MDW Arcus / Case IH Arcus 2500

The future combine of the MDW combine factory, Arcus, was introduced in the autumn of 1996. The most distinctive external feature of the combine was that the large wheels were at the rear (or rather in the middle) and the small, steering wheels were at the front. The main purpose of this design was tractor-like drivability on the road. The top speed was 40 km/h. The transport width without the header was 2995 mm, which allowed trouble-free movement on the road. The Arcus was four-wheel drive and powered by a 12-liter Volvo engine. The preliminary information stated a power output of 374 hp, but production models had 425 hp. Speed was controlled on the road with a speed pedal and in the field with a hydro lever.

The threshing mechanism of the Arcus was based on two longitudinal threshing and separation rotors with a diameter of 450 mm and a length of 254 cm. Thanks to the small front wheels, the rotors started immediately behind the cutting header. Behind the rotors were counter-rotating drum separators with choppers at the ends. The sieving system featured two stacked three-tier sieves that had also been used in previous MDW combines. The sieving surface was enormous at 854 dm². The grain tank was also large: 12,000 liters (120 hectoliters). Each separator had separate conveyors to the tank. Standard equipment for the Arcus included, among other things, an on-board computer with threshing drum monitoring and air conditioning.

The Arcus was certainly one of the main reasons why Case IH purchased the MDW combine factory. However, the story of the Arcus itself was short, as after New Holland acquired Case IH, the factory had to be closed down.

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