A system and computer-implemented method for sensing an amount of free water in cut crop material and automatically adjusting an operating parameter of a mower conditioner to optimize the amount of free water. A sensor located at the exit of a conditioning mechanism measures an actual free water content value of the material as it exits the conditioning mechanism, a processor compares the actual value to maximum and minimum values, and if the actual value is outside this range, automatically adjusts an operating parameter, such as a gap between pairs of conditioning rollers, a pressure exerted by the rollers, or a speed of the mower conditioner, to optimize the actual value. Another sensor may be located at the entrance of the conditioning mechanism. The processor may take into account an operator-selectable value weighting the actual free water content versus a dry down time when adjusting the operating parameter.

A mower-conditioner machine which includes a frame, a cutter bar connected to the frame, the cutter bar is configured to cut a crop material from a field, and a crop-engaging member connected to the frame. The crop-engaging member is configured to contact the crop material. The mower-conditioner machine also includes at least one moisture sensor connected to the crop-engaging member. The at least one moisture sensor is configured to sense a moisture content of the crop material.

A forage harvester configured to chop harvested material and including at least one conditioning unit for conditioning the chopped harvested material is disclosed. The conditioning unit may transfer from its active position (in which operatively connected with other working units) to its passive position (in which the conditioning unit is released from the operational connection). In the passive position, the condition unit may be removed from the entirety of the forage harvester. The forage harvester further includes at least two track drives arranged on opposing ends of a front axle of the forage harvester. The forage harvester includes a free cross-section positioned on a removal side of the forage harvester through which the conditioning unit, in its passive position, can be removed laterally from the rest of the forage harvester, as well as removed above the track drive assigned to the removal side.

A forage harvester configured to chop harvested material and including at least one conditioning unit for conditioning the chopped harvested material is disclosed. The conditioning unit may transfer from its active position (in which operatively connected with other working units) to its passive position (in which the conditioning unit is released from the operational connection). In the passive position, the condition unit may be removed from the entirety of the forage harvester. The forage harvester further includes at least two track drives arranged on opposing ends of a front axle of the forage harvester. The forage harvester includes a free cross-section positioned on a removal side of the forage harvester through which the conditioning unit, in its passive position, can be removed laterally from the rest of the forage harvester, as well as removed above the track drive assigned to the removal side.

Self-propelled vehicles that adjust the pitch of the vehicle during use are disclosed. The vehicle may include a suspension system position sensor and a control unit that adjusts a suspension element based at least in part on a signal from the suspension system position sensor. In some embodiments, the self-propelled vehicle may include an inclinometer for measuring the pitch of the terrain.

A tubular for processing crops can include a body having an outer surface and protrusions extending outwardly from the outer surface. The protrusions can be arranged in bands that are spaced apart along the outer surface to define gaps therebetween that form grooves extending around a circumference of the body. Each band of protrusions can be positioned offset with respect to at least one adjacent band of protrusions such that the protrusions form a spiraling configuration around a longitudinal axis of the body.

A crop processor for cracking kernels in a forage harvester, the crop processor including: a housing having an inlet and an outlet; and a first and a second comminuting roll mounted inside the housing, the comminuting rolls being arranged in parallel to define an opening between the rolls, the comminuting rolls being configured to rotate, during use, in opposing rotation directions to transport a flow of harvested crop, received from the inlet, through the opening towards the outlet, wherein the first comminuting roll is configured to rotate at a greater speed than the second comminuting roll; wherein the first and second comminuting rolls each include a plurality of teeth arranged on a circumferential surface of the comminuting roll, each of the plurality of teeth includes a leading edge which faces in the rotation direction of that comminuting roll.

A crop processor for cracking kernels in a forage harvester, the crop processor including: a housing having an inlet and an outlet; and a first and a second comminuting roll mounted inside the housing, the comminuting rolls being arranged in parallel to define an opening between the rolls, the comminuting rolls being configured to rotate, during use, in opposing rotation directions to transport a flow of harvested crop, received from the inlet, through the opening towards the outlet, wherein the first comminuting roll is configured to rotate at a greater speed than the second comminuting roll; wherein the first and second comminuting rolls each include a plurality of teeth arranged on a circumferential surface of the comminuting roll, each of the plurality of teeth includes a leading edge which faces in the rotation direction of that comminuting roll.

A mower implement includes a cutter having a blade operable to cut crop material. A blade diagnostic controller is operable to capture an image of cut crop stubble rearward of the cutter with an image sensor. The blade diagnostic controller may then identify a cut end of the cut crop stubble in the image, determine a cut quality of the cut end of the cut crop stubble, and correlate the cut quality of the cut end to a blade sharpness index. The blade diagnostic controller may then communicate an index signal to a communicator to generate a communication indicating the blade sharpness index.

A crop forming assembly having a top plate with a first side and a second side, an arc-shaped cutout defined through the top plate, a forming shield pivotally coupled to the top plate and positioned on the second side, and a motor removably coupled to the top plate and configured to engage the forming shield. Wherein, the motor engages the forming shield to reposition the forming shield along the arc-shaped cutout.