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OPTIMER independent disc stubble cultivator

OPTIMER stubble cultivator silhouette

The stubble ploughing advantage

The OPTIMER L (discs Ø 510 mm) and OPTIMER XL (discs Ø 620 mm) independent disc stubble cultivators are the ideal solution for stubble ploughing.

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Quality stubble ploughing is a fundamental step in reactivating soil life and guaranteeing the best profitability for the following crop. For this purpose, KUHN offers OPTIMER independent disc stubble cultivators, available from 3 to 12.5 metres working width, combining intensive mixing, high speed and easy adjustment. The OPTIMER L range has 510 mm diameter discs, with small or large notches, mainly dedicated to surface stubble ploughing and soil preparation down to 10 cm. The OPTIMER XL is equipped with 620 mm diameter discs to cut and incorporate residues down to 15 cm. Various accessories will allow you to optimise your stubble cultivator to suit your needs: front and rear attachments, different seeding devices and a wide range of rollers for consolidation.
Kuhn OPTIMER stubble cultivator at work

Your benefits

How to choose the right OPTIMER for your needs?

OPTIMER L disc harrows are equipped with 510 mm discs and OPTIMER XL with 620 mm discs.

L or XL disc

The OPTIMER L (discs Ø 510 mm) and OPTIMER XL (discs Ø 620 mm) independent disc stubble cultivators are the ideal solution for stubble ploughing. Depending on the objective and the volume of biomass present, KUHN offers 2 types of discs:
  •  510 mm diameter disc with small notches for working between 3 and 6 cm.
  • 510 mm diameter disc with large notches for working between 5 and 10 cm.

The small diameter of the disc increases the speed of rotation and allows to create fine tilth. OPTIMER L is ideal for surface stubble ploughing, creating false seedbeds and preparing the soil before planting a crop.

  • 620 mm diameter disc with large notches for working between 5 and 15 cm.

The XL disc offers good scalping and mixing quality down to 15 cm. The OPTIMER XL is ideal for median stubble ploughing to incorporate heavy residue. The 620 mm disc interrupts capillary action and mechanically destroys weeds and plant cover crops.

The discs are made of high quality steel with a thickness of 6 mm to guarantee the best wear-resistance performance.

Mounted, folding mounted or trailed chassis


  • 3, 3.5 and 4 metre fixed mounted chassis are characterised by their compact design and reduced overhang, allowing the use of small tractors from 90 to 220 HP. The OPTIMER L and XL 300, 350 and 400 can be equipped with an intermediate harrow and a wide range of rollers as well as the SH 201 and 402 small seed drills.
  • the folding chassis are only available in the L version in 4, 5 and 6 metre widths. These stubble cultivators are mounted on the tractor’s lifting arm and fold hydraulically for easy transport. The OPTIMER L 100 R range is designed for users with fragmented plots and tractors from 120 to 300 hp.
  • 4 and 5 metre trailed chassis for tractors from 120 to 300 hp are equipped with a central axle between the discs and the roller for improved stability of the machine. The transport width is limited to 2.5 metres for easy road travel. A shredder roller or levelling boards can be added, as well as gauge wheels and a small seed drill to complete your OPTIMER.
  • the 6 and 7.5 metre trailed chassis offer high outputs up to 10 ha/h with tractors from 180 to 450 hp. The OPTIMER L /XL 6000 and 7500 allows for uniform and efficient work with the 3-section chassis and the gauge wheels. The Steady Control option provides additional ground tracking regardless of the ground contours. The Steady Control manages the hydraulic pressure in the extension cylinders to ensure constant depth disc penetration.
  • 9, 12 and 12.5 metre chassis are designed for high-powered tractors from 270 to 700 hp for stubble ploughing of 13 to 18 hectares per hour. The road gauge of these 3 models does not exceed 3x4 meters for a perfectly safe transport. Steady Control is standard on the OPTIMER L/XL 9000, 12000 and 12500, ensuring perfect control of the working depth up to 12.5 metres
OPTIMER machines are available as mounted, folding or trailed chassis to meet the needs of every user.

Inside the OPTIMER disc stubble cultivators

OPTIMER machines are available as mounted, folding or trailed chassis to meet the needs of every user.

High-quality stubble ploughing

Stubble ploughing has become an integral part of the crop cycle. Maximum control is required to optimise yields. Successful stubble ploughing is measured by:
  • the number of uprooted plants,
  • the quality of the soil/residue mixture allowing rapid decomposition of the elements in the soil,
  • the creation of false seedbeds with a perfectly levelled and tamped soil to ensure germination.
Furthermore, stubble ploughing helps to control slugs and weeds. This inter-crop management mechanical process is a weed control technique that is becoming increasingly popular for its multiple benefits for the soil.

