Canadian manufacturer MacDon has released its new MacDon FD2 FlexDraper.
MacDon is known for the ground-following ability of its fronts and the FD2 is no exception.
Before entering full production, the FD2 went on a world tour to put it through its final paces.
One of the countries it was tested in was Australia, with a 15.2m FD2 finding a home in the northern reaches of Victoria.
Brett Fisher took delivery of the unit in November 2020 while he was mid-harvest.
It was an ideal placement from MacDon's perspective as Mr Fisher's 4047-hectare (1000-acre) farm is one of the more extreme dryland settings in which the next generation front could be tested.
"When we initially took it on, they said that there would be some MacDon engineers coming out to get it set up properly, make alterations and monitor its performance," Mr Fisher said.
"But because of COVID the engineers weren't able to come. But it didn't matter because it all worked out.
"We just hooked the front up, put it on the ground and started cutting. It worked perfectly straight away."
The FD2 uses MacDon's Active Float system, coupled with 70 per cent more flex than the previous model, for an improved harvesting experience.
Flex-Float Technology gets turned up with MacDon's optional ContourMax contour wheels.
These wheels allow the header to follow the paddock's contours, leaving a consistent stubble height while cutting from 2.5 to more than 46 centimetres (1 to 18 inches) off the ground.
The FD2 also incorporates MacDon's ClearCut high-speed cutting system, which delivers clean cutting at up to 30pc faster speeds than the previous model.
An improved knife drive with more power and new knife section geometry with 25pc more cutting surface also helps get the job done.
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A smooth close shave comes from two unique ClearCut knife guards; choose between Pointed knife guards or PlugFree knife guards that resist plugging even in the nastiest conditions.
The draper front has an all-new frame, featuring an ultra-deep deck with 127cm (50-inch) deep drapers and is now available in 9.1 to 15.2-metre (30 to 50 foot) configurations.
It delivers up to 20pc more capacity of smooth heads-first feeding in the tallest bushiest crops it can get its reel fingers on.
The FeedMax crop feeding system optimises performance no matter what harvester it is mounted to.
Along with active crop flow, patented reel movement, and new ShatterGuard reel positioning, the FD2 is ready for action.
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