Claas champions MTU engines

  • Close technological partnership on drive system issues
  • Joint testing of Stage V compliance
  • International cooperation expanded

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, GERMANY

Claas, a global leader in agricultural machinery, and MTU, the product and solution brand of the Rolls-Royce group, have been working closely together for more than two decades. Delivery of up to 7,000 MTU engines per year and close consultation on questions of drive and emissions technology have formed the pillars of their cooperation.

Joint Stage V testing

In March 2018, the MTU Series 1000, 1100, 1300 and 1500 engines were awarded certificates for compliance with EU Stage V emissions standard. The groundwork leading up to certification lay in some 110,000 hours of field testing – the majority of which were spent at Claas. The first Stage V-compliant prototype was already forwarded to Claas for testing in 2015 and was subsequently followed by hundreds of other test engines.

“Field testing provided us with key findings that went well beyond the scope of a test stand simulation because we had real interaction between the engine and the vehicle and could see how it influenced behavior. In this way, a large number of application data and operating experience could be evaluated, and the engines could finally go into series production a whole seven months before the new emissions stage came into force,” reported Lars Kräft, head of Industrial Business for MTU engines.

The MTU engines, which are derived from Daimler commercial vehicle engines, cover 115 to 480 kW power output. Compliance with the new emissions limits has been achieved by internal engine enhancements and by adding an SCR system and additional diesel particulate filter. As well as reduced CO2 emissions, the torque, performance and fuel consumption of the engines have all been improved.

Long-standing partnership

A notable outcome of the companies' excellent cooperation over the decades is the Claas Jaguar, the world's most renowned forage harvester, which has been in production since 1973. This year, the 40,000th vehicle rolled off the production line. In many models, the vehicle's top performance is facilitated by an MTU engine.

“The farming industry places a very high premium on efficiency and reliability. It demands top performance in continuous operation from the engines that power its vehicles. MTU engines are of superlative quality, and that, together with an excellent working relationship based on trust, explains why we have been successful partners for so long,” said Rüdiger Mohr, Group Purchasing chief at Claas.

The two companies also act jointly at an international level in capturing new markets. Their next project concerns certification of MTU engines for use in China.

Press photos are available for download from www.rrpowersystems.com/press

About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc

  1. Rolls-Royce pioneers cutting-edge technologies that deliver clean, safe and competitive solutions to meet our planet’s vital power needs.
  2. Rolls-Royce Power Systems is headquartered in Friedrichshafen in southern Germany and employs around 11,000 people. The product portfolio includes MTU-brand high-speed engines and propulsion systems for ships, power generation, heavy land, rail and defence vehicles and for the oil and gas industry. Under the MTU Onsite Energy brand, the company markets diesel and gas systems and battery containers for mission critical, standby and continuous power, combined generation of heat and power, and microgrids. Medium-speed engines from Bergen power ships and power generation applications.
  3. Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 150 countries, comprising more than 400 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces, 70 navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers.
  4. Annual underlying revenue was £15 billion in 2018, around half of which came from the provision of aftermarket services.
  5. In 2018, Rolls-Royce invested £1.4 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 29 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research.
  6. The Group has a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate recruitment and to further developing employee skills.

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