The OPTIMER machines designed and manufactured by KUHN, for stubble ploughing and burying residues, creating false seedbeds, ensuring mechanical weeding and preparing the soil before seeding. The OPTIMER disc stubble cultivators guarantee stability and uniformity of work with to their elastomer safety devices.

The 6000, 7500, 9000, 12000 and 12500 models equipped with STEADY CONTROL benefit from a centralised management of the working depth for better ground tracking entire width of the machine.

Easy passage through residue

OPTIMER disc stubble cultivators are designed to work in the presence of crop residues, to destroy cover vegetation and to bury organic amendments. This is achieved by providing a large underbeam clearance and sufficient distance between the working sections.
The discs are mounted on independent disc arms with the hubs positioned on the outside of the disc to improve passage through the biomass. The adjustment of the disc train crossover, with the flange mounting, ensures uniform results over the entire width of the machine. The flow is controlled and you can be sure to work without any risk of jamming.
The shredder roller placed at the front of the OPTIMER cuts through the vegetation before the passage of the discs, accelerating decomposition in the soil.
The shredder roller is the ideal equipment for destroying plant cover.

A simple design, easy to use and adjust

The short climatic windows and the need for high work rates require easy adjustment and comfort of use. The OPTIMER range offers tool-free or hydraulic adjustments to meet this need. The disc and roller bearings are maintenance-free so that there is no downtime during periods of stubble ploughing.
The adjustment phase is very important, an improperly adjusted stubble cultivator will affect the development of the following crop. Each working section can be adjusted independently to achieve precise soil tillage to meet your requirements.
Tool-free adjustments make your stubble cultivation work really easy.

Essential accessories

KUHN offers various front attachments for perfect adaptation to working conditions.

Front-end equipment

The front-end tools facilitate the passage of the discs and ensure uniform work.

  • Levelling boards are strongly recommended when the OPTIMER is used after ploughing. They break up the clods and level the surface before disc passage. With a 215 mm spacing between each blade, the levelling boards are able to work in stony soils. The working height is hydraulically adjustable from the cab. During stubble ploughing, the levelling board can be folded away.
  • Shredder roller for working with the OPTIMER in plant cover crops and crop residues. The high speed of rotation allows the stems of the plants to be cut before disc passage. The cover crops are thus degraded quicker for faster return of the nitrogen to the soil. The Steady Control maintains constant ground pressure even when the working depth changes.
  • Gauge wheels are available on the OPTIMER trailed models. With these wheels, you can work with the drawbar in floating position to allow your OPTIMER stubble cultivator to gain stability and quality of soil tracking.

Sowing implements

Are you looking to save time and money by eliminating the need to pass through your plots? With the OPTIMER you can stubble plough and sow in just one pass. Depending on the model, the OPTIMER can be equipped with a SH 201, 402 or 600 small seed drill or a TF 1512 front-mounted hopper.

  • The SH 201 and 402 have a capacity of 200 and 400 litres respectively. Their electrically driven metering device is your guarantee of precise sowing. Furthermore, the metering rollers can be changed without tools and allow sowing of small, medium and large seeds.
  • The SH 600 and its VENTA distribution guarantee quality seeding at high work rates. Quick and easy adjustments from the cab. The seed application rate can be adjusted manually or electronically via GPS.
  • The 1512 front-mounted hopper offers greater autonomy with a capacity of 2000 litres. The OPTIMER and TF 1512 combination offers a good distribution of loads between the front and rear axle to reduce soil compaction. The front-mounted hopper allows a wide variety of seeds to be sown and fertiliser to be applied.
Seeding cover crops at the same time as tillage saves one pass.

Harrow and rollers

After the disc passage, the levelling harrow distributes the straw and clods evenly. It improves the roller tamping quality and offers a uniform result for optimum germination.

