TwinMax speeds hay drying
Dec 17, 2004 12:00 PM
Faster drydown and more uniform hay conditioning are just two of the benefits of Challenger's new AHBT TwinMax auger headers, which are the first to feature the revolutionary Challenger TwinMax hay conditioner.
Unlike traditional hay conditioners, the TwinMax is unique. It uses not one, but two separate sets of conditioner rolls positioned in-line for double conditioning.
Thorough conditioning action
The first pair consists of steel-on-steel rolls that engage for thorough conditioning action on a variety of crops. This insures efficient crimping along the entire length of plant stems. The second pair consists of intermeshing rubber rolls and sit directly behind the steel rolls, applying a crushing action on plant stems as they direct the crop to the swath shield or windrow forming shields.
“Field trials and customer experience with prototype machines have already shown faster drydown and higher hay quality from the TwinMax conditioner versus standard conditioners,” said Art Williams, marketing manager for Challenger hay and forage products. “Reducing drying time by several hours to a full day offers numerous benefits. For one, it provides a larger window of opportunity for producers to harvest high-quality hay and improve profitability. Getting the crop off the field quicker also reduces the chances of it being rained on and allows producers who irrigate to get water back on the field earlier. Less time in the field also means less bleaching, for greener hay,” he adds.
For some producers, faster drydown also has the potential to reduce or eliminate additional passes over the field with a rake or tedder, which can reduce both fuel costs and compaction. It can also reduce the amount of preservatives needed to insure hay quality in certain environments.
Dual conditioner rolls
Dual conditioner rolls are just part of the TwinMax's secret to success, however. Another is hydraulic tensioning on both sets of rolls, which insures consistent pressure despite varying conditions, and permits quicker adjustment between crops, fields or customers. The roll gap and hydraulic tension can even be individually adjusted on both the front and back conditioner rolls.
“This allows the operator to make a near infinite number of adjustments for matching conditioning action to virtually any crop situation,” Williams noted. “The combinations of roll spacing and pressure on the two sets of rolls are seemingly endless.”
For more information on the Challenger TwinMax conditioner or the Challenger AHBT TwinMax auger headers in 14- and 16-foot cutting widths, visit www.challengerag.com.
