Module truck loading round modules

Loading round modules on gin yard

The CP690 Cotton Picker brings advantages to one of the cotton producer’s most important production partners - their ginners.

During the cotton ginning season, ginners are constantly on the go. They coordinate moving modules from fields to the gin yard. They manage the cotton entering the feeder floor and keep the gin running should something break down. While doing all this, they still manage to gin and package 218-kg (480-lb) bales of cotton that are ready to go to a warehouse and ultimately a mill.

In the middle of the cotton harvest season, module trucks can run 24 hours a day trying to collect cotton modules that sit on turn rows. If rain is on the way, module truck drivers may need to change their scheduled routes and go to fields that could be impassable after a deluge to ensure the cotton makes it to the gin yard.

Producers who use traditional modules have only one option to get their cotton to the gin: the traditional module truck. However, producers who generate round modules from their CP690 can move round modules with increased flexibility and multiple methods.

The Frontier™ Round Module Handler allows staging during or after harvest wherever is most convenient or ideal for pickup. After staging, round modules can be moved from the field by standard module trucks (after the inner six chains are changed) or flatbed semi-trailers. Four round modules fit easily in a standard module truck, whereas a 14.6-m (48-ft) flatbed trailer can haul six round modules, and a 16.2-m (53-ft) flatbed trailer can transport seven round modules at a time.

Ginners need not be concerned their module trucks will not be moving as much cotton with four round modules compared to one conventional module. When comparing truck weights at gins, there were no significant differences in the load sizes drivers delivered from the field. Ginners and their module truck drivers can count on increased transportation flexibility when round modules are ginned at their facility.

Flatbed trailer with round modules

Gin yard (wet conventional modules)

Increased flexibility in moving modules from the field to the gin yard is only the beginning of a long list of benefits ginners gain with round modules. Round modules are fully wrapped, minimizing the amount of lost cotton in the field or at the gin yard. For a gin ginning round modules, there is no need for a cleanup crew since there is no lost cotton on the ground. Conventional modules sitting on the ground can wick water off the ground, whereas the fully-wrapped modules keep cotton dry — from the field, to the gin yard, to the gin.

One ginner in a coastal south Texas community had to deal with a very large obstacle during a past cotton harvest: Hurricane Dolly. He recalled, "We had 25 cm (10 in.) to 30 cm (12 in.) of rain across a 10-day period. We ginned round bales in the daytime and the conventional cotton in the evenings. During that period, we measured the amount of gas we were using on both of these, and we had about a 40 percent savings on gas [with the round modules]."

For ginners, that amount of savings can help maintain a gin's profitability. Drier cotton in round modules compared to conventional modules was not a unique occurrence. Gin studies conducted throughout the southern U.S. found that cotton in round modules received better grades and was significantly drier than that stored in traditionally-shaped modules.

A similar story comes from North Carolina, where both round and conventional modules were picked from the same field on the same day. The modules were brought to the gin and over the next 20-day period, both sets of modules received over 279 mm (11 in.) of rain.

It was decided to gin the conventional modules first. The bottoms were skimmed and wet spots were gutted from the modules. After finally getting them to the feed floor, the moisture within a given module ranged from 6 percent to 16 percent. The gin had to significantly turn down the feed rate and turn up the dryer. Finding the right feed and dryer rate was a continuous battle that resulted in a compromised feed rate.

When the round modules were run, module moisture was consistently around 8.5 percent. The gin was able to increase the feed rate to approximately seven bales per hour on average and significantly turn down the burner. The chance of over-drying and associated grade degradation was also reduced because of the constant feed and burner rate.

Reduced static electricity was another advantage seen in some locations. Cotton from round modules tends to flow through the gin easier than cotton from conventional modules due to reduced static electricity. Ginning records have been set when running round modules, partly due to the improved flow through the gin.

Ginners have reported positive results when ginning round modules. They have found the compact, round module design helps reduce cotton loss and quality degradation. The highly engineered wrap provides weather- and element-resistant round modules that preserve the quality of fiber and seed delivered to the gin.

