A bale identification assembly has a binding material with identification tags at spaced intervals is used by a knotter system to bind a formed bale. A read module with an antenna transmits interrogator signals and also receives authentication replies from identification tags. The bale identification assembly has a bale drop sensor with a paddle. As a completed bale passes through the discharge chute, the completed bale interacts with the paddle causing the bale drop sensor to activate. Activation of the bale drop sensor activates the antenna for a specified active cycle, and during its active cycle, the read module assigns any identification tag that is sensed to the completed bale that is leaving the discharge chute. A controller receives information from at least one crop sensor and/or bale sensor and associates the information about the completed bale with the identification tag on the completed bale.

A baler implement a tag installer operable to attach an RFID identification tag to a bale. A reader is positioned to interrogate the identification tag for receiving data from the identification tag. The reader is operable to emit an interrogation signal for interrogating the identification tag in accordance with a pre-defined timing sequence. The reader emits the interrogation signal regardless of a position of the bale in the baling chamber or on the baler implement. As such, the interrogation signal is emitted based on the pre-defined timing sequence. The pre-defined timing sequence may include a repeated on/off interrogation sequence, or continuously scanning interrogation sequence.

A system and method for automatic wrapping bales in a bale wrapper, including placing a bale on a loading table and performing a wrapping cycle. The wrapping cycle including rotating a wrapping hoop to apply a wrapping material to a bale surface, moving a bale pushing device from a first position toward a second position to push the bale through the wrapping hoop, dispensing from a first material applicator and a second material applicator, determining presence of the wrapping material, by a sensor on the wrapping hoop, adjusting based on the determining, a ratio of moving speed to rotational speed of the wrapping hoop, to apply a predetermined amount of wrapping material independent of the presence of wrapping material dispensing, continuing to move the bale pushing device until the second position is reached, stopping the rotation of the wrapping hoop, and moving the bale pushing device to the first position.

A system, method, and apparatus includes management of a net wrap cycle of a cylindrical bale in a baling chamber of a round baler. The baler includes a crop supply assembly that passes crop material into the baling chamber and a net wrap unit. An electronic controller determines a net wrapping condition of the bale in the baling chamber in response to operation of the crop supply assembly, initiates a net wrap start event to dispense a first portion of a net wrap material from the net wrap unit in response to the net wrapping condition being less than a full bale condition, and disengages a component from the crop supply assembly to stop operation of the crop supply assembly when the bale has satisfied the full bale condition. The net wrapping condition includes a diameter growth rate measurement being greater than a net wrap initiation threshold.

A baling machine including a bale-forming chamber for receiving plant matter and forming it into a bale. The bale-forming chamber includes one or more rotatable, bale-forming rollers and a feed mechanism for feeding a flexible wrapping material into the bale-forming chamber for wrapping a bale therein. The baling machine further includes an acoustic or vibration sensor that is configured for generating an output. The acoustic or vibration sensor generates an output signal that is characteristic of operation of the baling machine while wrapping material is being fed into the bale-forming chamber. The status of the output signal indicates whether the wrapping material is being wrapped onto the bale or around the one or more rotatable, bale-forming rollers.

A round baler implement having a variable pressing chamber for producing cylindrical round bales, includes at least one circulating pressing belt and at least one sensor device for detecting tension in the pressing belt. The sensor device includes a pivoting device and a pick-up that is received on the pivoting device so as to be preloaded in the direction of the pressing belt such that it is in contact with the pressing belt. The sensor device further includes a deflector which pivots the pivoting device upon contact with the pressing means independently of the tension of the pressing means to detect a misalignment of the pressing belt and/or an unevenly forming bale.

A binding material for binding a bale (14) of crop material has bale (14) identification tags (62) used to identify properties of the bale (14) that is bound by the binding material. The binding material (52) includes at least one strand of a non-identifying filament and one strand of an identifying filament incorporating the identification tag (62). The non-identifying filament and the identifying filament are wound together before the binding material (52) is used to bind the bale. The identifying filament has an RFID inlay having conducting wires of an antenna connected to an RFID chip, with the length of the inlay between 10 and 24 cm. The RFID inlay comprises a segment of the identifying filament with adjacent RFID inlays spaced along the identifying filament at a desired interval. The identifying strand incorporating the RFID inlay is wound during a binding material production process with the at least one non-identifying filament into a single twine strand.

Monitoring current draw of an actuator associated with a rotating arm on a round baler during a net wrapping cycle is used to determine the position of the rotating arm and actuator, as well as to determine the net tension. The current draw of the actuator may be correlated with the home and insert positions of the rotating arm during the net wrapping cycle; thus by monitoring the current draw, the rotating arm and actuator position is determined and may be provided to aid an operator. The net tension during the net wrapping cycle is a function of the rotating arm and actuator current. A calculation of net tension is determined and provided to an operator, allowing the operator to verify performance issues related to the net tension.

A constant tension mechanism of tying net for roll bales, that allows varying the stretching tension of the material in accordance with different diameters and thus provide a tying tension that allows keeping the geometry of the roll bale throughout time.

The invention relates to a round baler having a bale chamber in which a round bale can be produced, and a wrapping device with which a completely pressed round bale can be wrapped with a first plastic film in the bale chamber, and a feed device for feeding the first plastic film into the bale chamber. The round baler also includes a feed point at which the first plastic film can be fed to the bale chamber, and an ultrasonic sensor which is arranged at the bale chamber. The ultrasonic sensor is arranged at the bale chamber in such a way that with the ultrasonic sensor it is possible to determine whether the first plastic film is present on a surface of the round bale. The invention also relates to a detection method for detecting a first plastic film on a surface of a round bale.