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HARSEWINKEL, GERMANY: In 1936, the Westphalian agricultural machinery manufacturer Gebrüder CLAAS introduced the fi rst European combine harvester, the reaper-thresher-binder (MDB). It was a mechanical marvel. Today, harvester-threshers are high-performance machines boasting sophisticated drive technology and comprehensive on-board electronics. Through modern testing technology, HOERBIGER ensures that the complex electric systems operate fl awlessly on delivery. (Page 26)

HARSEWINKEL, GERMANY [51° 58’ N, 8° 14’ E]HARSEWINKEL, GERMANY [51° 58’ N, 8° 14’ E]

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CLAAS combine harvesters: for 75 years, they have been an indispensable implement in

agriculture. With the MDB reaper-thresher-binder in 1936, CLAAS successfully launched

the fi rst European harvester-thresher. This laid the foundation for the combine production

operation of CLAAS. TEXT: Ludwig Schönefeld · PHOTOS: CLAAS; Peter D. Hartung

Seed Green is more than just a color

www.claas.com

CLAAS Combine Harvesters

A constantCLAAS combine harvesters have been valued for generations.

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T oday, the company is one of the most successful manufacturers of agricultural machinery worldwide, generating sales of 2.5 billion euros (2010). More than 9,500 employees in 14 locations supply the world market. The trademark of all machines is the seed green paint: CLAAS Green—around the globe, it is

synonymous with high productivity and maximum reliability.

Despite the outstanding success, the CLAAS Group has preserved the character of a family-operated enterprise: value-oriented management is their leadership maxim. Coupled with ingenuity, intrinsic value and part-nership, CLAAS has become a driving force in agriculture.

“To us, it’s not just important to continuously optimize machinery and service. We also want to steadily boost the benefit for our customers,” says Dr. Theo Freye, Spokesperson of the CLAAS Management Board. You can see this endeavor to consistently improve in the people of CLAAS: “A passion for agriculture is the basis of our success.”

Thinking Outside the Box

The development and production of combine harvesters, forage harvesters and large XERION tractors continue to be concentrated at the headquar-ters in Harsewinkel. The plant employs approximately 3,000 people, and the production facility covers almost 100 acres.

The company values Germany as a business location. In 2010, a new Technology Center was opened in Harsewinkel. This was a key impetus for the small Westphalian town which is home to 24,000 inhabitants. CLAAS thinks outside the box—for example, when it comes to conserv-ing natural resources by transporting brand-new combine harvesters by rail. In addition, it is the objective of the CLAAS Foundation established in 1999 to promote training and education in the fields of agricultural engineering and farming around the world.

LEXION—Pure Innovation

With the LEXION 600 and 700, CLAAS presented a new generation of powerful large combines in 2010. In 1995, the first LEXION model was the most powerful combine in the world, harvesting up to 40 tons of grain per hour. The current top product, the LEXION 770, easily manages twice this amount under the right conditions. When processing corn, it even clearly surpasses the 100-ton-an-hour mark.

Innovations in every respect: the new combine harvester sets standards in the drive, cutter bar and threshing unit, and in particular driving and operating comfort. One of the key new developments is the cab: even more spacious than the predecessor, the cockpit of the new LEXION affords the driver more freedom of movement, well-organized controls and excellent all-round visibility. Comfortable air-conditioning, a particularly low noise level, and a three-position adjustable steering column create first-class working conditions.

But there is another innovation, which is not apparent to the farmer or agricultural contractor. Not only is the design of the CLAAS LEXION cab a new development—the assembly of the cab also underwent major changes at CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH. HOERBIGER Elektronik GmbH was able to significantly contribute to the development of the cab. HOERBIGER Elektronik GmbH from Ammerbuch, Germany, is considered a Hidden Champion in the development of test consoles and testing software.

One Testing System for all Functions

All electric components of a combine harvester are controlled and monitored from the cab. Previously, during the final inspection CLAAS tested all electric circuits and the interfaces to performance-defining functions of the combine to ensure flawless operation. Subsequent rework of parts due to malfunctions entailed high costs for the required work.

“A passion for agriculture is the basis of our success.”

InnovativeCLAAS sets standards in the driver, in

the cutter bar and threshing unit, and

in driving comfort.

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Combine harvesters from the fi rst gen-eration of 1936 (top) and 1953.

Global Market Leaderwith Westphalian Roots

From then on, the family business contin-

uously evolved from its Westphalian

roots into a global player. The combine

harvester became a top export product:

after the opening of a new plant in Pader-

born in 1956, the fi rst site outside of Ger-

many followed in Metz, France, in 1962.

Other locations followed, both domesti-

cally and abroad. The product range was

continuously expanded. The self-propelled

combine harvester was followed by forage

harvesting machines, pick-up sugar cane

harvesters, self-propelled forage harves-

ters, round balers, and large bale presses.

In 2003, CLAAS acquired a majority stake

in RENAULT Agriculture, expanding its

product range by tractors.

➸ www.claas.com

The history of the CLAAS Group dates back

to the year 1913. At that time, August, Franz

and Bernhard Claas founded Gebrüder

CLAAS company. Their fi rst development

was a mechanical straw binder, for which

series production started in 1919 at the

new location in Harsewinkel, Germany.

