Australia now leads the world in harvester platform design and it’s all due to the hard work and sheer tenacity that the Schutt family with some great grower support has put into making this a reality – the Schutt designed 18.3m (60ft) Durus front is an engineering feat that glides effortlessly through crops with every run.
Midwest is making the only harvester front that local growers should consider. The Durus platform is made right here, designed by local engineer/farmers and ranks as a product line that could easily be sold into all world market with great success.
But for now, these fronts are made for us. Design engineers Martin and Craig Schutt were confident that wider harvest platforms were the only way forward and now lead the world with the widest and most reliable 18.3m (60ft) model ever offered.
Their design works so well and would be readily copied, so they have taken out worldwide patents on their innovative exclusive fronts.
Throughout the grain-growing period of the past decade, the largest harvest cutting platform available from manufacturers across the world was 13.7m (45ft) in width.
This was seen pretty much as the widest front that could be maintained with the harsh working conditions these platforms had to endure.
That was until Dalby QLD based manufacturer Midwest Fabrication changed everything when it designed and released the 18.3m (60-foot) Durus platform in 2014. Currently the world’s widest.
It was eagerly adopted by the faithful, growers who wanted to extract more product from each pass. It was what they were waiting for, so early adoption of this innovative 18.3m (60ft) allowed many of Australia’s largest wheat farms to switch to far more productive harvesting.
Midwest Fabrication didn’t take the job of extending their fronts to such a previously unthinkable width without an extensive background. Since 1998 when the first model was built in a workshop on their grain farm, the Schutt family developed their uniquely designed.
This well credentialed firm has steadily increased the size of its harvest cutting platforms, leading to this ground-breaking point in harvester front history.
It was over 14 years ago when Midwest released their first 13.7m (45ft) platform to the Australian market, and just four years later saw that technology transferred through into the Midwest 15m (50ft) platform, another first in its time.
Until recently the Midwest 15m (50ft) model was the widest production harvest cutting draper platform on the market, one that no other manufacturer was able to successfully develop at that same time period.
The major breakthrough for the harvesting industry came with the release of the Midwest 18.3m (60ft) Durus platform in 2014. It weighed just over 5,000kg, and was designed with the singular purpose of maximising big combine harvest capacity. Grain growers had just what they needed.
Not only has Midwest captured the spirit of what local growers and contractors have desired for some time, they are now gaining recognition from observers across the globe.
This is due to their ability to fit the 18.3m (60ft) fronts to any branded combine harvester. Growers in Canada, South Africa and even Egypt are all working the Durus platform.
Much of the demand for the Midwest Durus platform comes from growers who want to take full advantage of running large class eight through to class ten combines.
Previously, many growers and contractors felt they weren’t receiving the full productivity gains expected, due to crop feeding limitations coupled to the lack of wider harvest platforms – until the Durus was offered.
Midwest Fabrication stepped in to successfully increase platform cutting width to match the increased combine harvester capacity. This is also coupled to lower ground speed requirements that has seen productivity advances.
Now, more than at any other point in harvesting history is the ongoing requirement to change with customer needs as more high capacity combines from all manufacturers are offered with additional power and separation capacity.
Now the Midwest Durus can offer a cutting width to match the capacity and productivity potential of larger combines, a high yielding platform that fits seamlessly into an 18.3m (60ft) controlled traffic farming system.
The wide Midwest platform is able to follow the ground contour without the use of any electronic sensors, and this ensures effective total cutting and gathering of the crop.
To achieve this outcome, Midwest has developed an adaptor for the combine and platform interface. This combination not only allows lateral tilt, but also
combines a vertical float component that allows the platform to float independently of the combine harvester traversing all terrain contours.
This design has been found to alleviate crop loss, and when coupled to the large ground wheels, these take up to 40% of the weight off the combine and the optional outer extremity skid wheels maintain ease of operation.
Midwest does offer a wide range of platforms ranging from 12.5 to 18.3m (41 to 60ft) but as expected the company is leading in the niche 15 and 18.3m (50 and 60ft) market and these models account for 50% of current production.
Midwest Fabrication manufactures and distributes the patented Midwest Durus platforms and parts through an authorised dealer network across Australia. Call the sales team direct on 0429 622 137 for technical information.
Or for your nearest dealer call on tel: 07 4662 2137, by fax: 07 4662 2138 or by email: sales@midwest.net.au or go to www.midwest.net.au
Midwest has taken growers on a journey to the highest production levels ever achieved at harvest.
This what Durus Harvest Platforms offer
For all makes/brands varied applications
Grain Harvesting Combine Harvesters
Crop Windrowing Windrow Tractors
Crop Windrowing Front Hitch Tractors
Direct Forage Harvesting SP Forage Harvesters
Varied working widths 7.6m 25ft, 8.2m 27ft, 9m 30ft, 11m 36ft, 12.5m 41ft, 12.8m 42ft, 13.7m 45ft, 15m 50ft, 16.8m 55ft, 18.3m 60ft (The 18.3m 60ft platform is the largest production-built platform anywhere in the world today)
Controlled Traffic Farming purpose built platforms
Widths available 12.5m 41ft, 13.7m 45ft, 15m 50ft, 16.8m 55ft, 18.3m 60ft
QUANTUM windrowing/harvest platform
with up to 7 windrow delivery options
Durus Platform Transporters
Safe and efficient transport for the wide platforms
