Fendt is launching the Katana 65 self-propelled forage harvester in the UK and Ireland following a highly successful introduction in France and Germany. The move coincides with delivery of the 100th machine to be sold in Europe in early June.
The UK and Ireland is the third largest market for foragers in Europe and the Katana 65 looks set to see similar sales success here, judging by the initial interest from customers, according to Fendt sales manager Richard Shelton.
“There’s definitely pent up demand for the Katana 65,” he said. “This is coming from contractors operating fleets of our tractors that already have experience of Fendt’s premium service and back-up.
“At 653hp, the Katana is aimed at the fastest-growing sector of the market and we are also receiving serious enquiries for demonstrations from customers who are new to us as well. These operators are looking at all the alternatives, including the Katana 65, before they trade up.”
The Katana 65 is powered by a Mercedes-Benz MTU V8 engine that’s equipped with the latest selective catalytic reduction exhaust after-treatment system and is well proven in forage harvesters.
Tuned specifically to deliver the torque and peak power to match forage harvesting demands, the 15.93-litre capacity engine develops its maximum power of 653hp at a low rated speed of 1,800rpm. It generates its maximum torque of 3,000Nm at a low 1,300rpm, which also helps to reduce fuel consumption. Electronic engine management provides superb control and ensures it always operates at optimum efficiency.
Access for maintenance and servicing is easy thanks to large side doors, which open on parallelogram linkages to reveal the engine and hydraulic system, as well as the two large air filters. Also, the Katana’s unique engine layout provides space for a large maintenance platform between the cooling unit and harvesting elements.
Mounting the engine lengthways – rather than across – the chassis offers a number of benefits and novel features, as well as the ability to fit it lower down to improve stability and providing visibility over the low, rear bonnet.
Drive from the main shaft goes straight into a speed shift gearbox that provides the EcoPower facility allowing cutting speed to be achieved at just 1,600 engine rpm to save fuel when operating in lighter second- and third-cut grass crops.
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The Katana 65 is powered by a Mercedes- Benz V8 engine tuned to deliver its maximum output of 653hp at the low rated speed of 1,800rpm. |
From here, a massive, single multi-V belt transfers power to the main knife cylinder, through a clutch, via the cooling system pulley and blower, and auto-tensioner unit.
An even feed, in a straight line, is key to achieving efficient forage harvesting, so the Katana 65 design feeds crop from the pick-up or maize header straight into the feed rollers and into the cylinder. There are no unnecessary direction changes to the crop flow in the Katana’s chopping system, with the material fed directly into the centre of the cylinder on which the knives are arranged in V shape. The straight feed, with constant and effective acceleration, means there are no bottlenecks, which allows high-capacity chopping performance to be maintained in all crops and conditions.
Even feed and optimum crop flow is maintained, even on undulating surfaces and slopes, because the feed rollers always remain parallel while the header mounting point is free to oscillate.
Fendt employs six, hydraulically driven feed rollers that progressively compress the crop, feeding it straight into the knife cylinder. The metal detector is fitted to the first (outer) roller for maximum distance from the drum to provide a greater safety margin.
The even feed and crop consolidation by the rollers help set up the right conditions to achieve the optimum cutting quality by the 800mm wide x 720mm diameter knife cylinder – the largest on the market. This is equipped with 28 knives, arranged in a V-shape configuration.
Up to 16,100 cuts/min can be provided by the 1,150rpm cylinder speed. Stepless chopping length adjustment can be selected, from the cab terminal, in two ranges: From 4-10mm or 10-21mm. Removing half of the knives doubles the available chop lengths, again in two ranges, up to 42mm.
The crop accelerator roller is 770mm wide and 550mm in diameter and fitted with V-shaped paddles on the ‘open rotor’ design, positively propelling large quantities of material up the chute. The accelerator gap is set by moving the whole unit closer or further away from the chute wall. This novel approach not only makes adjustments simple and easy, but also adjusts the drive belt at the same.
The Katana 65 chute’s standard overload height is 6m and with a wide swivelling arc it fills trailers easily and effectively. When worked in conjunction with Fendt tractors, it’s possible to synch the video camera on the spout with the screen in the trailer tractor so both operators can see the filling process on the Variotronic screens.
Fendt has developed a highly innovative corn cracker for the Katana 65 that processes the crop efficiently with a huge surface area. It’s also the simplest and easiest system on the market to quickly engage or disengage at the touch of a button, with electro-hydraulic control.
The novel design employs interlocking, V-shaped rollers to process the crop. These 265mm diameter rollers provide a significantly larger friction surface area than others, which ensures kernels are crushed efficiently. This results in better feed utilisation by animals. The system also consumes less power due to the constant speed of the rollers and even throughput of material.
When not required, the cracker and grass chute can be swivelled out of work, electro-hydraulically. This quick change-over makes it easy to switch back to grass in the maize season.
The Katana Viso 5 cab, which has been newly developed for the machine and equipped to the highest standard, offers operators uncompromising space, comfort and visibility.
Virtually every function and control is operated via the Variotronic terminal. This has a 10.4-inch touch-screen that provides operators with easy-to-use ‘buttons’ and ‘pages’ to monitor all operations and make adjustments to settings.
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| The Katana 65 chute’s standard overload height is 6m with a wide swivelling arc. |
The display is mounted on the right armrest just ahead of the programmable, multi-function joystick, which incorporates buttons to operate all the main forager functions. Alongside this, by the armrest, is a blister-button keypad for all the less frequently used controls as well as finger-switches for controlling the chute movement.
Automatic climate control and heating are standard, as are cameras mounted facing the rear and on the spout, both of which can be viewed together or separately on the separate cab screen. A wireless system to send images to screens in haulage tractors is also available.
Rear axle suspension is standard, which permits high road and cutting speeds to achieved in comfort, with the active system working in a similar way to that on a Fendt tractor. Manual height adjustment allows operators to change settings and eases fitting rear weight plates when required.
The rear axle provides drive to the wheels through shafts connected to a central hydraulically-driven differential gearbox. Traction is maintained by an automatic differential lock and Intelligent Anti-Slip Control. This automatically senses when one wheel is slipping and diverts drive to the others.
The front wheels are driven by individual hydrostatic motors for each wheel, mounted on the chassis. These provide permanent all-wheel drive and also work within the anti-slip system.
Fendt is now embarking on a country-wide demonstration programme, starting with two machines in early grass, which will be joined by more later in the season and for maize. Currently the machines will be operating from four dealers, picked purely for their geographic locations and ability to support the machines as well as hold the necessary spare parts.
The four current Katana 65 dealers are: Ross Agri Services in Scotland, RVW Pugh for Wales and the west, Redlynch Agricultural Engineering in the west of England and Alan Snow in the South-west. These dealers were also chosen because they are in, or close, to the main livestock and forage-growing areas.
The UJK’s main Agco Parts distribution centre at Desford is also gearing up to support the forage harvester and will be introducing a Green Harvest Support extended hours programme, similar to that provided for the harvest and autumn cultivation periods.
For more information visit: www.fendt.com.
