Lemken has been busy promoting the “mixing efficiency and high forward speed” of its compact disc harrows since 2001.

The latest incarnation – the Rubin 10 – apparently comes with “a range of improvements”.

A spokesperson explained: “The most striking feature is the new disc arrangement on both sides of the implement. This not only ensures directional stability, without lateral pull, but also allows precise pass alignment – also using GPS.

“The discs are arranged to produce symmetrical forces on both sides of the implement. The three central discs have been offset along the longitudinal axis, to ensure that they are able to work collision-free across the full width at a line distance of 12.5cm.

“This patented solution optimises the flow of soil and results in even cultivation across the full working width.

“The discs engage across their full surfaces from a working depth of 7cm. An undercut maintains optimal penetration and boosts mixing efficiency even further.”

The Rubin 10 comes with surface-hardened DuraMaxx discs with a diameter of 645mm. These discs have a service life that’s claimed to be 30% longer than that of conventional discs.

The new legs are 30mm thick – making them “substantially more robust” than in the previous range. Their design, with multiple bends, is intended to provide “plenty of clearance”.

Overload protection

Each concave disc in the Rubin 10 is now equipped with overload protection (with a ‘damped’ return mechanism).

An integrated harrow, behind the first row of discs, is said to “improve the crumbling effect and distribute soil and organic matter in the driving direction”. The rear impact and levelling harrow distributes the soil to form “an even, level surface”.

Mounted versions of the Rubin 10 are available with a ‘Uni’ wheel (to reduce the lift requirement and the load on the tractor’s rear axle). Load is applied to the purely mechanical wheel system as the implement is raised; no additional spool valve is needed in this case.

All folding versions come with hydraulic depth adjustment as standard. Semi-mounted units are optionally available with depth-control wheels.

With working widths from 2.5 to 7m, the Rubin 10 will go into “large-scale” production from 2019.