The young enterprise spurred on the

mechanization in the agricultural fi eld:

in 1930, the brothers began to develop the

fi rst harvester-thresher. Even before the

combine was ready for series production,

CLAAS started to manufacture the fi rst

mechanical straw balers.

In 1936, CLAAS launched the fi rst com-

bine harvester built in and for Europe.

The initial types were still pulled by a

tractor—until in 1953 CLAAS launched

the fi rst self-propelled combine harvester.

The newly developed cabs offer maximum comfort.

HOERBIGER Elektronik GmbH developed a new cab test stand for CLAAS that checks all electrical components already on the assembly line. This avoids unpleasant surprises during the fi nal inspection.

be operated not only via the 19-inch touch screen, but also from the cab using the wirelessly coupled “SmartControl” remote. This is a considerablebenefit, in particular when performing quality controls of large machines such as combine harvesters.

Partnership on an Equal Footing

“The design and procurement of the cab testing technology was a part of the overall project aimed at redesigning the cab assembly at the Harsewinkel site. With production in full swing, the testing technology had to be prepared so that it was possible to install and begin testing inside of only two weeks, during the plant shutdown in fall,” reports Stephan Dohmann. To achieve this goal, it was of crucial importance that the project teams of CLAAS and HOERBIGER worked together smoothly. “The cooperation on both sides was marked by a pronounced openness: everyone knew their respective contact person when questions arose,” says Stephan Dohmann. HOERBIGER, so it seems, performed admirably for CLAAS. HOERBIGER Elektronik GmbH developed the know-how regarding modern testing systems through years of working with leading truck manufacturers. “This experience helped us to understand today’s demands on the electronics systems in modern agricultural machines, which are considerably more complex,” says Gerhard Marquardt, Head of Test Stand Development at HOERBIGER. “Many functions of agricultural machinery were uncharted territory for us. The proximity to our customer and the continuous exchange with our discussion and development partners were especially important during the joint project.”

Another important aspect was the confidence that CLAAS had in HOERBIGER: “The customer and supplier were very much alike in this project,” says Gerhard Marquardt. “Both companies are medium-sized businesses and innovation- and technology-oriented. We at HOERBIGER always want to improve a good product a little more. This constant endeavor to achieve Product Excellence convinced CLAAS.”

To avoid these costs, HOERBIGER Elektronik GmbH developed a new cab test stand for CLAAS. The new testing system allows all electric components to be checked as early as on the assembly line under simulated real-life conditions. The benefit: the early detection of defects avoids costly surprises during the final inspection.

Ideal Development Conditions

The partnership between CLAAS and HOERBIGER began in February 2010. “The cooperation was successful right from the start. From the very beginning, HOERBIGER tuned in to CLAAS’ requirements and this was the only way that we were able to implement the project in just eight months,” says Stephan Dohmann, Head of Production Scheduling, System and Testing Technology at CLAAS in Harsewinkel. For the development of the testing system and the testing software, HOERBIGER Elektronik GmbH was provided with the original cab of a LEXION combine harvester. “Of course, these were ideal development conditions for us,” Gerhard Marquardt explains, Head of Test Stand Development at HOERBIGER. “In designing the cab contacts and the related test flows, we were able to draw on real-life conditions.”

Well-Engineered Testing Technology

The number of interfaces alone demonstrates just how multifaceted the scope of testing in a combine is: the cab test stand developed for CLAAS has 136 digital and 18 analog inputs, 32 digital and 24 analog outputs, as well as 16 frequency outputs and 6 CAN bus connections. The contact between the combine cabs and the test stands is established by adapter cable sets. This allows the HOERBIGER test console to be used for more than the cabs of the brand-new LEXION combine. Additionally, the electric functions in the cabs of the mid-range TUCANO combines and the compact AVERO combine harvesters as well as in the cockpit of the JAGUAR forage harvester and the large XERION tractor can also be tested with HOERBIGER technology. It goes without saying that all HOERBIGER test stands are network-compatible: USB interfaces, LAN and WLAN, and high-speed CAN are standard features. To make the work of the assembly staff easier, the cab test stand can

PARTOnce a driver’s cab has been completed, the manufacturer performs a final and exhaustive test run. Here, HOERBIGER test stands show their full potential: they inspect all electric compo-nents and controllers and document the results. HOERBIGER Elektronik GmbH supplies compre-hensive tailor-made solutions—optimized to the respective field of application and the individual task, and capable of expanding to accommodate future requirements. Professional engineering assures the customer turnkey solutions and enables the start of production without delay.

PART OFWithin the HOERBIGER Group, HOERBIGER Elektronik is the specialist for testing and diag-nostic technology, control technology, and in-dustrial electronics. The company was founded in 1985 and presently employs a staff of 60 people. The majority of the hardware and software is produced in-house. The best-selling products are flash, testing and diagnostic systems for the vehicle industry. In addition to stationary testing systems, such as the cab test stand developed for the CLAAS Group, the product portfolio includes mobile testing devices, such as the HOERBIGER Porty EVO III used in truck manufacturing for quality assurance purposes.

PARTNERSHIPHOERBIGER supplies comprehensive tailor-made solutions—optimized to the unique field of ap-plication and the individual task, and capable of expanding to accommodate future require-ments. Professional engineering assures the customer turnkey solutions.

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