KUHN offers a complete range of rollers for different uses and soil conditions:
  • The Tube roller is light and cost-effective, and adapts to light to medium soils.
  • The T-Ring roller is suitable for silty soils. This lightweight roller is sharp on clods and maintains quality coarse soil.
  • The T-Liner is ideal for use in clay or clumpy soils and adapts perfectly to stony conditions.
  • The V-Liner roller stands out for its crumbling and levelling qualities in difficult terrain.
  • The Packliner roller provides excellent tamping quality, which is beneficial for optimum germination, even in wet conditions.
  • The HD-Liner roller, with its V-shaped profile, facilitates water penetration into the row spacing and consolidates the soil at depth.
  • The high speed of rotation and load capacity of the Double Tube/Bar roller allows to create fine tilth.
  • The Double U roller is a versatile roller with its U-shaped profile for passages in all types of conditions.
The Flexliner roller, available on OPTIMER mounted and folding mounted machines, is recommended for creating false seedbeds.

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Equipment

KUHN conical disc with a diameter of 620 mm and a thickness of 6 mm

Conical discs

The OPTIMER XL range is equipped with conical discs with a diameter of 620 mm and a thickness of 6 mm. They are angled in two dimensions with a vertical angle of 12° and horizontal angle of 14° to guarantee an exceptional quality of work. The main advantages of conical discs are their very good cutting and mixing capacity, even in large amounts of residue while offering a good reserve of wear. They retain their angles despite wear and tear, guaranteeing a preserved penetration quality.
Large and small slot discs

Large and small slot discs

There are two types of discs for OPTIMER stubble cultivators:
  • small discs (Diameter: 510 mm - Thickness: 6 mm): they are essential for shallow stubble cultivation between 3 and 5 cm in the presence of a low-levels of plant residue.
  • large notched discs (Diameter: 620 mm - Thickness: 6 mm): they make it possible to work in the presence of large amounts of residue. The large notches ensure the chopping-up of the crop residues and a good mixing of the worked soil.
In addition to the quality of work, these treated discs offer a longevity that is above the market average.
    The stubble ploughing advantage

    Specifications

    Technical characteristics
     
    Minimum allowable power (kW/hp)
    Maximum tractor power (kW/hp)
    Working width (m)
    Transport width (m)
    Notched disc diameter (mm)
    Number of discs
    Working depth (cm)
    Lateral deflectors
    Hitch attachment
    Weight approx (kg) with T-Liner roller
    Weight approx (kg) with Double U roller
    Hydraulic adaptation
    OPTIMER L 300 OPTIMER XL 300 OPTIMER L 350 OPTIMER XL 350 OPTIMER L 400 OPTIMER XL 400 OPTIMER L 4000 OPTIMER XL 4000 OPTIMER L 5000 OPTIMER XL 5000 OPTIMER L 6000 OPTIMER XL 6000 OPTIMER L7500 T-LINER RU OPTIMER XL 7500 OPTIMER L 9000 OPTIMER XL 9000 OPTIMER L 12000 OPTIMER XL 12000
    66/90 77/105 77/105 90/122 88/120 103/140 89/120 119 / 160 110/150 149/200 133/180 176/240 220/300 199/270 264/360 264/360 353/480
    110/150 123/165 129/175 141/190 147/200 164/220 149/200 178 /240 186/250 223/300 221/300 264/360 330/450 330/450 397/540 441/600 514/700
    3 3 3,5 3,5 4 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 7,2 9 9 12 12
    3 3 3,5 3,5 4 4 <2.55 < 2,55 < 2,55 <2,55 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
    510 (thickness 6 mm) 620 (thickness 6 mm) 510 (thickness 6 mm) 620 (thickness 6 mm) 510 (thickness 6 mm) 620 (thickness 6 mm) 510 (thickness 6 mm) 620 (thickness 6 mm) 510 (thickness 6 mm) 620 (thickness 6 mm) 510 (thickness 6 mm) 620 (thickness 6 mm) 620 (thickness 6 mm) 510 (thickness 6 mm) 620 (thickness 6 mm) 510 (thickness 6 mm) 620 (thickness 6 mm)
    24 24 28 28 32 32 32 32 40 40 48 48 58 72 72 96 96
    From 3 to 10 From 5 to 15 From 3 to 10 From 5 to 15 From 3 to 10 From 5 to 15 From 3 to 10 From 5 to 15 From 3 to 10 From 5 to 15 From 3 to 10 From 5 to 15 From 5 to 15 From 3 to 10 From 3 to 10 From 3 to 10 From 5 to 15
    Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard Left and right as standard
    2, 3N, 3 2, 3N, 3 2, 3N, 3 2, 3N, 3 3N, 3 3N, 3
    1790 2248 2088 2596 2330 2888
    4500 5123 5091 5765 6200 7000 7555 9150 10300 12300 13700
    See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs" See page "Hydraulic needs"

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