The R-Series benefits from the proven HC rotor concept featuring an in-line design
Rotor and converging augers aligned on a single axle
Left, HC rotor; right, classic rotor design
By using the HC Premium rotor – a device implemented on John Deere round balers since 2012 – the R-Series feeding system offers:
- Limited distance from the pickup to the rotor tines to reduce plugging, especially in brittle straw or short silage
- Reduced number of bearings and distributed loads along the rotor to increase reliability
- Large 48-cm (18.9-in.) diameter converging augers facilitating crops transfer
The overall result is optimized crop flow that avoids all dead area where crops stay for a long time.
This smooth and regular crop flow guarantees high feeding capacity, especially in short crops such as brittle straw or sticky silage.
RotoFlow HC Premium is the perfect solution for non-cutting uses
Premium rotor design with tines fully enclosing the tube
R-Series Round Balers can be delivered with a RotoFlow HC premium non-cutting solution.
All other John Deere round balers are equipped with a rotor feeder:
- Close to 50-cm (19.7-in.) diameter rotor for high inertia and feeding capacity
- Hardox® wear plate material (similar to the R-Series) provides long lifespan and high resistance to foreign objects (Hardox wear plate tines provide 80 percent or more resistance versus traditional S700 grade steel)
- Three tines per turn for smooth crop flow
- Tines fully enclose the tube (instead of spikes on the G-Series RotoFlow HC), giving higher tine resistance and longer lifetime
The RotoFlow HC Premium design has been used for five years on John Deere variable-chamber balers and has demonstrated unsurpassed capacity (John Deere 900 Series official productivity world record) and very high versatility.
MaxiCut™ HC 13 Premium rotor offers standard cutting length with high productivity and versatility
MaxiCut HC 13 Premium Rotor
Knives individually protected
As an alternative to the RotoFlow HC Premium, R-Series Balers can be delivered with the MaxiCut HC 13 Premium rotor.
As with the non-cutting system, the rotor features:
- Close to 50-cm (19.7-in.) diameter rotor for high inertia and feeding capacity.
- Hardox wear plate material (similar to R-Series) that provides long lifespan and high resistance to foreign objects (Hardox wear plate tines provide 80 percent or more resistance versus traditional S700 grade steel)
- Three tines per turn (instead of two on the G-Series RotoFlow HC)
- Tines fully enclosing the tube (instead of spikes on the G-Series RotoFlow HC), giving higher tine resistance and longer component lifetime
The precutter function offers:
- 0/13 knives engagement from the display. No need to leave the cab to manage knives.
- 80-mm (3.1-in.) knife spacing when all knives are engaged, a standard cutting length giving a good compromise between crops quality and power consumption.
- Heavy-duty knives thanks to the double hardening and tempering treatment. Crops are perfectly cut for long, requiring less fuel consumption and sharpening operations.
- Individually spring-loaded knives to avoid component damages when grabbing foreign objects. Compared to a shear bolt or full-set hydraulic system, this technology limits efforts on the knives and provides non-stop safety.
MaxiCut HC 25 Premium provides high-quality fine chopped crops
MaxiCut HC 25 Premium rotor
Two knife sets can be managed from the monitor
For enhanced forage quality or for special application (poultry bedding, fruits, and vegetables application), MaxiCut HC 25 Premium can be assembled on R-Series Balers.
As with the RotoFlow HC Premium or MaxiCut HC 13 Premium, this fine chop precutter features:
- Close to 50-cm (19.7-in.) diameter rotor for high inertia and feeding capacity
- Hardox wear plate material (similar to the R-Series) that provides long lifespan and high resistance to foreign objects (Hardox wear plate tines provide 80 percent or more resistance versus traditional S700 grade steel)
- Three tines per turn (instead of two on the G-Series RotoFlow HC)
- Tines fully enclosing the tube (instead of spikes on the G-Series RotoFlow HC), giving higher tine resistance and longer component lifetime
The fine-chop precutter function offers additional features such as:
- 0/12/13/25 knife engagement from the display. No need to leave the cab to manage knives. When used alone, the 12 or 13 knives set provides a regular 80-mm (3.1-in.) knife spacing and limited power consumption. When teamed together, knife spacing is reduced to 40 mm (1.6 in.).
- Heavy-duty knives due to the double-hardening and tempering treatment. Crops are perfectly cut for long, requiring less fuel consumption and sharpening operations. When cutting at regular 80-mm (31-in.) length, the two independent knife sets extend time between each sharpening process by using the first knife set one day and the second one on the next day (time between each sharpening process given can vary depending on crop type and number of bales).
- Individually spring-loaded knives to avoid component damage when grabbing foreign objects. Compared to a shear bolt or full-set hydraulic system, this technology limits efforts on the knives and provides a real non-stop safety.
The knife slot fillers set is delivered as standard with all machines featuring the precutter. When using the MaxiCut HC Premium pickup without knives, dust and harvest matter can fill knife slots. This keeps the knives from returning to the cutting position, and plugs must be manually removed to free the knives.
The knife slot fillers take the place of knives when not cutting crops. Drop-floor holes are then filled, allowing quick and easy knife re- engagement. When cutting, the knife slot fillers are stored and locked in a convenient bracket located on the right-side of the baler
Feeding system improvement – beneath “on the right-side of the baler”
Model year 2024 sees improvements to the feeding system with a new knife lever and roller assembly. The new assembly improves the effective knife engagement process and reduces the amount of cleaning required. This will reduce operator downtime and maintenance of the cutting device.
Feeding system
Hardox is a trademark of SSAB Technology AB.