DLG Test Report 6256 F Great Plains International SL 400 combination cultivator/disc harrow Power requirement and quality of work Test Center Technology and Farm Inputs www.DLG-Test.de Overview The FokusTest is a smaller­scale The DLG – actual working depth and DLG usability test intended to FokusTest “Power cul tivation horizon of the tools; allow product differentiation and requirement and – profile of the soil surface before special highlighting of innova­ quality of work” and after the working step; tions in machinery and technical was carried out with the GREAT products used primarily in agri­ PLAINS DTX 300 mounted short – crumbling of the soil culture, forestry, horticulture, disc harrow with deep loosening (aggregate size distribution); fruit cultivation and viticulture, as tines (working width: 300 cm – compactness after the well as in landscape and munici­ (118 in.)). The measurements were working step; pal management. taken on harvested, largely flat – straw covering and straw areas of wheat cultivation at the incorporation; This test focuses on testing a DLG International Crop Production product’s individual qualitative Center in Bernburg­Strenzfeld – operation. criteria, e.g. fatigue strength, per­ (Saxony­Anhalt). formance, or quality of work. In addition, the tractor’s fuel con­ The DLG FokusTest “Power sumption was measured. The scope of testing can include requirement and quality of work” In order to document the field criteria from the testing frame­ examined the following testing conditions during soil cultivation, work of a DLG SignumTest, the para meters based on the DLG the stubble heights, straw yield and DLG’s extensive usability test testing framework for soil cultiva­ ground moisture were determined for technical products, and con­ tion equipment: and described. cludes with the publishing of – tractive power requirement; a test report and the awarding – actual travel speed and theore­ Other criteria were not of a test mark. tical area treated per hour; examined in this test. Assessment – Brief Summary The GREAT PLAINS SL 400 combi­ In the second, somewhat deeper soil as the travel speed increases from nation cultivator/disc harrow allows cultivation step, the tractive power 51 % at 6.6 km/h (4.1 mph) to 66 % stubble cultivation (first soil cultiva­ requirement is 94 kW (128 PS) (at at 9.3 km/h (5.8 mph). For the tion step), as well as the subsequent 6.6 km/h (4.1 mph)) and 151 kW deeper soil cultivation step, the dis­ deeper soil cultivation steps. The (205 PS) (at 9.3 km/h (5.8 mph)). As tribution of the incorporated straw tests were carried out at two travel expected, there were corresponding over the various soil horizons is al­ speeds (7 km/h (4.3 mph) and gradations in the measured fuel con­ most identical at both travel speeds. 9.5 km/h (5.9 mph)). The following sumption values. These are approx. 72 % of the incorporated straw is working depths were specified and 13.5 l/ha (1.4 GPA) and 15.5 l/ha mixed into the upper soil horizon adhered to for these tests: (1.7 GPA) at travel speeds of 7 km/h (0 to 5 cm (0 to 2 in.)), approx. 26 % – First soil cultivation step: (4.3 mph) and 9.5 km/h (5.9 mph) into the second soil horizon (5 to working depth of discs: 8 cm respectively. 10 cm (2 to 4 in.)), and 2 % into the soil horizon between 10 cm (4 in.) (3.1 in.); working depth of culti­ The evenness of the surfaces and and 15 cm (6 in.). vator tines: 18 cm (7.1 in.) the compactness after cultivation – Second soil cultivation step: were at a comparable level in all The discs’ cutting angle can be con­ working depth of discs: 10 to trial variants. figured quickly and easily (+). The working depth of the disc harrow is 16 cm (3.9 to 6.3 in.); working With the first soil cultivation step, adjusted without tools by inserting depth of cultivator tines; 20 to 73 % of the straw is incorporated or removing spacers on a piston 25 cm (7.9 to 9.8 in.) into the soil at a straw covering of rod. This requires the operator to 8.8 t/ha (3.9 TPA) and a working The measurement runs were per­ climb inside the equipment’s frame speed of 7.1 km/h (4.4 mph). At a formed without disturbances; no (–). In order to adjust the working working speed of 9.6 km/h (6 mph), blockages occurred and no lateral depth of the cultivator tines, the op­ 82 % of the straw is incorporated pull was identified. erator must climb under the equip­ into the soil. In the first soil cultivation step, the ment and adjust the height of the tractive power requirement is For the second, deeper soil