A baler having a frame, a feed system coupled to the frame, and a compression assembly in operable communication with the feed system. Where the compression assembly includes a baling chamber, a gearbox having an output shaft, and a crank arm defining a first mounting point and a second mounting point spaced a distance from the first mounting point, where the first mounting point of the crank arm is coupled to and rotatable with the output shaft of the gearbox. The compression assembly also includes a plunger positioned within and reciprocally movable with respect to the baling chamber, where the plunger defines a third mounting point thereon, and where the distance between the second mounting point and the third mounting point is variable during a baling process.

A device and method for tracking and marking bailed forage material is provided. Predetermined parameters are measured as the forage material enters the intake of a processing machine and prior to the forage material being transferred to a baling chamber of the machine. As the forage material passes through the machine, the locations of discrete portions or flakes of the forage material are linearly tracked so that each portion may receive pre-selected markings indicative of measured parameters of each portion. A plurality of sensor stations is incorporated within the machine to track the locations of the portions of material. After the forage material is baled, a marking station generates markings applied to each bale which corresponds to the measured parameters for the corresponding discrete portions. Observed parameters may include moisture content, volume, density, temperature, nutritional content, an amount and type of conditioning inoculant applied to each flake, among others. Multiple markings can be applied to each bale to indicate moisture content for selected portions of the bale since moisture content may differ between flakes in the bale.

Systems and methods for estimating remaining life in an agricultural baler comprise a reciprocating plunger for compressing gathered agricultural material into bales. A first sensor generates signals corresponding to force applied to the reciprocating plunger and any baling components configured to at least partially carry forces applied to the plunger. Based on input signals from at least the first sensor, forces associated with a load are recorded and a life state is estimated for the reciprocating plunger and/or at least one associated baler component. An output signal is then generated corresponding to the one or more estimated life states. In an embodiment, an input signal from a second sensor indicates completion of a bale, wherein an amount of life consumed from the plunger and/or baling components is determined in association with the bale, based at least in part on operating conditions of the baled material.

Method for operating an agricultural harvester (1), wherein the agricultural harvester (1) has at least one mowing unit (3, 4, 5), the respective mowing unit (3, 4, 5) has mowing elements (6) for mowing crop and a swathing device (7, 8) for discharging the mowed crop in the form of at least one swath (9, 10, 11), a density of the crop and/or a moisture content of the crop is determined, and wherein a width of the at least one swath (9, 10, 11) is adjusted automatically, depending on the determined density of the crop and/or the determined moisture content of the crop. FIG. 1

An agricultural system including an agricultural baler and a control unit. The agricultural baler includes a drive system; a bale chamber defined by at least one movable density door; and at least one actuator for moving the at least one density door. The control unit is configured to: receive a routine-trigger-signal; determine an actuator-control-signal for adjusting a speed at which the at least one actuator moves the at least one density door in response to the routine-trigger-signal; and provide the actuator-control-signal to the drive system for driving the at least one actuator.

Methods and system for minimizing soil compaction relating to operations performed by agricultural machines. The agricultural machines can be guided so that at least one engagement body travels along an existing track path that was established by a prior travel of the same or different agricultural machine. Further, travel plans can determine the sequence in which the agricultural machine(s) travel in areas in the field so that travel on the track path(s) can be initiated in drier regions in the field. Operation of agricultural machines can also be adjusted to minimize deviations of other agricultural machines from existing track paths. For example, a windrower can operate a diverter to deposit a windrow at an offset location, and with a non-linear pattern, that may limit a baler from deviating from an existing track path while collecting crop material from the windrow, while also assisting in forming uniformly shaped crop bales.

An agricultural baler includes a baling chamber and a pre-compression chamber. The pre-compression chamber is configured to gather crop material and to periodically form a slice of the crop material and introduce the slice into the baling chamber. The baling chamber includes a plunger provided for moving in the baling chamber thereby compressing slices of crop material into a bale. The agricultural baler further includes multiple sensors and a controller configured for controlling operation of the agricultural baler based on inputs of the multiple sensors. A first subset of the multiple sensors is directly related to bale parameters, and a second subset of the multiple sensors is indirectly related to the bale parameters. The controller is configured to control the operation of the agricultural baler and calibrate the sensors of the second subset based on outputs of sensors of the first subset.

An agricultural baler including a baling chamber and a pre-compression chamber, the baling chamber including at least one movable wall. The agricultural baler further includes multiple sensors and a controller adapted for controlling operation of the agricultural baler based on inputs of the multiple sensors, wherein a first subset of the multiple sensors is related to a first feature and a second subset of the multiple sensors is related to a second feature. The controller is configured to control the operation of the agricultural baler in a first time period until the first feature is within a first predetermined range, and to control the operation of the agricultural baler in a subsequent time period, until the second feature is within a second predetermined range.

A crop sensing system for a baler includes a compression system for forming a bale and a feed system for picking up crop from a surface and conveying the crop to the compression system. The crop sensing system includes a sensor arrangement having at least one sensor being coupled to at least one of the compression system or the feed system, wherein the at least one sensor generates a signal corresponding to a crop load on the at least one of the compression system or the feed system. The crop sensing system includes a control unit configured to receive the signal from the sensor arrangement and calculate crop mass data based on at least the signal.

An agricultural baler with a pre-compression chamber configured to introduce a slice towards a baling chamber. The baling chamber includes a plunger provided for reciprocally moving in the baling chamber, the reciprocal movement having a power movement. In use, during the power movement, slices of crop material are compressed into a bale and the bale is pushed through the baling chamber. The baling chamber further includes at least one movable wall for exercising a compression force to the crop material in a direction transverse to the propelling movement so that, in use, the at least one movable wall provides a counter pressure for the propelling through the baling chamber of the bale. The agricultural baler further includes a controller adapted to influence a compression force of the at least one movable wall at a predetermined moment of the power movement to reduce the counter pressure.