Thanks to Kuhn’s Smart Soil Technology (SST), the Optimer series of disc harrows maintains a constant working direction and depth. The result is greater field efficiency and reduced operator fatigue
The term proprioception refers to the body’s ability to sense its position and movement in space without relying on vision. This function is essential, for example, for maintaining balance with closed eyes or in the dark. It is made possible by specialized receptors, known as proprioceptors, located in muscles, tendons, and joints, which continuously send information to the central nervous system, allowing it to generate the most appropriate responses to changing conditions.
A similar concept can be applied to agricultural implements when they are equipped with sensors capable of providing the tractor’s onboard computer with real-time information about the implement’s position relative to a predefined working line or reference axis. This continuous flow of data enables the control system to adjust the implement’s position through dedicated hydraulic systems, automatically correcting any deviations detected by the sensors.
Such a system has only a limited impact on productivity when operating on perfectly level fields, where gravity itself naturally stabilizes the implement. Its advantages become much more significant, however, when working on sloping terrain, such as hilly landscapes. In these conditions, gravity continuously pulls the implement downhill, creating lateral drift that becomes increasingly pronounced as both slope gradients and implement weight increase.
Although the implement remains attached to the tractor, its size and mass naturally tend to follow the pull of gravity, creating torsional forces and misalignment with the tractor’s intended travel path. Taking a disc harrow as an example, the front section generally remains aligned with the tractor while the rear section drifts sideways, resulting in uneven working depths, reduced precision, and increased soil resistance.
These losses in efficiency are effectively eliminated by Kuhn’s new ISOBUS-compatible Optimer independent disc harrows, available in working widths ranging from 6.0 to 7.5 meters. A coulter positioned at the center of the machine continuously measures the implement’s drift angle, which varies according to both field slope and travel direction. A network of sensors transmits this information to the control unit, which automatically and continuously compensates for the disturbing forces, ensuring that the maximum difference in working depth between the front and rear disc rows never exceeds three centimeters.
Known as Smart Soil Technology (SST), this system has been developed to maximize field performance while relieving the operator of the constant effort required to monitor and correct an implement that naturally tends to deviate from its intended path.
In addition to allowing all operating parameters to be managed directly from the tractor cab, the SST system also automatically adjusts the implement to changing ground conditions through the Steady Control Ultimate function. This ensures a more uniform and consistent working depth across the entire width of the machine.
Both systems rely on sensors that continuously detect pressure and positional changes experienced by the implement. The electronic control unit processes these signals and actuates dedicated hydraulic cylinders that extend or retract as needed to minimize deviations. As a result, the implement faithfully follows the tractor’s trajectory while maintaining the working depth selected by the operator, even under difficult field conditions or at high operating speeds.
The system also supports prescription maps through the dedicated TC-GEO function, which automatically adjusts working depth according to field prescriptions while simultaneously recording the actual operating depth achieved, providing both improved agronomic precision and complete operational documentation.
The new Kuhn Optimer harrows are further enhanced by the Section Control system, which automatically raises and lowers the cultivator at headlands without driver intervention. Operators can also choose the most suitable headland turning strategy by pivoting either on the transport wheels or on the rear roller, reducing unnecessary soil compaction while improving maneuverability.
Title: Kuhn Optimer: greater field efficiency, no stress
Translation with ChatGPT
