New cutting units increase the performance of New Holland combine harvesters.

New Holland has revised its CX and TC rotary combines and compatible headers for the 2026 model year to simplify settings and increase harvest productivity. The Varifeed headers have been updated with new end plates that match the Natural Flow styling of the latest New Holland combines, featuring several enhancements to improve crop intake and minimize losses. All Varifeed models offer a knife adjustment of 575 mm longitudinally to accommodate high volume crops like rapeseed. The new inline knife drive ensures a completely linear movement of the output shaft in all models, providing direct, efficient power for uniform, precise cuts with reduced vibrations, noise, and increased cutting power, especially in tough materials and higher driving speeds as stated by the manufacturer. Moreover, the previous belt drive has been replaced by a gear and telescopic shaft to reduce the maintenance requirements of the drive system. A fully synchronized double knife drive is now available on both the 12.5 m (41 ft) and 10.5 m (35 ft) Varifeed headers, resulting in a significant reduction in vibrations. The knife speed has been increased by 11% to 735 rpm to allow for higher driving speeds with the same cutting performance, along with the intake power of a robust, reinforced 660 mm auger. The new auger height adjustment provides two preset positions: one high for rapeseed and one low for cereals, reducing the adjustment time by 75% - from 20 minutes to just five minutes compared to the old auger. All headers have a single PTO connection on the left side to minimize the time for coupling and uncoupling. A two-stage auger adjustment allows for quick readjustment when switching between rapeseed and cereals. Additionally, a new plug-and-play click design for rapeseed knives reduces assembly and disassembly time to about five minutes, supported by a third less weight due to the aluminum construction. With the new hydraulically operated gauge wheels, the operator can switch between transport and trailer mode or field mode from the cabin, eliminating the need to manually raise the wheels before loading the header onto the trailer. The CX5/6 and CH7 series combine updates to meet more demanding conditions. The UltraFlow drum, previously only available for CX6 combines, is now optional for CX5 models. Its staggered profile helps with uneven material flow and enhances threshing performance through smoother material flow, quieter operation, lower fuel consumption, and up to 10% more threshing performance. The CX6 and the Shaker/Twin Rotor Hybrid CH7 now benefit from a revised Smart Sieve option and a combined sieve setting. The pre-sieve now follows the upper sieve setting, saving time and ensuring customized performance. Machines equipped with manual sieve adjustment and Smart Sieve leveling for slope compensation can now adjust the pre-sieve more easily from the rear with a new lever. In the Hillside version of the CX5.90 and CX6.90 combines, an additional sensor now controls the driven rear axle, while another sensor on the rear lift system detects slope changes and automatically disengages the all-wheel drive.