Overall, ginners are pleased with the consistent module size, shape, and reduced moisture levels that facilitate increased throughput at the gin. In addition, the fully recyclable wrap may be sold to recyclers in the area, an extra income for the gin.

Round module

Conventional module

A combination of high winds and rain can damage cotton whether in the field or at gin yards. With the fixed, 2.44-m (8-ft) wide round modules, producers and ginners receive 360 degrees of protection, creating a unique shape that keeps cotton from wicking moisture that can reduce crop quality.

Modules are wrapped three times within the CP690's on-board module builder, ensuring cotton fiber and seed protection. Each portion of wrap contains two segments of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) film. A non-tacky layer is followed by two tacky layers to keep the round modules in a uniform shape and provide protection from dust and rain.

The Z-Lock™ with dual tail adhesive system ensures the tapered end of the wrap is secure in high winds and rain.

CP690 Cotton Picker

Producers have been impressed by the round modules' ability to preserve the cotton fiber and quality. One south Texas coastal producer harvested his entire south Texas cotton crop with an on-board module building picker. He shared, "The regular modules always have a bale or two on each end that will be a grade difference in color, and they also lose sometimes 10 to 15 percent of the cotton down on the ground. If you have got 25 cm (10 in.) to 30 cm (12 in.) of rain on the regular module, the module trucks just have to shave it off. And that cotton is still sitting out on the gin yard when the ginning is over; it's hard to determine how much we actually lost. In our round modules, we had zero loss this year."

With no lost cotton, this producer was able to harvest his entire crop and have it arrive at the gin feeder floor, ready to be ginned. No other cotton harvesting system available on the market today can deliver all of a producer's crop from the field to the gin floor.

Round modules waiting to be loaded

CP690 harvesting

Producers are not the only ones who see benefits in weather resilience with round modules; ginners are also enjoying the benefits. A veteran ginner in North Carolina, with much experience ginning, both round and traditional modules, shared the following observation, "Once the cotton is in these round modules, it is safe. You do not have to worry about weather. You do not have to worry about time. It seems like the longer they stay in there, the better they gin."

Z-Lock is a trademark of Tama Plastic Industry.

CP690 harvesting

CP690 harvesting

The CP690 Cotton Picker is a powerful harvesting system - only from John Deere.

With a 418 kW (560 hp) 13.5-L John Deere PowerTech™ PSS Final Tier 4 (FT4) engine, the CP690 packs enough punch to pick in the most demanding conditions. A conventional basket picker can spend 20 percent or more of its time unloading, waiting for boll buggies, or driving back and forth to a module builder. The CP690’s non-stop harvesting system keeps operators where they need to be — in the field, picking cotton.

Producers have been greatly impressed with the engine"s power, as well as the added benefit of having the full-time four-wheel drive (4WD) and anti-slip regulation on the CP690. These standard features enable them to harvest while other crews are waiting for the ground to dry.

Fuel fill-up

Many ask how frequently one must stop to fill up the CP690 with diesel fuel and the answer is simple: just once a day. And the 61-L (16-gal.) diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tank will last much longer. The CP690 comes equipped with a 1401-L (370-gal.) fuel tank that allows the operator to fill up the tank while servicing the picker.

When it is time to move from one field to the next, the CP690 offers a transport configuration with a height of 4,356 mm (171.5 in). It moves from harvest mode to transport mode in roughly one minute and allows the operator to easily move down the road at 27 km/h (17mph).

Whether trying to beat a rain coming in, harvesting in tough muddy conditions, or simply moving from one field to the next, the CP690 provides power on which operators can depend.

Round module weighing is standard on all CP690 Cotton Harvesters and provides real-time feedback on module weight during harvest. Operators will appreciate the added capabilities afforded by this system, such as easier yield monitor calibration. Round module weighing teamed with Harvest Identification, Cotton Pro provides the ginner with recorded module weights to be loaded into their system. Gins without scales will be able to use the module weights to provide turnout data to the producer.

