chain press pick-up

When they talk aboutchain press pick-up, many people immediately think about reliability, about good old cars that hardly break down. This is partly true, but here lies the main catch - because of this reputation of “indestructibility?” It is often forgotten that the key here is not the press itself, but the chain feed mechanism. I saw how people bought equipment, looking only at the thickness of the steel of the bale chamber, and then suffered for months with uneven roll feeding and breaks. This is exactly the case when the detail in the shadow decides everything.

Where the Real Difference Lies: Chain vs. Belt

If we take the classification according to the type of feeding mechanism, then there are two camps. Belt systems are quieter and often cheaper to purchase initially. But in our conditions, when not only pure alfalfa, but also damp fescue with sand gets into the mass, the belt begins to slip and wears out faster.Chain press pick-upin this regard it is ruder, noisier, but it is precisely this “rudeness” and gives him an advantage. The chain pulls the mass more confidently and is less afraid of moisture overloads.

But even with chains, not everything is simple. Not every chain is suitable. Cheap hardened chains that some manufacturers supply to reduce the price are fragile. The frost hit, and you started picking in the morning - and on the second roll the link broke. A good chain must have a certain metal viscosity. We once installed experimentally chains from a Russian manufacturer, so even after they broke (happened due to a cable that got wound up) they did not shatter into fragments, but simply stretched. This is an important point for safety and maintainability in the field.

And from experience: it is critical to look at the chain tensioner. Automatic spring ones are good for ideal conditions. In reality, it is better to have a backup manual adjustment mechanism. Because when the chain is new, it shrinks a little. after the first 15-20 hours of operation, and the automation does not always have time to react, a knock appears. You have to tighten it manually. A trifle, but without it, the sprockets begin to wear out faster.

Roll density: what the chain is actually responsible for

Often, bale density is associated only with the pressure in the bale chamber. This is a mistake. If the mass is supplied in jerks or in uneven portions, then the pressing mechanism runs idle part of the time, and then gets clogged. As a result, the roll is obtained with a variable density - in some places it is hard as a stone, in others it is loose. This then affects both storage and transportation. Smooth, continuous feed fromchain press pick-up- this is the key to a uniform, predictable roll.

I had an illustrative case on one of the farms near Voronezh. There were two balers of the same class, but one with a chain feed, the other with a belt feed. The haylage was being prepared. After a month of work, we looked at the rolls of film. Where the chain worker worked, the film was stretched equally everywhere, without a “belly”. And where the belt was, there were areas where the film sagged, because the roll “sank” inside. When opened, it turned out that it was in these places that the density was lower, and the processes of deterioration began. So the chain affects not only the process, but also the final quality of the feed.

Hence the conclusion: when choosing a baler, you need to look not at the maximum declared density, but at how its stability is ensured. And here chain feed is often a fairer option. Although, of course, it requires more attention to lubrication and checking the condition of the chain fingers before the season.

What problems do you face in real work?

The theory is theory, but all the nuances emerge in the field. The first is scoring. A chain mechanism, especially a closed type, is better protected from stems wrapping around the shafts than open belts. But he has his own “favorites” the points for accumulation of plant matter are the space between the links and guides. In dry weather this is not a problem, but if you work in dew or after rain, the sticky mass builds up and hardens. Sometimes you have to stop and clean it with a scraper. Some models, by the way, now install removable protective covers in these places - a very useful solution.

The second common problem is compatibility with tractors.chain press pick-upusually requires more stable PTO speed for smooth operation. If the tractor is old and the speed “floats”, this is immediately visible in the operation of the chain - it begins to twitch. This, by the way, may not be visible during tests at the factory site, where everything is perfect. We once tested one model in conjunction with the MTZ-82 tractor of the old fleet - then we had to adjust the feed hydraulics to compensate for these jumps.

And third - noise. This is subjective, but for the operator who spends all day in the cab, this is important. The steady hum of the chain and sprockets is one thing. But if a clicking or squealing sound appears, this is already a signal. Most often, this indicates wear on one of the sprockets (not necessarily the drive sprocket) or that the chain is skewed. You cannot ignore such a sound - it can lead to serious damage and downtime.

About choosing a manufacturer and spare parts

The market is now saturated, from classic Western brands to new Asian manufacturers. Among the latter there are those who make quite meaningful machines. For example, I see online information about the company “Hulunbuir Jiujia Machinery Manufacturing Company”. According to the description on their websitehttps://www.cn-fascar.ru, they position themselves as a modern integrated enterprise for agriculture, with a full cycle from development to service. For me, as a practitioner, the key to this description is precisely “combining research and development, production, sales and service.”

Why is this important? Because when the manufacturer controls the entire process, there is a higher chance that he is responsible for the final product. Especially in the context of such a unit as a chain mechanism. If a company doesn’t just assemble a machine from third-party components, but designs and perhaps even produces key components itself (the same chains or sprockets), this allows them to better optimize the interaction of all elements. For example, they may have a better calculated angle of inclination of the feed conveyor for specific chain parameters, which reduces wear.

But with new names there is always the issue of spare parts. Even the most reliablechain press pick-upwill ever need to replace the chain or roller. And here it is not only the price of the spare part that is critical, but its availability. Ideally, the distributor or the manufacturer itself, like Jiujia, has an established spare parts warehouse in the region. Because waiting a month for a chain link from overseas in the midst of the hay harvest is a direct loss of money. It’s always worth clarifying this point before purchasing, and not just looking at the price tag of the car itself.

Thoughts out loud about the future of such a mechanism

It would seem that the chain is an old technology, what can be improved? But progress is being made. I see several trends. First, the materials. Composite inserts appear in links or coatings, which reduce friction and increase service life. This can reduce the same problem with wet mass sticking.

Secondly, monitoring systems. It’s no longer science fiction when sensors monitor chain tension, temperature in friction units and transmit data to the display in the cockpit. For large farms with a fleet of equipment, this is an opportunity to plan maintenance not based on hours worked, but based on the actual condition of the unit. This saves time and resources.

And finally, unification. As someone who does a lot of repair work, I would like to see manufacturers move towards greater chain and sprocket compatibility within the same class of machine. So that there is no situation where a baler of one brand requires a chain with a unique pitch, which is made only at one plant in the world. This, of course, is a utopia from a commercial point of view, but for the end user it would be a huge plus. In general,chain press pick-up- this is a time-tested solution, and its principle, I think, will be in demand for a long time. The main thing is to understand its strengths and weaknesses, and then it will truly become a “workhorse”, and not a source of headaches.