CLAAS ROVIO 5 Corn Header Expands to 18 Rows for High Capacity Harvest

CLAAS has expanded its North American corn harvesting lineup with the ROVIO 5, a new generation of corn headers offered in 12, 16 and 18 row configurations. Working widths extend from 30 to 45 feet, positioning the equipment for large farms and contractors running high capacity combines.

The most visible engineering change is a 21 inch, 530 millimeter feed auger paired with a deeper, edge free trough. CLAAS says the larger intake system can provide up to 30 percent more capacity, a manufacturer claim that will depend on crop condition, combine setup and field speed.

The gathering units use rounded deck plates and synchronized hydraulic dual deck plate adjustment from the cab. The goal is to separate ears cleanly while limiting the amount of stalk and leaf material entering the combine, reducing the processing load behind the header.

Operators can adjust picking unit speed through the CEBIS terminal, while a two speed gearbox provides another way to match the header to changing crop conditions. The 12, 16 and 18 row models use a newly designed powertrain with two main gearboxes.

CLAAS also added 24 inch, 600 millimeter picking rollers, hardened feeder chains and integrated overload clutches at each picking gearbox. Maintenance free bearing points and extended service intervals are intended to reduce downtime during narrow harvest windows.

Guidance systems are part of the productivity argument. AUTO PILOT senses rows and steers the machine, while AUTO CONTOUR manages lateral ground following and cutting height as terrain changes. These systems do not remove the need for operator supervision, but they can reduce workload during long harvest days.

Wider headers concentrate more crop flow into the combine and can expose bottlenecks elsewhere, including unloading capacity, grain cart coordination, transport and dryer throughput. The value of the ROVIO 5 will therefore depend on how well the entire harvest system is matched, not simply on header width.

The technical package shows where corn harvest equipment is moving: larger working widths, faster in cab adjustment and more automation around crop flow and steering. Farms evaluating the system will still need to compare field losses, fuel use, maintenance demands and total ownership cost under their own conditions.