The Splendimo cutter bar is energy-friendly!
All Splendimo disc mowers are fitted with a unique modular cutter bar. This Lely invention is made up of universal mowing units, which are directly driven by a flexible hexagonal shaft. Consequently, this cutter bar contains far fewer gears than any other cutter bar, which results in outstanding output and saving on fuel.
Modular and flexible
The Splendimo cutter bar consists of mowing units that rotate to the left or to the right and spacers. All these components are held together under immense pressure on a chrome-steel torque bar. The number of mowing units and variation of the direction of rotation and the main drive simply provides a wide range of working widths and models. This also has benefits for the supply of parts because a minimum number of components are sufficient to ensure proper servicing.
Direct drive ensures outstanding output
The main benefit of the Splendimo cutter bar is the unique drive system. Every mowing unit is directly driven by a drive shaft and not by gears, such as used by every other disc mower. The special hexagonal shaft is made from very high-grade steel and runs through the centre of all the discs. Each mowing unit obtains the necessary power from the shaft and power losses due to friction and heat are kept to a minimum.
Fuel-saving
The Lely cutter bar therefore has greater efficiency and lower power requirements, as much as 15 to 20%, than conventional cutter bars. The wider the working width, the greater the difference in the power required. You will notice this in the reduced fuel consumption!.
Overloading
Overloading the main drive is prevented because the flexible shaft efficiently absorbs the shocks. Should a disc become seriously overloaded, the hexagonal shaft protects the other elements by twisting or, in the event of extreme overloading, by breaking
No loss of friction
With conventional gear-driven cutter bars at least two gear transmissions are needed between two adjacent mower discs. Each transmission causes a 5% loss of friction and this loss will grow proportionately with the power to be transmitted.
Overlap between knives
The cutter bar and its components are so designed so that the “heart” of the mower discs is close to the front of the cutter bar. Consequently, the mower disc rotates in the crop for almost 180° while in addition, there is more room between the discs. The overlap between the 120 mm knives of the Splendimo mower is not equalled by of any other mower on the market.
Grease
Every mowing unit is packed with grease and permanently sealed. Even at extreme working angles the grease stays in the gears and does not flow to one side of the bar, as with conventional cutter bars.
Easy change of mower blades
Timely change of mower blades is required to ensure a good mowing pattern as well as proper re-growth. In the past, quite a few quick blade change systems were devised but they were not always without drawbacks. Lely’s innovative approach has led to the Splendimo clip. A very simple invention ensuring a timely, easy and above all safe change of mower blades. Safe, secure and simple.
Substantial amount of clearance underneath cutting disc
The major benefit of bolt fixation for the mower blades is that the maximum amount of clearance is created underneath the disc. There are no additional components to limit the space and there is therefore no restriction to the cutting pattern, power requirements or durability of the cutter bar. Safety also plays a role: there is always a visual check of the knife bolt when changing the knives.
Easy change – never blunt blades again
The major benefit of a quick-change system is of course the ease with which a knife can be replaced. Consequently, users will tend to replace the knives on their mowers more frequently. This is a good thing because mowing with blunt knives will severely reduce re-growth.
The solution
The innovative Splendimo Clip consists of a wearproof knife fixed by a very hard bolt, which is secured by a spring-steel plate – the Splendimo Clip – and a cam on the mower disc. This method of knife fixation combines the best features of both the bolted and the quick-change system:
- Quick and easy to replace knives.
- Ample space beneath the mower disc.
- Good check on wear of the knife pin.
- Smallest amount of components.
Removal and Fixation
Removal
To change a worn knife, you release the clip from the cam on the disc with the aid of the special Lely tool provided, after which you can easily remove the clip from the knife pin. Using the same tool, you then tap the knife pin out of the mower disc.
Fixation
After changing the knife, the knife pin and the new knife are replaced through the mowing disc from underneath. Once in place, the Splendimo Clip is slid into the groove in the knife pin up to the cam on the mower disc. One tap from the Lely tool re-secures the clip behind the cam on the mower disc.
