Page 28 - AWA Vol. 42-No.2 issue

TRACTORS

The AMAZONE Catros compact disc harrow turns 25

Twenty-five years ago, a new era in soil
tillage began for AMAZONE. Shortly af-
ter the AMAZONE Group took over BBG
Bodenbearbeitungsgeräte Leipzig in
1998, the foundations were laid for one
of the most successful products in the
AMAZONE soil tillage world. In 2001, the
newly developed Catros was launched
on the market giving high-performance
shallow stubble cultivation. Right from the
start, the innovative design set impres-
sive standards as a compact, three-point
linkage mounted implement, equipped
with two rows of aggressively angled,
individually suspended concave discs
mounted on maintenance-free, rubber
buffer blocks. To date, numerous mile-
stones have marked the development,
such as the Smart Frame System, which ameters of 510 mm enabled the more in- portance of field hygiene with innovative
offers the ultimate in ease of use and op- tensive incorporation of organic matter. leading tools such as the knife roller. This
timum handling, high working speeds The innovative TS bogey chassis and, for enables intensive shredding before in-
and area coverage, as well as efficiency the first time ever, bolt-on bearing shafts corporation, thereby accelerating the de-
and cost-effectiveness – values that are on the disc arms ensured even greater composition process. The front-mounted
appreciated by farmers worldwide. flexibility and durability. In 2013, the pro- Crushboard provides a powerful crum-
Pack was added as an optional extra for bling and levelling effect which, in com-
Highlights of the on-going develop-
ment – a variety of options for every certain models. This is a special solution bination with a rear roller and a harrow is
farm for long-term use in slurry application, therefore ideal for seedbed preparation.
which was supplemented shortly after-
Over the years, the Catros has been wards with a convenient central lubri- The latest developments have taken
continuously developed to meet the in- cation system. From 2016 onwards, the the Catros range to new heights in terms
creasing demands of modern agricul- Catros+ 12003-2TS became the new flag- of comfort and durability. The Smart
ture and the diverse needs of farmers. As ship of the Catros family for large farms Frame System allows the working depth
early as 2003, the range was expanded and contractors. The 12 metre working to be adjusted hydraulically from the
to include additional working widths and width adapts perfectly to any uneven cab without having to readjust the frame
offered with a new, fully hydraulic work- ground thanks to the ContourFrame with angle. The depth is also adjusted inde-
ing depth adjustment feature. In 2004, the its hydraulically pre-pressurised frame pendently of any leading tool. The disc
switch was made to oil-immersed, main- sections and individually suspended bearing, which has proven itself over two
tenance-free disc bearings. This not only discs. million times, and the HD roller bear-
significantly reduced set-up times and ing with metal face seal are completely
maintenance costs but also permitted a The introduction in 2020 of the Ca- maintenance-free thanks to being filled
sustainable increase in performance. At trosXL, brought a new dimension to the with gear oil.
this time, AMAZONE also offered its first range of discs offered, thereby expand- Anniversary year 2026 – 25 years of
catch crop seeder box for the simultane- ing the range of applications. Its 610 mm the Catros
ous application of cover crops and fine discs enable deep and intensive mixing
seeds. This was further developed in line of large amounts of organic matter, espe- 25 years of the Catros demonstrate how
with market requirements and now pro- cially in very heavy and wet soil condi- AMAZONE supports and optimises agri-
vides flexible use across a wide variety tions. culture in the long term through contin-
of AMAZONE soil tillage implements and Sustainability and efficiency – for the uous innovation and practical solutions.
seed drills under the name GreenDrill. agriculture of tomorrow For a quarter of a century, the Catros has
The trailed versions with integrated run- Recent years have been dominated by stood for technological progress which is
ning gear extended the product range technical innovations designed to make consistently geared towards the demands
from 2005 onwards and enable greater soil tillage more sustainable and effi- in practice and makes soil tillage more
working widths and use with smaller cient. Special optional equipment, such efficient step by step. Today, AMAZONE
tractors. In 2007, the range of rear rollers as the X-Cutter disc with a wavy profile, offers the right model for every farm –
was widened to meet the individual chal- has been developed in response to the from compact implements for smaller
lenges encountered in practice. increasing demand for shallower soil fields in working widths from 2.50 metres
With the introduction of the Catros+ tillage to protect the soil structure and to wide, high-output, machines of up to 12
model in 2011, the disc harrow concept conserve soil moisture in dry locations. metres for maximum efficiency.
was significantly expanded: new disc di- AMAZONE responded to the growing im- Circle 37 on enquiry card
26 Vol. 42 No. 2