As combines and other agricultural machinery get heavier, larger, and faster, they need more power, better control, and stable hydraulic pressure to perform demanding work functions
As combines and other agricultural machinery get heavier, larger, and faster, they need more power, better control, and stable hydraulic pressure to perform demanding work functions. The Claas Group is one of the world's largest manufacturers of combine harvesters — one in three of the combines sold in Europe is made by Claas. The company's Lexion Model 590 combine harvester uses the newly released H1 servo controlled hydrostatic pump package from Sauer-Danfoss, Ames, Iowa, for improved power and control. The result is higher efficiency, helping to reduce operating costs and improve overall machine performance.
Sauer-Danfoss engineers began working with Claas three years ago to develop their entire propel package, including the 165 cc/rev H1 pump, Series 51 bent-axis motor, S1X microcontroller, and software. Some of the new features include an Integrated Speed Limitation system that protects the diesel engine and pump against overspeed, and an integrated control override system that provides an additional element of pump control — enhancing safety without any wear on the internal workings.
The shorter, compact H1 pump enabled Claas to install an auxiliary pump in the rear of the H1 for steering. The Claas Lexion Model 590 has been released in the U.S. and a similar model will be released in Europe in 2006.
"The design was of the H1 optimized for electronic control systems, it was not compromised to accommodate manual or hydraulic controls," said Ryan Smalley, senior applications engineer with Sauer-Danfoss.
Sauer-Danfoss released H1 in March, in a single pump configuration with displacements of 147cc/rev and 165 cc/rev, and plans to release the entire range of the next generation pumps, from 20 cc/rev to 250 cc/rev in the coming years. The full range makes the H1 package suitable for many medium-and high-power mobile machine applications with high productivity and reliability demands, including those in agriculture, construction, materials handling, forestry, and turf care.
For more information on H1 or other Sauer Danfoss products, call (515) 956-5750 or e-mail Nadvertising@sauerdanfoss.com