Wedoany.com Report-Mar 19, Popular in the US, a draper header differs from the standard unit in having belts carry the crop to the central intake rather than an auger.
The main advantage claimed for draper headers is reduced seed loss at the header and that they are better in low growing, short or lodged crops,
They are also available in rigid or folding form with the latter allowing some flexibility when working on uneven ground.
However, they are expensive, often being quoted at twice that of conventional headers, and are also heavier with a more complex drive in addition to the weight of the belts themselves.
Entering the mainstream
Draper headers remain a popular choice in the US, although they are unlikely to ever replace the auger type head as we know it for the reasons listed above.
Draper headers were, for a long time, the preserve of third party suppliers but that changed as the popularity increased and they are now offered by all combine manufacturers as an option,
The new reel is said to have improved tines, although it appears to be fitted to a standard header in this shot
John Deere is no exception and it has just launched a new three-piece hinge draper reel system which is said to improve productivity no matter the crop situation.
The company takes the view that the productivity of a combine harvester starts with the header and notes that its latest headers are built to consistently feed the crop into the combine’s drum.
New reel on draper head
The latest variant introduces a new three-piece CAM reel with dense pack fingers. This new CAM reel is said to be engineered for high performance harvesting, particularly in challenging crops such as pulses and edibles.
The design is claimed to help recover lodged crops, minimizing grain loss in doing so and therefore increasing productivity.
The dense pack fingers have 32% more tines compared with previous flip-over reels, providing a more efficient material sweep from the knife to maximize grain capture.
Despite announcing the new header this month it will only be available from the 2026 model year and onwards.
