Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/816747
WINERY & VINEYARD EQUIPMENT 66 WINES&VINES May 2017 Braud W ith all of the features available in the latest generation of mechani- cal harvesters, the winery crush pad is essentially operating on wheels. Most suppliers now offer onboard de- stemming and sorting, meaning their customers' days of receiving bins filled with smashed clus- ters, MOG and sprinkler heads are long gone. The machines featured here all come with de- stemmers and sorting systems standard, or they are offered as optional add-on equipment. Most machines collect harvested and sorted grapes into large bins that are then dumped into gon- dolas or half-ton bins, but a few can also be configured with a side discharge conveyor that empties into bins being pulled by a tractor run- ning alongside the harvester (see photo above). Some suppliers also sell harvesters with sorting and destemming systems that can be towed by a tractor. It's important to check with manufac- turers to see if your vineyard works with har- vesting and other functions such as mowing and spraying, which the machines are capable of performing. Cross arms and quad trellising, for example, don't do well with mechanization. The machines are not cheap and start around $300,000, but vineyard managers who have made the investment can set pick dates and times with certainty, and that alone may be worth the cost. Mechanical Grape Harvesters Latest generation of harvesters is faster and gentler BRAUD The 9090X is the newest self-propelled harvester produced by New Holland under the Braud brand. The machine is designed for vine- yards with a row spacing of at least 5.9 feet (1.8 meters) and features a six-cylinder engine that produces 175 horsepower yet is 35% more efficient than previous models. An "intelligent management system" matches engine output to power needs, reducing engine power when the harvester is turning between rows or when the shakers and fans are not on to enhance fuel efficiency. Each shaking rod operates inde- pendently and is set on a flexible fixation bracket. The 9090X has a turn angle of 90° and a system to monitor wheel speed to provide extra power to whichever wheel needs more traction. The harvester can be equipped with two grape-collection bins or one bin and a side discharge arm. Other features include a GPS row-tracking system to show which parts of a vineyard have been harvested and an auto- matic leveling system. The 9090X can harvest up to 19 tons per acre. Braud offers its optional "Opti-Grape" system that includes a set of pre-sorting rollers to remove MOG followed by a SOCMA destemmer that separates the berries from the stems. The destemmed grapes then pass through an air cushion that blows out any remaining leaves. The Opti-Grape system is available on the company's 9090LA, 9040MA and 7030M models. Price for the 9090XA (with two storage bins) is $442,302; the 9090LA with Optigrape is $473,367. newholland.com PELLENC The Optimum is Pellenc's newest harvester. It features the latest generation of Pellenc's onboard-sorting system, the Selectiv' Pro- cess 2, which the company claims can bring in 99% clean grapes. According to Pellenc, the new Optimum is the most compact and lightest harvester/tractor on the market and offers a turn angle of 95°. The all-wheel-drive harvester features a Perkins Tier IV engine that uses 43% less fuel per hectare than previous versions. An "Activ'" harvesting head employs a sensor to maintain the correct position while traveling down a vineyard row. The center-posi- tioned cab offers 310° of vision (which the supplier claims is the best on the market) and silicone shock absorbers for a comfortable and quiet ride. An "easy drive" joystick is mounted on a fixed pivot, while a touch console is used to monitor and adjust all operations. Two cameras, including one on the harvest module, provide addi- tional monitoring capabilities. The Optimum also features a quick connect point for Pellenc's range of implements that do not require separate tools to be connected. The harvester offers a bin capacity of 2,600 to 3,600 liters and a fuel tank capacity of 190 to 260 li- ters. The latest Optimum model, the XLE, can be configured for side discharge. Pellenc reports the machine can pick 25% faster than the previous model at rates of 15 to 20 tons per hour. Price: $350,000 to $440,000 depending on selected options. pellenc.com PRODUCT FOCUS By Andrew Adams