ROPA previewed a version of its Maus 5 sugar beet loader at the last Agritechnica designed to load potatoes for the starch industry. Improved logistics efficiency was the main finding with the two prototypes tested in Germany this year.
The German manufacturer reckons the technique also allows growers to expand the area without having to invest in additional storage capacity, and confirms positive results have also been recorded with table potatoes for direct processing.
Powered by a 7.7-litre Mercedes Benz 354hp (260kW) Stage V engine (max. torque 1,400Nm at 1200rpm), the Maus’ 8.0m pick-up lifts potatoes tipped into a 7.5m-wide pile at the headland onto a series of cleaning rollers.
Reaching to a maximum length of 15.0m, the unloading conveyor is counterbalanced by a 9.0m long arm that swings out together with the fuel tank.
The Kartoffelmaus (potato Maus) folds to a transport width of 3.0m and a total length of just under 15.0m. A batch of pre-production models are planned for 2021.
