The World's best selling round baler, the CLAAS ROLLANT, is 30 years old this year, during which time just short of 80,000 units have been manufactured.
The current CLAAS ROLLANT range comprises six fixed
chamber models, three of which are fitted as standard with
the CLAAS ROTOCUT chopping system – the ROLLANT 255
UNIWRAP, which also incorporates an integral bale wrapping
unit behind the chamber; the ROLLANT 255 and the ROLLANT 254.
To make the ROLLANT even better suited to UK conditions, the range has been subject to a number of upgrades for 2006 to create the strongest ever ROLLANT, providing higher throughput, and an even better chop for higher quality silage.
To provide even greater reliability in tough conditions, for 2006 all CLAAS ROLLANT balers are now fitted as standard with new heavy duty Reynolds '100 ANSI' drive chains, which have a 10% greater tensile strength than the standard chain previously fitted.
All the rollers within the chamber feature eight internal support plates to carry the weight of heavy bales, and to prevent rollers collapsing. In addition, each roller is carried on 50mm wide roller bearings, running within new cast iron housings with 8mm support plates.
Until now the chopping system has been based on the use of 14 blades. However, in order to achieve full-width edge-to-edge chopping, the number of blades has been increased to 16 with the addition of an extra blade at each end of the rotor, which give a total cutting rate of over 8000 chops per minute.
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The blades themselves have also been upgraded with new double-hardened Deguy blades being fitted. The pronounced teeth give a more aggressive cut for better chop quality, but at the same time are harder wearing so will provide longer life and need sharpening less often.
To provide greater strength in order to cope with heavy UK silage crops, the 16 Deguy blades within the ROTOCUT chopping cylinder are now mounted on new heavy-duty double knife spring hangers, which in turn are held by stronger springs, giving double the force on each knife.
In addition to the extra blades, a heavier-duty Helix Rotor is also now fitted to ROTOCUT and ROTOFEED models, using 8mm thick fingers for improved feed of material through the chopping system, and the rotors are also now fitted with anti-wrap guards at each end.
ROLLANT UNIWRAP
In addition to the changes to the ROTOCUT chopping system, the ROLLANT 255 UNIWRAP also now features a totally enclosed plastic film wrap storage locker, which will avoid film breakdown by protecting the rolls from UV rays, and help reduce dust contamination.
The ROLLANT 255 UNIWRAP is controlled using the CLAAS COMMUNICATOR control unit. For 2006 this has also been subject to a number of upgrades, including the provision of a larger screen, which in turn now enables the operator to access and adjust more functions at the same time on a single screen.
