Massey Ferguson 2370 Ultra HD Baler sets new high density benchmark

Massey Ferguson, a worldwide brand of AGCO, is proud to announce the introduction of the state-of-the-art, MF 2370 Ultra High Density Baler, which makes its debut at the Agritechnica Show in Hanover on 12^th-18^th November 2017.

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The new MF 2370 UHD is in a class of its own, with advanced and innovative engineering introducing ground-breaking design in all areas. The highest performing large square baler ever built at the world-renowned Hesston factory, it makes the highest density bales, which weigh 20% more than those produced by the current MF 2270 XD.

Developed specifically for discerning professional contractors and large-scale arable operators, supplying bio-energy operations and other industries, the MF 2370 Ultra HD helps to maximise truck payloads and improve efficiency for those supplying these expanding markets.

“Existing baler design had reached peak weight and density,” explains Mark Grigson, Product Marketing Manager, Harvesting, “So, to move baling forward and achieve maximum, Ultra density the Hesston team has totally re-engineered the large square baler from the ground up.

“While the renowned and popular Massey Ferguson MF 2270 and MF 2270 XD models will continue to be available, the MF 2370 Ultra HD delivers a significant boost in density, capacity and performance. Its denser, heavier 120cm x 90cm bales further reduce in-field handling and cut transport costs, while optimising haulage and storage capacity,” adds Mr Grigson.

Constructed on a completely new main frame, the baler has an exclusive driveline and gearbox, specifically developed to withstand the enormous forces required to make Ultra high density bales, with a faster plunger speed and immensely strong bale forming area.

The baler’s new Ultra™ Knotters follow the same legendarily reliable Hesston design, now optimised to efficiently handle thicker, stronger twine, developed exclusively to tie the Ultra high density bales.

While featuring immensely strong components in all areas, the MF 2370 Ultra HD weighs just 13.4t, treading lightly on the ground thanks to its standard 620mm wide tyres on the suspended, steering tandem axle. Working together with the nimble MF 8700 Series tractor, it’s the industry’s lightest, highest performance baling combination, reducing fuel consumption and minimising the risk of soil compaction.

Sleek bodywork combines ultra-modern style with practicality. Made from the most modern composite materials, the easy to open panels provide superb access for servicing.

“The MF 2370 UHD Baler fulfils a specific growing segment of the market for the straw professional. Logistic savings are a key area of focus for their business strategy,” adds Adam Sherriff, Market Development Manager, Massey Ferguson Harvesting EME.

MF 2370 UHD features

• MF 2370 Ultra HD makes Ultra high density 120mm x 90mm bales, which are quickly becoming the most popular package size for bio-energy generators and other industrial operations

• The most modern baler design and technology, developed in the world-renowned Hesston factory

• Up to 20% greater feeding capacity from the innovative high capacity OptiFlow™ Pick-up, equipped with five tine bars and polypropylene wrapper bands

• New UltraPress™ comprising: main frame, flywheel, gearbox, plunger & bale chamber, together deliver up to 63% higher load settings

• Exclusive main frame design with immensely strong density cell  designed to deliver Ultra high load settings for unrivalled bale density

• Unique 1500rpm flywheel generates 130% more energy than the XD flywheel to maintain consistent speed for bale quality and smooth, efficient operation

• Easy starting without the need for hydraulic drive assistance

• Unique Ultra™ Gearbox developed specifically to handle the loads required to make Ultra high density bales

• Massive UltraPress™ plunger creates class-leading density, enabling a maximum of 760kN force to be exerted onto the forming bale

• Longer OptiForm™ Ultra bale chamber, equipped with 55% larger rams

• Open-corner bale chamber ensures optimum bale shape in all crops and conditions

• Designed and built in Hesston, Ultra™ Knotters deliver optimum performance with the latest generation, stronger twine required for Ultra high density bales

• EasyFill™ Twine boxes are easy to load from the ground

• Straightforward control with state-of-the-art Massey Ferguson ISOBUS compatible BaleCreate™ user interface

• Superior, steering tandem axle with single leaf spring suspension, offers 3m transport width on standard 620mm wide tyres

The MF 2370 Ultra HD baler will be available for the 2018 season.

Designed and built to make Ultra High Density bales

Developed by specialist engineers in Massey Ferguson’s Hesston, Kansas baler factory, the MF 2370 Ultra HD makes Ultra high density 120cm x 90cm bales, which weigh 20% more than those from the current MF 2270 XD.

Packing more material into the most commonly used bale size in Europe enables farmers, contractors and industrial operations to improve efficiency in all areas. Denser bales require less handling, while optimising transport capacity and storage space.

This huge increase in density is a result of some serious engineering, with the MF 2370 Ultra HD featuring completely new, stronger and more durable components in every area.

Sleek and practical styling

A new sleek, ultra-modern design for the MF 2370 Ultra HD baler combines style with practicality. Guards, made from the latest composite materials, are easy to open and provide great access by lifting just three panels – a full lift-up front nose guard and two full-length side panels.

The EasyFill twine storage boxes also hinge away from the sides to make it easier to access the bale chamber sides.

Immensely strong main frame

The MF 2370 Ultra HD is built around a significantly stronger, main frame constructed from high grade steel. Up front it’s fitted with a new, longer drawbar providing plenty of clearance for wide tyres to improve turning on the headland, together with excellent pick-up visibility.

At 4.0m, the advanced OptiForm Ultra bale chamber is 0.7m (20%) longer than that on the XD model, with a thicker and stronger ‘density cell’ to handle the extreme loads imposed by the Ultra High Density settings. This is equipped with 178mm diameter density rams that are 55% bigger than those on the XD.

Massey Ferguson is the first manufacturer to quote load setting figures for its balers. With a maximum of 760kN, this puts the MF 2370 Ultra HD in a class of its own.

