Continental and CLAAS Jointly Test Smart Belts for Enhanced Harvesting Efficiency and Reliability

• Technology company developing new, smart power transmission belt for combine harvesters
• Sensor-based condition monitoring increases operational reliability of agricultural machines and enables service partners to carry out proactive service operations if required
• Machine operators and farmers can increase operational reliability of their vehicles, while distributors gain transparency about demand for spares

Hanover, August 26, 2019. Technology company Continental and agricultural machinery manufacturer CLAAS are jointly testing a new, smart power transmission belt for combine harvesters. With this, Continental is taking another important step toward digitalization and connectivity in the agricultural sector and actively driving the trend toward smart farming. This involves integrating data technology and smart systems in drive belts, thereby delivering an efficient and environmentally aware harvesting and operational process. Predictive maintenance and condition monitoring, both important issues for the future, are increasingly becoming reality as a result.

Continental is working alongside an established partner in agricultural machinery manufacturer CLAAS, who has rigorously tested the new belt. “This digital belt concept allows unplanned downtime in the agricultural machine to be avoided. That saves time, material and money. In the future, our distributors will be able to contact customers proactively and agree necessary service dates at an early stage,” says Maik Zeuner, who is in charge of drive development at CLAAS. “In the predictive maintenance approach, the sensors in the belt ensure that we identify possible defects before they occur since the belt is subject to permanent surveillance. That offers all involved a great deal more room for maneuver and certainty.” Previously, it was only possible to check the belt after specified periods or in the event of anomalies – but not while in operation. “The new smart variable-speed belt will make this possible in the future. The ability to connect all the sensor data will be the decisive benefit of predictive maintenance,” adds Thorsten Schwefe, who is Continental’s key account manager with responsibility for power transmission belts in the agricultural sector.

The reliability of agricultural machines is all the more important, given that harvest times are relatively short in general – in the case of cereals, for instance, around eight weeks per year. During that time, combine harvesters and the like have to work smoothly and without malfunctioning, otherwise bottlenecks occur right along the process chain. “The transparency that our smart belt will offer in the future will enable machine operators to reduce costs and farmers to increase their revenues. The fact that a smart belt will increase the reliability of the machines means that spare parts can be ordered, delivered and fitted in accordance with a defined, detailed schedule,” says Schwefe. “The time is ripe for such a solution. Our studies show that there is a high demand for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance on the part of customers but, at the same time, a relatively low level of satisfaction with the solutions to date.” The possibility of cost control and also the time factor played an important role here, he added.