Vicon FastBale Premium
Non-stop fixed chamber baler-wrapper combination.
Description
Fixed Chamber Baler
The art of round baling took a massive leap forward with the unveiling of Vicon FastBale Premium – a revolutionary non-stop round baler wrapper combination that cleverly integrates a pre-chamber with a main chamber and a wrapper. Machine layout is truly innovative with two chambers arranged in series, allowing a number of rollers to be shared. Operating as a pre-chamber, the first section of Vicon FastBale Premium produces two-thirds of the bale. As the pre-chamber reaches its preset density, crop flow is diverted into the main bale chamber allowing baling to continue.
Vicon FastBale Premium represents two world firsts: it is currently the World’s only non-stop fixed chamber baler and secondly, it is the World’s only non-stop fixed chamber baler wrapper combination.
Vicon FastBale Premium has received multiple awards including:
- Machine of the Year award at Sima 2015
- Silver medal at Sima 2015
- Silver medal at Agribex-Brussel 2015
- Award for outstanding Technical Novelty at Fima, in Spain, 2016
- New Product or Innovation award at LAMMA show in UK, 2016
- Harvest Machinery Winner 2016 award at IMMA, Cereals in UK, 2016
Features
How FastBale Premium Works
FastBale Premium features two bale chambers – a full-sized main chamber and a pre-chamber which is about two thirds of the size of the main chamber.
Baling starts in the conventional manner with the main chamber producing the first bale. However, once the bale is fully formed, instead of having to stop to apply the net, FastBale Premium diverts the crop flow to the pre-chamber.
This allows the net to be applied to the bale in the main chamber and for the bale to be ejected onto the wrapper. When the pre-chamber is full, the incoming crop flow, together with the pre-compressed crop are both then transferred into the main bale chamber. Here the bale is formed to its final size and density.
1. The bale is formed in the main bale chamber in the conventional manner until the required density is reached.
2. When the bale is fully formed, the crop flow, is diverted to the pre-chamber, while the net is applied to the completed bale.
3. The tailgate opens and the completed bale rolls directly onto the wrapper by gravity.
4. The wrapper is raised to its working position and the wrapping commences.
5.The crop flow continues to fill the pre-chamber until the pre-set density is reached.
6. Crop flow and pre-compressed crop are transferred to the main bale chamber.
Massive Intake rotor with a huge appetite!
The Huge 800 mm diameter intake rotor equipped with 50 Hardox® tines, gives unrivalled intake capacity. Close mounting of the pick-up to the rotor eliminates any dead areas when working in short crops while the 25-knife SuperCut chopping system features group selection giving a choice 6, 12, 13, 25 knives to match all conditions, all backed up with the security of a drop floor in case of blockage.
2.2m extra wide pick-up
FastBale Premium’s pick-up is equipped with 5 tine bars, with each bar supported by two intermediate bearings, while a cam track at both ends reduces cam loadings by 50%, giving assured long-term durability.
A unique internal drive system keeps overall width to a minimum, with the result that pick-up guide wheels do not need to be removed or folded for transport, reducing unproductive time between works.
Complex bale transfer systems have been completely eliminated. The wrapper is lowered to receive the bale directly from the main bale chamber.
The wrap-around main frame also avoids any risk of a bale being lost over the back of the wrapper when working on sloping land, improving operational safety compared to other systems.
FastBale Premium's innovative wrapping system incorporates twin satellites which rotate about the vertical axis, with the bale supported on two powered rollers. This layout substantially reduces the space required for the rotation of the film, resulting in a more compact machine, faster operation and higher precision in wrapping.
Film on Film
FastBale Premium is available with a film on film option. Some of the benefits of this technique include improved silage quality,easier handling and feeding out of bales and simpler recycling of plastic waste.
FastBale Premium non-stop technology brings added benefits when working with Film-on-Film.
Conventional baler-wrappers have to stop to apply net to the bale, which takes at least 5 seconds, plus more time to open/close the tailgate. Wrapping with net replacement film needs more wraps due to the ‘tail’ which has to be formed at the beginning and end of the cycle.
This results in the binding cycle taking over 10 seconds – so at least 5 seconds extra spent stationary for every bale made.
FastBale Premium continues baling during binding so all of this time is saved.
FastBale Premium has a unique method of discharging the wrapped bale. When wrapping is complete, the rear roller is lifted. This gently places the bale onto the ground, rather than rolling it off the wrapping table, greatly reducing the risk of the bale rolling away when working on sloping land.
Bale turner
The optional bale turner allows wrapped bales to be discharged on their end, where the increased number of film layers provides enhanced protection against damage from coarse crop stubbles or stones.
The innovative yet simple design utilises the lifting action of FastBale Premium’s wrapper frame to turn the bale while still on the move, maintaining the non-stop capability of FastBale Premium, with no requirement for any additional hydraulic functions.
This ingenious solution is very compact – during the bale wrapping process the bale turner is stowed under the front wrapper roller, with the result that FastBale Premium retains its class leading compact dimensions in both work and transport. A further plus point is that the bale turner does not need to be folded away manually prior to road transport. If the bale turner is not required, it can be left in place and simply locked in its parked position with the operating link disconnected, allowing bales to be discharged in the conventional manner.
FastBale Premium has been built with maximum reliability in mind and incorporates many features to increase long term durability:
- Integrated main input gearbox with 1000 rpm input speed distributes drive to the various elements while keeping loading on the PTO shaft and tractor PTO clutch to a minimum.
- Separate drivelines power the intake rotor, pre-chamber and main bale chamber, with all bale chamber drives handled by heavy duty 1¼” pitch chains.
- All bale chamber rollers feature 50mm diameter bearings at both ends, with the drive side being equipped with double row roller bearings for maximum load capability.
- Long life for chamber roller and intake rotor bearings is assured by an automatic greasing system, while chain drives are provided with an automatic lubrication system.
Great Things Come in Small Packages!
Despite its non-stop capability, FastBale Premium is extremely compact. With its pre-chamber located above the large diameter intake rotor and several chamber rollers shared between both bale chambers, mechanical complexity is kept to a minimum.
Combined with its revolutionary vertical folding satellite wrapping system, convenient road transport and easy access to even the tightest of fields is assured.
FastBale Premium is equipped with a hydraulically operated net roll lifting device, providing easy loading. The net cradle lifts the roll to the correct position, it then simply slides into the net system.
The device also conveniently stores a spare net roll.
Convenient film roll changeover
Simple film roll loading using the remote slow-speed satellite rotate button. Both rolls can be changed while standing in the same position.
10 roll capacity
Two rolls of film are in use, with on-machine storage for a further eight rolls.
FastBale Premium provides fully automatic operation. The result is that not only is productivity significantly increased, but stress and fatigue for the operator are reduced. The only operation the operator needs to choose is whether to control the release of the wrapped bale. Elimination of stop-start operation also gives a significant reduction in wear and tear on the tractor transmission.
Technical specifications
Technical specifications
Download brochureBale diameter |
Intake System |
Binding |
|
Vicon FastBale Premium |
1.26m x 1.27m |
800mm intake rotor with 25 knife chopping system |
Net or Film binding |