Watch: does Massey's Ideal have appeal?

Agco first showcased its Ideal range of combines at Agritechnica 2017, branded as both Massey Ferguson and Fendt machines. Three seasons on and the Ideal has finally made its way to Ireland – two Ideal 7 machines in fact.

The Irish Farmers Journal understands one of these has been sold to a Co Carlow-based tillage farm, the first unit to be sold here in Ireland. The second Massey Ferguson branded Ideal 7 is currently undergoing demonstrations by North Dublin-based dealer, WBD Farm Machinery.

Development

The Ideal range of machines was described as an attempt by Agco to put itself back on the combine map. The result came after a six-year-long project, costing in the region of $200m.

Agco claims to have started with a clean sheet, building a completely new machine from the ground up, which resulted in what the firm claimed was the first all-new combine on the European market in 40 years.

Initially three models, the Ideal 7, 8 and 9, were launched under both Massey Ferguson and Fendt brands, with a new flagship model 10T unveiled in Fendt badging at Agritechnica 2019.

The smallest model, the Ideal 7, was roughly compared at launch to the Claas Lexion 760 which has now been replaced by the new second generation 8900-7400 machines.

We caught up with the Ideal 7 demo machine working in between the towns of Navan and Trim in Co Meath. The combine was threshing winter wheat yielding in region of 4t/ac.

Conditions were not just as favourable as one would have liked, but the sun came out in the evening and allowed things to push on that bit better.

Threshing and separation

The model 7 unlike the twin rotor 8 and 9 models is fitted with a single 600mm diameter helix rotor, claiming to be the markets longest at 4.84m. The feeder drum is also 600mm in diameter.

A standout feature of this drum, or RotorFeeder as it is called, is that it is driven from the rotor drive, operating at 70% of the rotor speed. So, in theory crop is never forced in faster than the rotor can manage and therefore should prevent overfeeding and blockages.

According to Agco, there is 0.83m2 of threshing area and 1.44m2 of separation area inside the Ideal 7. At 600mm, the large-diameter long rotor allows for lower rotation speeds, meaning reduced straw damage and the ability to hold crop for longer for better separation and an overall decreased power requirement.

The Ideal balance system is set to improve separation on uneven terrain up to 15 degrees. It comprises of two pans beneath the rotors.

The front pan, which is fitted with channels, evenly collects grains dropped from the rotor before they are evenly distributed across the sieves corresponding channels.

The second pan accommodates grain from further up the separation rotor. It also has channels for even flow across the full sieve width. Returns are deposited back on to the front grain pan for further separation. The Ideal 7 has a total sieve area of 4.9m2.

A unique feature that caught our attention was addition of a hydraulic motor which in the event of a rotor blockage is engaged from the cab, reversing the processing and separation systems to free up the blockage, leaving it easier to remove.

The shaft-driven header is also equipped with a reverse function to help in the event of a blockage.

In terms of power, the Ideal 7 is the only model of the three to be fitted with an Agco Power engine. The 9.8l six cylinder Stage V setup churns out 451hp.

Operator in mind

It is clear from the outset that the Ideal has been built with the customer completely in mind. This is evident having spent time with the machine. Once the side panels are raised, this can be seen straight away.

Agco use what it calls a DriveCenter power distribution manifold which was developed to provide the most efficient power transfer, keeping the number of belts to a minimum.

This main gearbox is fitted with soft start hydraulic clutches reducing stress on belts and drive lines. The main rotor drive belt is mounted in line with the engine tail shaft for maximum power transfer.

In total, the Ideal 7 is fitted with only 13 drive belts and one chain. All belt tensioners are fitted with tension indicators and gearboxes fitted with oil level indicators.

Large removable panels allow easy access to the combine’s concave and sieve areas for maintenance and cleaning purposes.

The hydrostatic pump for the transmission is mounted directly to the DriveCenter gearbox, eliminating possible belt issues after long distances of road travel.

The fly gearbox mounted on the front axle has two speed shifts. The auto diff-lock feature disengages when wheels are turned more than 15 degrees and automatically re-engages once straightened back up. High and low gears can be switched on the move. While 4WD is available as an option, differential locks are standard.

Moving up towards the engine bay and cooling pack, the clean, clutter-free layout continues. The vertically mounted cooling pack is fitted with an automatic reversing fan which comes on once the rotor drive is engaged, during road mode or at a maximum interval of every 15 minutes.

The familiar Fendt Vision cab encompasses the Fendt-style control arm and VarioTerminal which takes care of all the combine’s functions. The main joystick has a host of features and fits nicely in the hand.

The little display to the right of the joystick shows all key machine information such as engine rpm, moisture, fuel levels, yields as well as rotor and sieve losses. The VarioTerminal touchscreen has built in GPS and autosteer functions.

IdealHarvest

IdealHarvest is an option whereby an iPad app connects to the combine via Wi-Fi, allowing performance monitoring and automatic machine optimization dependant to the user’s preferences.

A number of sensors located throughout the machine monitor crop to make informed decisions on machine adjustments. IdealHarvest can be set to work towards presets for performance, efficiency, minimal losses or a compromise between all three presets.

The standard 12,500l grain tank is fitted with a 140l/sec unloading auger while the larger optional 17,100l tank is fitted with a 210l/sec unloading auger.

A shutter at the base of the tank covers the unloading auger upon startup to reduce the initial load on the driveline each time.

Two chopper options are available, the 86-knife four-row BaseCut or 112-knife eight-row or ShortCut chopper. The passive deflector tailboard is offered as standard while the Active Spread tailboard is an option with the ability to spread up to 60ft. The chaff spreader can be set in one of three positions from inside the cab. These are to spread within the straw, mixed within straw for chopping or to the side of the machine.

Our verdict

When we caught up with the Ideal 7, it was working away in winter wheat, yielding 4t/ac. The straw was still quite green and damp, but grain moisture was in the region of 19%. The machine was fitted with the smallest head in the range at 25ft (7.7m), the other options being 30ft (9.2m), 35ft (10.7m) and 40ft (12.2m). The Superflow header is fitted with the chain-driven Powerflow belt, a concept Massey has been using for many years now. The header was doing an impressive job of lifting the areas of laid crop, with a nice presentation and even flow of crop to the feeder house.

Performance couldn’t be faulted. The slightly green damp straw slowed things down slightly as it left threshing that bit harder, requiring more aggression. As the sun came out, performance increased as expected. Straw was in physical shape taking into account threshing was quite aggressive. A large proportion of unbroken stalks and cleanly threshed heads were in the swath.

From a usability point of view, we were impressed with the cab and control arm, with all settings at hand and easily adjusted using the intuitive display and switchgear.

The machine was fitted with 800/70 R38 front and 620/70 R26 rear tyres with a narrow overall width of 3.3m considering the wide footprint. All models except the Paralevel hilliside (PL) versions come with the option of wheels or tracks. Track models are denoted by a T after the model number. Two track widths are available, 26in and 30in.

The big selling point for us on the Ideal 7 was its simple clutter-free layout from front to back. Everything from component layout to maintenance points are well laid out. The large easily removable side panels leave for great access to the concave and sieve areas. Performance given the conditions couldn’t be faulted and in better conditions, we feel the Ideal 7 would definitely be up there with the best in its category.