cultiva­ blade arms (–). The SL 400 has a 110 kW (150 PS) (at a working speed tion step, the straw covering was permanently installed lighting unit of 7.1 km/h (4.4 mph)) and 162 kW 3.5 t/ha (1.6 TPA). Here, the propor­ (+) and a facility (bracket) for the or­ (220 PS) (at 9.6 km/h (6 mph)). tion of incorporated straw increases derly storage of hydraulic lines (+). DLG Test Report 6256 F Page 2 of 12 The Product Manufacturer and Applicant Manufacturer: Great Plains UK Ltd Woodbridge Road, Sleaford Lincolnshire, NG34 7EW, England Product: Towed SL 400 combination cultiva­ tor/disc harrow Applicant: Great Plains International 1525 East North Street Salina, Kansas 67401­5060 USA [email protected] www.greatplainsmfg.de Figure 2: Tel.: +49 (0) 151 7022 9901 Front and rear rows of discs with conical concave discs, with cultivator tines fitted between them for deeper soil cultivation Description and Technical Data According to the manufacturer, the GREAT PLAINS SL 400 towed com­ bination cultivator/disc harrow is suitable for stubble cultivation, deeper soil cultivation and seedbed preparation. If additionally fitted with the “Turbo Jet” sowing unit, it can also sow oilseed rape, grass seed and intermediate crops during the soil cultivation process. Great Plains supplies the equipment in working widths of 4.0 metres (157 in.), 5.0 metres (197 in.), 6.0 metres (236 in.) and 6.7 metres (264 in.). The SL 400 used in the DLG test had a working width of 4.0 metres (157 in.). The mounted equipment is attached to the tractor via the linkage arms (category III). Figure 3: Disc cutting angle adjustment (shown here: rear row of discs) The equipment has 10 cultivator tines between the two rows of discs on the disc harrow. It is therefore The disc spacing in the SL 400 is supporting arms also provide over­ possible with the SL 400 to carry 266 mm (10.5 in.) and the line spac­ load protection (also Figure 2). Ac­ out shallow soil cultivation with ing is 133 mm (5.25 in.). cording to the manufacturer, this straw incorporation in conjunction means each disc can lift out of the The cone­shaped concave discs of with soil loosening down to a depth way individually on contact with an the tested machine (Figure 2) have of 25 cm (9.8 in.) in a single work­ obstacle. This does not affect the a diameter of 500 mm (19.7 in) and ing step. For the working width of working depth of the other discs. are each mounted on a ball bear­ 4 metres, the device is fitted with The operator can adapt the cutting ing, each of which has a grease nip­ 16 discs in each of the first and sec­ angle of the two rows of discs to the ple. If special grease is used for ond rows of discs. All of the discs in respective field conditions. Four maintenance, each grease nipple the first row are curved in the same cranks are used to manually adjust must be lubricated after 200 hours. direction. All of the discs in the sec­ the angle steplessly from 0 to 25 de­ ond row are curved in the opposite Each disc is connected to the frame grees. Each crank is fitted with a direction. via a supporting arm. The flexible five­step scale (Figure 3). DLG Test Report 6256 F Page 3 of 12 The working depth of the disc harrow is configured via the linkage arms of the tractor’s lifting gear and via the penetration depth of the rear roller. In order to adjust the working depth on the rear roller, the operator must insert or remove spacers on two piston rods (Figure 4). The working depth of the 10 culti­ vator tines is adjusted individually for each tine. To do this, a bolt must be removed on the respective tine. Once the operator has shifted the tine manually to the desired height, the bolt is passed back through the hole in the tine in order to fix the share at the corresponding height Figure 4: (also Figure 2). According to the Depth adjustment by inserting spacers on two piston rods of the rear roller manufacturer, this allows the re­ spective tines to be adjusted indi­ vidually, for example in order to loosen up compaction caused by the towing vehicle for soil cultiva­ tion or compacted soil in the ma­ chine tracks. Hydraulic depth ad­ justment is fitted as standard to the SL with a working width of 6.7 me­ tres (264 in.). The 10 cultivator tines on the tested equipment have a line spacing of 42.5 cm (16.7 in.). The SL 400 combination cultivator/ disc harrow (working width: 4.0 metres (157 in.)) used in the DLG FokusTest was equipped with the two­part “Double Disc Light” steel packer roller with a total of six rear roller options and rear draw­ bar.