width of 1.20 m, this belt can reliably handle even large volumes of crops.
In addition, the conveyor belt is mounted at a steep angle on the machine so that it feeds the crops directly towards the swath. The belt speed can be adjusted as required and can therefore be optimally adapted to the driving speed of the tractor. In this way, the Swativo T 1040 Pro’s special swathing technology prevents the crops from becoming blocked and therefore ensures a consistently even crop flow.
All units involved in the crop flow control system are hydraulically driven. To ensure a reliable oil supply, the machine features its own on-board hydraulic system whose pump units are operated by the tractor’s PTO shaft.
Confident in challenging conditions
The driver can easily adjust the bearing pressure of the pick-up units hydraulically from the tractor cab to suit the prevailing ground conditions. For example, on damp ground, reducing the ground pressure helps to ensure that the delicate sward is not damaged. In addition to the hydraulic pressure relief on the swathing units, the pick-up is also mechanically relieved, enabling it to react quickly to uneven ground.
Similarly, the pressure exerted on the crops by the crop press roller units and deflector sheets can be easily adjusted hydraulically as required. This optimises the pick-up capacity to ensure a very even crop flow as well as the swath shape. With high-quality forage plants such as lucerne, every single leaf counts when it comes to quality. That is why, during the development of the Swativo T 1040 Pro, particular emphasis was placed on ensuring that the crops are picked up and conveyed with care.
Flexible swathing and ease of use
To ensure maximum flexibility in swathing, the Swativo T 1040 Pro features telescopic units and conveyor belts with adjustable directions of rotation. This allows for a variety of swath shapes and positions: From centre and side swathing to single or twin swathing. This allows the machine to be optimally adapted to different operating strategies and crop volumes.
The machine is operated via a fully-fledged ISOBUS control with a modern user interface. All functions and parameters can be easily adjusted from the tractor cab. Stored crop profiles for different operating conditions facilitate the work and ensure a consistently high standard of work.
The machine features as standard an automatic belt stop which ensures neat swath ends. Another standard feature is a collection function which enables the targeted collection of crops in difficult areas of the field. The optional Section Control automates the raising and lowering of the pick-up units on wedge-shaped surfaces.
In the field and on the road
A mechanical forced steering system ensures manoeuvrability and facilitates working on tight bends and swathing corners. The steered axle ensures manoeuvrability in confined spaces and, thanks to high working speeds, enables a high acreage output. For road transport, the belt units can be easily folded in hydraulically and lock automatically. A compressed air brake system and LED lighting, including warning panels, provide the required safety.
