Massey Ferguson is further strengthening its position at the top of the high capacity, conventional combine harvester sector with the introduction of its new Centora range, which makes its world debut at INNOV-AGRI, Outarville, Orléans, France on 2nd to 4th September.
These combines are further testament to AGCO delivering on its promise to develop the best and broadest range of equipment to make it a world leader in all areas of harvesting technology. The company is backing this pledge with multi-million dollar investments in research and development along with the latest engineering, production and support systems.
Massey Ferguson customers are benefiting from AGCO's ongoing investment, which is producing a dynamic focus on harvesting equipment. This began last season with the launch of the exceptional MF 2100 Series large square balers, which redefine the industry benchmark for performance, economy and reliability.
The same vigour and innovation that Massey Ferguson has brought to its completely new tractor ranges is being reflected in the launch of the new Centora Conventional Combine range and its new Fortia Rotary Combines.
The new Centora combines will be built in AGCO's recently restructured Danish, Randers plant, which has benefited from significant investment and restructuring. Using the latest, high quality production methods the factory has seen a 40% increase in output since 2005.
Centora – high capacity conventional harvesting innovations
The Centora range comprises two new models, the 378hp, MF 7280 and 413hp, MF 7282, which are also available in full AutoLevel variants.
The new combines are equipped with Massey Ferguson's unique eight straw-walkers, which along with the highly efficient, gentle threshing system provide high outputs in a wide range of crops and conditions. At the same time this threshing and separation system provides exceptionally clean grain samples with low power and fuel consumptions.
"The Centora range builds on Massey Ferguson's unique and well proven conventional combine developments. No other manufacturer offers eight straw-walkers, which provide a third more separation capacity compared with six-walker machines," explains Martin Hamer, Harvesting Marketing Manager.
"The conventional design is very flexible. It is not only capable of high capacity in a wide range of crops and conditions. It also offers consistent performance throughout the day. Combine capacity is not just about 'headline' tonne/hr figures. It has to maintain high throughputs in tonnes/day and tonnes/season. Moreover, the Centora combines have a lower power requirement and, importantly, consume less fuel than powered separator designs."
The new Centora combines are the product of Massey Ferguson's enormous experience and expertise in conventional combine design. They are equipped with the latest and best technology that is designed to boost outputs and ease harvesting of modern high yielding varieties, regardless of the crop type or moisture contents.
Centora key features:
• Standard Powerflow tables - proven to increase capacity in oilseed rape by up to 73%. Equipped with automatic levelling, cutting height and reel speed controls.
• 1,680mm wide x 600mm diameter Hi-Inertia threshing cylinder
• Strong, highly permeable concave with pre-threshing rub bar
• Twin Speed Rotary Separator with adjustable concave for optimum separation
• Eight straw-walkers, with seven 'action areas' providing up to a third more separation capacity, with lower losses than six straw-walkers
• Cascade cleaning system with two separate grain pans and electrically adjustable sieves for the highest quality sample
• Separate rethresher unit processes any returns
• High capacity, turret unloading auger
• Standard eight-row rotating blade min-till chopper
Ultimate performance from standard Powerflow table
The new Centora combines are fitted with the MF Powerflow table as standard. All operators will know that an even, 'heads first' crop flow plays a key role in combine performance.
Tried and tested with more than 30 years experience in the field, the Powerflow table will lift outputs by up to 73% in rape and 15% in wheat and 12% in barley, without any need to make any alterations or adjustments when switching between crops. A low-cost rape auger option, further improves performance in tall crops.
Powerflow tables use moving belts to power the crop across the massive 1.14m distance between the knife and auger. The belts then actively transport the material into the auger, which means crop feeding does not rely on the machine's forward motion, the belts actually power it into the auger.
"After experiencing the advantages of Powerflow, operators will never want to use another table," explains Mr Hamer. "With oilseed rape now playing such an important part in many rotations – up to 50% on some farms – Powerflow is an essential tool, there's no other option for those looking for high capacity – particularly in oilseed rape."
On Centora combines the Powerflow table is equipped, as standard, with Auto Level control that tilts the table to follow ground contours. It also has automatic Cutting Height Control that provides three height options at the touch of a button. Auto Reel Speed maintains the operator's set ratio between forward speed and reel speed to ensure even feeding at all times.
Field Pressure Control, standard on the MF 7282 and MF 7282 AL and an option on the MF 7280 and MF 7280 AL, sets the lowest cutting height, while minimising the risk of 'bulldozing', which is an invaluable aid when cutting low, difficult and laid crops.
Wide, strong Hi-Inertia cylinder
Crops are threshed by a 1,680mm wide, 600mm diameter Hi-Inertia threshing cylinder. The eight replaceable rasp bars are mounted on 7mm thick backing bars, which not only provide strength and rigidity, they also add weight to increase the flywheel effect. This maintains momentum that keeps the crop flowing freely through the system, while also saving power and fuel.
Threshing starts immediately the crop enters as it passes over a thick pre-threshing rub bar in front of the concave. The material is then threshed against the ultra-strong 12-rub bar, electrically-adjustable concave. This is reinforced by 10mm thick side supports and ten centre bars to prevent distortion, even in heavy grass seed crops. The versatile drum and concave system provides aggressive threshing for high outputs, with minimum damage to both the grain and straw.
A rear beater then moves the crop into Massey Ferguson's Twin Speed Rotary Separator. "This is not a threshing element," explains Mr Hamer. "Its primary role is to maximise the volume of the straw and open up the mat 'separating' out any trapped grain and spreading the straw onto the straw-walkers." The two-speed settings and its adjustable concave minimise damage in delicate and brittle crops.
Constant Flow proven to lift output by 15%
Massey Ferguson's Constant Flow system is standard on the MF 7282 and MF 7282 AL Centora combines and a genuine, output-enhancing option on the MF 7280 and MF 7280 AL. The system automatically matches the forward speed of the combine to the load on the threshing mechanism. By maintaining the correct loading, whatever the conditions, Constant Flow ensures optimum performance and reduces operator fatigue. Independent tests prove this option can lift capacity by up to 15% in many crops and conditions.
Unique eight straw-walker separation
Massey Ferguson is the only combine manufacturer that offers the benefits of eight straw-walkers for optimum separation in all conditions, combined with low power and fuel consumption. Providing a total separation area of 6.68m² the eight-walker design provides 30% more capacity than six-walker designs, with more action to turn, tease and agitate the