Theory of Operation:

Round module weighing process starts when the round module ejects from the module builder onto the handler. Once the handle automatically moves to the carry position the module weight is displayed on the CommandCenter™ display and displayed and documented in the GS3 2630 if the harvester is equipped with Harvest Identification, Cotton Pro.

Moisture sensor

The moisture sensor on the CP690 Cotton Harvester provides on-the-go, real-time moisture measurement on which operators can rely. The moisture sensor is mounted on the round module builder which reads cotton moisture levels as the round module is being formed.

Customer value:

• Real-time data to help preserve cotton quality
• Module moisture documented in Harvest Identification, Cotton Pro
• Industry-leading accuracy in the critical 9 – 13 percent moisture range

Ginning value:

• Maximizes ginning efficiency through module moisture tracking

Theory of operation:

The moisture sensor continuously measures the moisture of seed cotton in contact with the moisture sensor during the round module forming process.

CP690 Cotton Picker

CP690 Cotton Picker in transport

The CP690 continues the legacy of exclusive non-stop harvesting technology for increased productivity. Unlike traditional basket pickers, the CP690 provides its own onboard module building system, eliminating boll buggy drivers, module builder operators, and all the supporting equipment traditionally needed during cotton harvest.

Operators who harvest cotton with the CP690 enjoy the fact they never have to wait in the field. A cotton harvesting veteran in the Louisiana Delta said, "Driving a standard basket picker when you are in good cotton, which is the time you really want to move faster, you have to wait on a boll buggy. The operator has to travel all the way back to the module builder, dump that load, and then try to find you again. That whole time you are sitting in the field doing nothing. You are not productive. With the onboard module builder, you are constantly productive. You never have to stop. You keep going and going, and this saves you so much time throughout the day."

Increased productivity

The nonstop harvesting of cotton is achieved through the use of a high-volume accumulator, round module builder, and round module handler. The accumulator collects cotton while a formed round module is wrapped with a protective film and ejected onto the machine's rear handler. The handler allows a completed round module to be carried to the end of the row.

Since round modules are formed, ejected, and can be off-loaded while the CP690 is still harvesting, the operator can remain on the row instead of unloading or waiting to unload cotton into boll buggies or module builders.

Reduction of labor

It can be difficult acquiring good labor to be able to keep multiple cotton pickers, boll buggies, and module builders up and running. With the CP690, harvesting cotton simply requires one operator per machine, and one tractor operator to stage modules for transport. Additionally, since each round module is wrapped with a protective film, they do not require the application of a module tarp for field storage protection. The CP690 helps reduce the risks associated with finding labor, enabling producers to have more efficient and less labor-intensive harvesting operations.

One Louisiana Delta producer was excited about the labor savings the on-board round module building system would bring to his operation. He was able to take his existing picking fleet down from six machines to four machines and significantly reduce the support staff that goes along with them. With a traditional fleet, he was running 22 to 24 people on any given day, but could likely reduce that number to about seven.

Reduction of support equipment

Typically each basket-style stripper requires a fleet of support equipment to achieve maximum harvest productivity:

• Boll buggy
• Boll buggy tractor
• Module builder
• Module builder tractor

The CP690 requires only two pieces of support equipment:

• Frontier™ CM1100 Cotton Module Handler (or equivalent)
• 8000 Series (or equivalent) Row-Crop Tractor

These two pieces of equipment are used to stage round modules end-to-end in groups of four, so they may be picked up by a module truck. Producers and ginners also have the flexibility to haul the round modules on flatbed trailers, providing the opportunity to haul more pounds per load for reduced transport costs.  Since modules can be staged any time, day or night, one tractor and CM1100 Cotton Module Handler can support multiple CP690 Cotton Pickers.

This reduction in support equipment means less equipment and traffic in the field and less fuel consumption. The CP690 not only creates a simplified harvest scheme, it helps reduce frustration that producers face while having to contend with traffic on increasingly busy roads.