New Holland’s new CR11 combine harvester boasts ‘never-before-seen’ technology

New Holland has unveiled its next-generation twin rotor combine harvesters at a dazzling launch event at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. The machinery juggernaut chose WA for the Australian launch of its most advanced combine yet, the CR11, alongside the CR10 companion model on August 8 Both models feature new technologies “never before seen in the world of harvesting”, with New Holland boasting their release is sure to “shake up the industry”. With a complete rebuild designed to drive down the total cost of harvesting and increase bottom-line profitability, the CR combines could be a game changer for large grain farmers. Built at New Holland’s combine centre of excellence in Belgium, the CR11 and CR10 were developed to provide higher productivity with close to zero grain loss, improved residue management, and maximum uptime. Marc Smith — crop harvesting product and portfolio manager at New Holland Australia-New Zealand — said both models were built on New Holland’s heritage of almost 50 years of leadership in the development of twin rotor technology. “Both combines feature twin 600mm (24in) rotors of increased diameter and length, providing greater capacity for the crop to circulate and the grain (to) be threshed and separated,” he said. “The CR11 features a 15.9-litre FPT Cursor 16 engine producing 775hp, while the CR10 engine is a 12.9-litre FPT Cursor 13 generating 635hp. “The CR11 grain tank holds 20,000 litres, with an impressive unloading rate of 210L/second, while the CR10 tank holds 16,000 litres and has a 210L/second unloading rate.” Both combines are equipped with improved IntelliSense automation systems, which make automatic adjustments according to the chosen harvest strategy, whether limited loss, best grain quality, maximum capacity, or fixed throughput. Mr Smith said New Holland had also developed a new “twin-clean” cleaning shoe that could handle all materials coming from the rotors to reduce grain loss. The cleaning shoe consists of two sieve systems in sequence, each having its own upper and lower sieve and clean grain auger. “The cross-distribution mechanism guarantees an even cleaning shoe load in all conditions to maintain maximum grain quality — a signature feature of New Holland’s twin rotor technology,” Mr Smith said. The CR’s new residue management system was designed to meet the most demanding needs. The IntelliSpread feature uses twin radars that continuously measure, interpret and control the residue spreading system to ensure a full width and uniform spreading coverage, with spread width up to 18m to satisfy the largest of draper heads on the market. “New Holland has developed the cleanest driveline in the market to significantly reduce maintenance and downtime,” Mr Smith said. “We’ve reduced the number of drive components by 25 per cent, and all drive chains have been eliminated to further reduce downtime and maximise efficiency.” A new in-cab de-slug feature which, once engaged, is fully automated, saves the operator time and effort as well as improving safety. The innovative feature saw the CR11 combine awarded Agritechnica’s gold medal innovation award last November. The CR11 has undergone comprehensive validation testing in Australia, with plans for in-field demonstrations and limited production of new machines for the 2025 harvest.