Quick drying and preservation of nutritional value
Impeller conditioners are fitted with a large number of fingers to ensure optimum drying as well as preservation of structure and nutritional value. The wide rotors guarantee outstanding crop throughput thus saving on power required.
Impeller Fast drying and crop-friendly
In the first place the conditioner is designed to accelerate the drying process. Due to the conditioning process, the waxy layer of the leaf is rubbed, hence the moisture can escape more easily and this reduces the time in the field. The conditioning process and above all the intensity of it, has been the subject of discussion for many years. Discussions centre around the potential loss of nutritional value as well as the enormous power requirements with some other systems.
High crop throughput
Impeller conditioners are generously sized and the rotors are the widest on the market place. This ensures a high crop throughput which is important in terms of good mowing patterns as well as fuel economy. Crops that cannot flow through quickly enough do not only deteriorate the mowing pattern but also require much drive power. Regular or wide swath, easily adjustable.
Acceleration ensures conditioning and throughput
The new generation of Lely Impeller-conditioners have been designed to perform both functions perfectly. The name Impeller (pump vane or turbine), stands for accelerator. Acceleration is the key word, both for the conditioning process and the flow of the crop.
Long conditioning fingers for optimum conditioning
The spirally mounted plastic conditioning fingers rotate through the crop and start the crop throughput. The speed of the fingers is however much higher than that of the crop. By utilising relatively long conditioning fingers, the crop is able to penetrate deep into the rotor. The fingers therefore slip through the material and rub open the waxy coating, without endangering the structure of the leaves or the stems. The high-quality plastic conditioning fingers are lightweight, very durable and also cattle-friendly.
Sustainable technology ensures low cost-price
The cost-price of a machine depends upon its buying price, trade-in value and maintenance costs. Says your bookkeeper. Now that is 100% true, but then again you know the differences that may occur in practice. After all, you may be amazed by the high trade‑in value of your used machine. The reverse may hold good for the fixed amount for maintenance, which is often – provided you invest in quality – calculated higher than strictly necessary. Due to extensive testing and the use of high-grade materials in the machines described in this brochure we at Lely ensure low maintenance costs as well as a high trade-in value. In addition, we always try and reduce cost-prices by keeping the design of our machines as simple as possible and by refraining from any fancy and/or superfluous features.
Low maintenance costs
Every Splendimo mowing unit is completely sealed and individually lubricated with grease to enable constant lubrication. The most important advantage of separate units is that all the right-angled reduction gearing is constantly lubricated under all conditions. Due to this separate lubrication system, the units are also lubricated whilst in the headland position. Lubrication by grease is very low-maintenance and has a very long maintenance interval.
Quick repair
Repairs to a cutter bar are usually a time‑consuming chore. Often, the entire cutter bar has to be dismantled in order to repair it and metal particles are spread throughout the bar. Due to the modular construction of the Splendimo cutter bar, the damage remains limited and the cutter bar is extremely easy to dismantle to replace or repair the defective component. This means that repairs can be carried out quickly and at low cost. The success of Lely mowers on roadsides, where damage cannot be avoided, is the best proof of this!
Overloading
In the event of overloading due to a foreign object between the mowing discs, the flexible hexagonal shaft can absorb it without causing further damage. If the overloading is extreme, the shaft will break or deform as a safety measure. Any damage to the cutter bar remains limited to the shaft itself.
Powdercoating
Proper protection is vitally important, especially with agricultural machinery. At Lely, a powder coating is applied wherever possible. With powder coating, the parts are first sandblasted, degreased and pre-treated and subsequently covered with a layer of powder. This powder is subsequently ‘melted’ over the material in an oven. This provides a durable, colourfast, impact-resistant protection against rust and ultimately, a high residual value for the machine!
Simplicity
The durability of a machine is often due to its simplicity. By designing them as intelligently as possible, the number of components can be kept to a minimum. However, every machine has its own specific requirements so that it is a challenge to fulfil them with as few components as possible.