New Holland, undoubtedly, was one of the manufacturers creating the largest stir at Agritechnica, when it pulled back the covers on its highly anticipated CR11 flagship combine.
Adding to the hype was the fact it had been earlier crowned winner of the show's only gold innovation award.
New Holland, I’m sure, has John Deere’s X9 flagship and Claas Lexion 8900 firmly in its crosshairs with its CR11, as rumoured throughput figures are hovering somewhere in the region of 120t/hour.
Although the majority of key information has been announced, some technical information surrounding the CR11 has been withheld as it awaits its full launch.
Described by New Holland as taking the legacy of its current flagship CR10.9 to another level, the CR11 is the result of a five-year R&D project, which took place at the company’s centre of harvesting excellence in Zedelgem, Belgium.
As a result, it shares little in common with its predecessor, other than the internal working principal - over 95% of components are new.
New Holland has used the most advanced automation features at its disposal, claiming to have helped drive grain losses down close to zero.
Threshing and cleaning
On display centre stage, the combine was partnered with a massive 15m (50ft) MacDon draper header, but it doesn’t stop there.
The firm has said that the CR11 is capable of an additional 10m, taking its maximum header width to 60ft (18m). The twin rotor setup is still common. However, the rotors have increased in diameter to 24in.
The patented cleaning system has also been made 13% wider and grain elevator loading has been optimised, while pressure sensor-supported control technology measures the ram pressure and therefore harvested crop distribution separately on the front and rear upper sieves.
A twin clean, double-inline cleaning shoe has been introduced to help keep losses to an absolute minimum. This setup combines two upper sieves and two lower sieves, two clean grain augers and two sets of pressure sensors to measure the cleaning shoe load.
Claiming to be an industry first, the new twin clean system is fully automated in terms of adjustment to ensure even cross-distribution of the cleaning shoe for maximum capacity and low losses.
Essentially, the uneven distribution of the mix of grain and non-grain constituents are compensated through lateral shaking, as a result of which the system not only ensures consistent distribution of the material on the upper sieves on the flat and also on lateral slopes, but is also able for the first time to solve the basic lateral distribution problem typical of axial rotor combine harvesters.
The clean grain tank has a 20,000l capacity and an unloading rate of 220l/min.
Chopper and spreader
In terms of residue management, major changes have been introduced. A new chopper system and chaff spreader, designed to chop and evenly distribute material over a cutting width of up to 18m (60ft), has been added.
With the aid of the Intellispread radar system, it automatically adjusts rotor speeds and vane position to ensure a full and even spread pattern behind the combine.
Based on the combine's shear potential throughput, a new method of removing blockages from the operator’s seat has been introduced.
The automatic reverse procedure is said to guide the operator through a procedure, thus requiring no physical effort.
The automatic system not only performs the usual back and forth movements to loosen the blockage, but also slews the belt tensioner to the respective tensioning side of the feed drum belt, which leads to particularly precise transfer of the rotary movement.
Driveline
To keep up with the claimed throughput figures, it was obvious that the engine bay was going to see major changes. It houses a longitudinally mounted 775hp Cursor 16 (C16) lump from sister company, FPT Industrial.
We are led to believe that this 16-litre setup comprises a two-stage turbo arrangement and is the power unit shared with the new Quadtrac 715, from sister company Case IH, which was also publicly unveiled at the event.
In the Quadtrac, this unit features the HI-eSCR maintenance-free after-treatment system with no DPF, leading us to believe that it will be the same in the CR11.
The CR11 is said to have a more simplified driveline, with 25% fewer components and zero chains. Based on its simplified driveline, New Holland is claiming fuel consumption reductions of up to 20% from testing.
In order to support this monstrous machine, larger track and tyre options are going to be available. The display machine was in fact fitted with Michelin Cerexbib 2 tyres with dimensions of 900/64 R46 - the first time a tyre of such size has ever been fitted to a combine. However, UK machines will be delivered on tracks.
Cab
Aside from new styling, the cab has been updated and is home to a new Intelliview 12 display and IntelliSteer guidance system, together with other precision farming functions such as telematics and remote screen viewing.
Furthermore, NutriSense comes with an NIR sensor to monitor crop quality via the use of near infrared light to analyse nutrients such as protein, starch and oil contents, plus moisture levels. Based on such information, maps can be created for further agronomic analysis.
Although, a machine likely not to grace the shores of Ireland, order books open in summer 2024 ahead of delivery for harvest 2025.
It is expected that production machines will be painted in New Holland's standard yellow livery. Pricing is also yet to be confirmed.
The CR11 will also makes its UK debut at LAMMA show on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 January.