Powerful components drive immense gearbox

Massey Ferguson has developed an immensely strong driveline to transmit the enormous plunger force required to make Ultra High Density bales.

Drive from a standard 1,000rpm PTO first goes through a step-up gearbox. This increases speed to 1,500rpm to power the flywheel, which is a similar weight to that on the XD models, but rotates 50% faster. This unique high-speed flywheel maintains consistent speed for bale quality and smooth, efficient operation.

The faster flywheel also creates and maintains more momentum, which helps smooth the drive to the plunger and maintains an even load on the tractor. There is no need for hydraulic assistance to start the baler.

Protection for the flywheel and drive is provided by an automatic cam clutch. Automatic operation means there’s no need to stop and change shear bolts, cutting downtime and boosting productivity. A second flywheel slip clutch guards against shock loads being passed back to the tractor.

The MF 2370 UHD baler uses high specification roller chain drives which are very power efficient. The straightforward, hard-wearing chain and sprocket drive operates with the upmost efficiency. Supplied by industry-leading ‘Diamond Chain Company’ these are world-renowned for quality, performance and reliability.

Immense plunger force

Working in conjunction with a leading European manufacturer, Massey Ferguson has developed a unique, heavy-duty Ultra™ Gearbox, designed specifically to transmit the extreme loads generated by the Ultra High Density baler.

The new Ultra Gearbox design ingeniously divides the speed reduction between two separate gears, which unite drive back onto the output gear to transmit immense torque within a compact design.

The UHD baler operates at 50 strokes/min, which is 6.5% faster than the current XD baler, creating a huge boost in baler capacity to process the incoming material more effectively.

High capacity OptiFlow Pick-up

A completely new OptiFlow Pick-up delivers 20% greater feeding capacity, ensuring the MF 2370 Ultra HD baler consistently maintains maximum output.

The modern design pivots around the lower auger. This lightens the load, because it doesn’t require the whole pick-up to be lifted, which improves flotation allowing it to follow ground contours more easily.

Latest polypropylene wrapper bands are half the weight of steel, also making it easier to lift the pick-up. As well as being more durable, they also provide a significant noise reduction.

Crop is gathered by 80 double curved tip tines, which can easily handle a wide range of crops. The tines are fitted to five bars, which run in a cam track and improve feeding performance, by lifting more crop, particularly shorter material.

Larger diameter cross augers, along with a full-width, driven and floating top auger above, power the crop into the central feeder that directs the material into the machine. This positive, powered feeding system maintains a smooth, constant flow of material into the baler.

Renowned Hesston knotter system

Ultra High Density bales need reliable strong knots, which tie every time, bale after bale.

The MF 2370 Ultra HD benefits from decades of Hesston’s leading double knotter design, which is acknowledged globally as the most consistently reliable system on the market.

Engineers at Hesston have retained the well-proven six-knotter, double knot system, but have significantly strengthened this latest generation Ultra Knotters. These are designed to not only tie strong knots, to contain the ultra density bales in well-formed packages, but also to work with thicker and significantly stronger twine.

As well as being much larger overall, the Ultra Knotters have a much wider and longer bill hook that opens wider to grasp the twine. Key parts are laser hardened, which greatly extends their working life, and a new chamfered roller design helps improve performance and durability.

The key to the knotters’ enviable reliability record is that they tie two knots in each string around the bale. This means the twines are under much lower tension when tying, compared with using a single knot, which requires the twine to be held under extreme tension.

By retaining six knotters on the 120cm wide bale there’s plenty of space between each knotter, to prevent debris accumulation. State–of-the-art computer-aided airflow modelling has helped increase knotter fan efficiency to clear debris more effectively and further improve tying performance.

Ultra strong bale twine

Massey Ferguson has worked closely with leading manufacturers to develop a twine with incredible strength that is a prerequisite for Ultra high density bales

After years of extensive field and lab testing, the correct specification of twine was defined. For European markets, Massey Ferguson’s specialist twine partner, Tama offers Ultra HD Twine that is factory-approved and the perfect match for the MF 2370 UHD Baler.

Twine is stored in two rows of nine spools in the EasyFill twine boxes, which can be loaded and tied from the ground and accessed easily by simply lifting a side guard.

Slightly angling the storage position, with the top of the spool facing out and upwards, rather than standing vertically, makes it much easier to see how much twine is left in the spool, slide new spools into place and link them together.

The twine boxes can swing forward easily, to provide superb access for servicing components behind.

Straightforward ISOBUS control

Massey Ferguson’s BaleCreate user interface provides straightforward control of the MF 2370 Ultra HD baler. Like all other Massey Ferguson large square balers, it is fully ISOBUS compatible and can be operated through any compliant tractor terminal.

BaleCreate has a modern operating layout, which provides a choice of display screens. The clear and concise system shows an overhead view of the baler on the new bale command ‘home’ screen with short-cut keys to navigate quickly to new pages, requiring just two taps to reach your desired screen.

Graphics also show the load on each of the plunger connecting rods. This information is used to automatically control the bale density system and provides operators with driving guide arrows to help them compensate for uneven swaths.

For customers who don’t wish to operate the baler through the tractor’s ISOBUS terminal, there are two further screen options:

• The entry-level C1000 with a 7in colour screen

• The premium C2100 with a 12in colour touch-screen  

Suspended tandem axle

A new standard 16t rated, tandem axle is fitted with single, leaf-spring suspension and is equipped with air brakes. This new design enables the baler to run on standard, 620mm wide tyres and remain within 3m width for transport.

The rear wheels steer to reduce sward scuffing, but are locked for road transport. Using Massey Ferguson’s Datatronic system operators can set the speed at which the axle lock engages.