The threshing, separation and cleaning process of a combine harvester is a very complex operation, that is influenced by a high number of factors, like the type of crop, moisture content of grain and straw, or the effect of transversal and longitudinal slopes. It requires highly skilled and experienced operators to run a combine to the maximum of its productivity and efficiency. Over the years, combines have already adopted an increasing degree of automation and operator aid systems. Examples of these are cleaning shoe lateral slope compensation, combine presetting per crop type, automatic cleaning fan speed, automation of separator rotors. On conventional combines, the strawwalkers have two functions: separation and material transport. Overall productivity of a strawwalker combine is often limited by the separation capacity of the strawwalkers. At fixed strawwalker speed, conventional combines offer a 'best compromise' for all crops and conditions. As such, strawwalker separation efficiency is not always optimal, and capacity will be affected on longitudinal slopes, or not be ideal for all crops. Then again, it is up to the skills of the operator, to adapt the harvesting speed of the combine, in order to reduce the losses and guarantee the material transport. By making the strawwalker speed variable, the optimum speed can be adapted for a variety of slopes and crops. As such the combine overall performance can be significantly increased. The variable strawwalker speed opens up possibilities for further automation of the combine process, improving overall harvest efficiency and further relieving the operator.
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