To read more about the other AE50 Award winners, read Farm Equipment's coverage from the January issue of the magazine. 

Three different CLAAS innovations were recently recognized by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ASABE) with AE50 Awards. The announcement from the ASABE came early this year, with the official award ceremony taking place in February 2025 at the ASABE Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

“We are excited to have three of our agricultural innovations be recognized among the top 50 in 2024 as voted on by the ASABE,” explained Eric Raby, CLAAS Senior Vice President Region Americas. “Our engineers are constantly working to refine our technologies, making our equipment more productive, efficient, and sustainable. This year, our harvesting equipment has been the focus, starting with the most recent addition to the LEXION combine lineup and ending with two very innovative enhancements to our JAGUAR forage harvesters.”

CLAAS-TERRA-TRAC

Photo by: CLAAS

LEXION 8900 TERRA TRAC:

Introduced this summer at the Ag in Motion farm show in Saskatoon, SK, the top model in the LEXION lineup offers the most available horsepower in their largest combine range, delivering 779 max horsepower (SAE) from a highly efficient 16.2L MAN engine with DYNAMIC POWER – an increase of 89 hp over the LEXION 8800 model. The LEXION 8900 TERRA TRAC class-10+ combine is particularly well suited for the large-scale small grain operations common in western Canada and other key growing regions in the US.

Threshing and separation is handled through the field-proven APS SYNFLOW HYBRID system featuring an accelerated pre-separation system that threshes up to 30% of the grain before the crop reaches twin rotors that gently finish the separation process. Unlike with other combines in its class, the threshing and separation speeds are controlled independently, giving the machine the ability to harvest quickly without compromising grain quality. Coupled with the CLAAS-exclusive CEMOS AUTOMATIC combine automation system, the LEXION 8900 TERRA TRAC makes autonomous and automatic real-time in-field adjustments as field conditions change with more precision and speed than a seasoned operator.

The LEXION 8900 is exclusively offered with the TERRA TRAC undercarriage, for a smooth ride, superior traction, minimal compaction, and excellent header stability for the biggest farming operations. 

JAGUAR Earlage Adapter:

CLAAS designed and manufactured the earlage adapter to seamlessly integrate a combine-style multi-coupler to the harvester to utilize Auto Contour and Auto Pilot functionalities. It features:   

  1. Integrated hydraulic 4° side-to-side lateral contour for equal stubble height in hilly conditions
  2. Integrated communication from header auto pilot wands to the self-propelled forage harvester
  3. Integrated hydraulic deck plate adjustment controls from in the cab
  4. Extra-large, heavy-duty gear boxes for greater durability and longevity
  5. Wide feeding paddle to transfer crop efficiently from header to feed rolls
  6. The drum can float up enabling higher throughput and better feeding, especially in high yield crop
  7. 80HD chain to enhance durability and longevity

The adapter helps increase capacity, reduce overthrow, and provide greater wear resistance for longer-term productivity.

CLAAS-JAGUAR

Photo by: CLAAS

JAGUAR V-FLEX Drum:

The V-FLEX Drum represents the most flexible cutting cylinder on the market with its three-bolt knife design, 10-degree knife angles and 21-percent more wear protection coating for a longer service life. A wide range of cutting lengths (36, 28, 24 and 20) can fit the same base drum providing greater flexibility. In addition, the new design lowers cab noise by 4dBA for greater comfort. 

“The JAGUAR has been an industry leader for more than 50 years and now, with these new components, CLAAS continues to offer cutting edge advancements, providing our owners maximum productivity and flexibility,” said Tyler Roucka, marketing manager for Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters with CLAAS of America. “We’re looking forward to rolling out these expanded features for operators in early 2025 across North America.”

The AE50 Awards, presented by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), annually recognize the 50 most innovative new products and product innovations in North America that have significant impact on agricultural, food and biological systems. Of the numerous submissions in 2024, three CLAAS submissions were recognized among the top 50 for their innovation, significant technical advances, and market impact.

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