Case IH has given a foretaste of combines to come with the unveiling of two AF series rotary harvesters at the Farm Progress Show in the United States.

The AF9 and AF10 are described as all-new combines but still feature the Axial-Flow’s signature single-rotor threshing and separation system.

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This contrasts with the new twin-rotor setup in the AF11 flagship revealed earlier this year, which Case IH says will only be available in North America.

The AF11 does not simply double-up the long-established Axial-Flow design; it has a pair of 610mm diameter, 3.6m-long rotors while the AF9 and AF10 have one rotor of 762mm diameter and 3.67m long.

Contrasting rotors – single 762mm x 3.67m in AF9 and AF10, twin 610mm x 3.6m in the AF11 © Case IH

© Case IH

That is the same diameter as the current version, but a metre or 40% longer to provide 50% more separation area than the existing design.

Shared features

Rotors apart, the two single-rotor newcomers do share a number of features with the AF11, including a grain tank capacity of almost 20,000-litres – a 16,000-litre version will also be available – and the new four-sieve Cross Flow Plus cleaning system.

This has a 35% larger surface area than before and dynamic oscillation to keep the sieves evenly loaded across sloping ground.

All grain handling tackle has been enlarged to cope with the extra throughput potential, including the installation of two cross augers feeding the clean grain elevator.

There are also upgraded residue chopping options to cope with larger volumes of material and a radar-automated spreading option to help distribute that material behind cutting tables up to 15.2m wide.

Alongside these changes, the combines have more engine power.

While the AF9 gets 634hp from its FPT block to pretty much equal the current Axial-Flow 9260’s figure, the AF10 gets the same 775hp version as installed in the twin-rotor AF11 for a significant boost in the power stakes.