FUNCTIONALITY
AND USE
FUNCTIONALITY
AND USE
The CRONO bed former shaper, an evolution of the ICARO, features a double 3-gear transmission system, replacing the chain drive for increased strength and durability.
Thanks to the customizable bed former shaper kits, the CRONO adapts to various agronomic requirements. The short bed former shaper allows the creation of wide and low beds, ideal for crops that require more surface area. The long bed former shaper, on the other hand, channel more soil to form taller and narrower beds, suitable for single or double-row crops and heavy soils.
Finally, the parallelogram bed former shaper offers greater independence between the rotor and the ploughshares, allowing for differentiated working depths between the rotor and the base of the bed, ensuring optimal adaptation to any working condition. The soil channeling system, combined with expanded metal, smooth, or motorised rollers, allows for personalized compaction according to any need. Reliable and versatile, the CRONO ensures superior-quality results and maximum productivity in any context.
Key features that make the difference
Standard equipment:
Standard equipment:
– Universal 3-point linkage cat. 2° – 3°
– Frontal linkage fixed/swinging cat. 2°-3°
– Folding frame system with 4 hydraulic cylinders
– Double frame made of high-strength steel
– Single-speed central gearbox, PTO 1000 rpm
– Double side transmission with 3-module 6 gears
– Double side transmission with cardan drive shafts with safety bolt
– Rotor bearing support with Combi SF6 seals
– No. 2 reinforced rotors Ø 520 mm with S700 steel flanges
– Rotor speed 230 rpm – 290 rpm
– ROTOSTONE-type blades (90×10 mm flat)
– Double flange kit
– Reinforced heavy-duty SKF roller bearings
– Selection grill with independent springs and crank adjustment
– Short bed former shaper kit
– Stabilizer wheel kit
– Central PTO shaft 1” 3/8 Z6
– Pair of side discs
– Anti-wearing rods for side plates protection
– Safety devices according to EU regulations
The choice of the rotor
Rotostone rotor:
The Rotostone rotor is the ideal solution for working stony soils, thanks to its spade-shaped hoes and reverse rotation with respect to the tractor’s forward movement. This system lifts and separates stones, hard clods, and plant residues, projecting them onto a selection grill that deposits them deeper into the soil, while the finely tilled soil remains on the surface, ready for sowing. The hoes can handle even large stones, ensuring a clean, well-drained seedbed ideal for high-quality crops. Robust and versatile, the Rotostone guarantees excellent performance even on challenging soils, making it a reliable ally for every agronomic need.
Frangiter rotor:
The Frangiter rotor represents a technological advancement in soil tillage, specifically designed for clayey, compact, and hard-to-manage soils. Its aggressive yet controlled action is ensured by sharp, angled hoe blades with a blade-like geometry, which break clods into fine, uniform particles, creating even and high-performing seedbeds. Thanks to its exclusive design, Frangiter optimizes power transmission to the ground, reducing the load on the tractor. The result is outstanding operational efficiency, with low energy consumption and reduced machine wear. The angled flanges, engineered for optimal soil flow, prevent material buildup even in high-moisture conditions, maintaining consistent working depth and soil refinement quality—even in the most challenging soils.
The three families of Massano Bed former shapers
SHORT BED FORMER SHAPER
Low and wide beds for shallow-rooted vegetables
Ideal for crops with shallow root development, the short-profile bed former shaper is designed to create low and wide beds, ensuring a broad, stable, and well-aerated seedbed.
Its compact structure and wider shaping angle promote fast and uniform soil distribution, minimizing draft resistance and optimizing sowing operations over large surface areas.
LONG BED FORMER SHAPER
High and narrow beds for vertically developing vegetables
The long-profile bed former shaper is designed to create high and narrow beds, ideal for ensuring a deep, compact, and well-structured seedbed.
Its elongated geometry allows for a gradual upward channelling of soil, enabling precise and uniform shaping even in light or sandy soils. This design promotes deeper root penetration, which is essential for vegetables whose edible parts develop underground.
PARALLELOGRAM FRAME BED FORMER SHAPER
Deep beds and independent control for maximum agronomic flexibility
Designed to provide a higher level of operational precision and adaptability, the parallelogram-frame bed former shaper follows the same principle as the long-profile version but introduces a key innovation: independent adjustment of the shaper in relation to the machine frame.
This configuration allows bed shaping without loading the machine frame, making the stone burier fully independent. As a result, it enables deeper working depths without interference, optimizes terrain adaptation, and reduces tractor effort.
Technical comparison: bed former shapers
| Feature | SHORT shaper | LONG shaper | PARALLELOGRAM shaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed profile | Low and wide | High and narrow | Adjustable in height and compaction |
| Ideal crops | (lettuce, chard, cabbage, courgettes) |
(carrots, onions, beets) | Deep-rooted crops in variable soils |
| Shaper geometry | Short profile with horizontal distribution |
Elongated profile with vertical funnel |
Independent parallelogram structure |
| Bed height | 12 - 20 cm | 15 - 25 cm | 20 - 35 cm |
| Adjustment | Manual | Manual | Indipendent from the frame (mechanical or hydraulic) |
| Seedbed | Wider but shallower | Narrower but deeper | Narrower with adjustable depth and density |
| Tractor efficiency | High, due to reduced draft resistance |
Good, thanks to gradual soil channelling |
Optimized, with lower effort and higher yield |
| Ploughshares | Adjustable for different working widths |
Adjustable with wide modulation |
Combinable with bed-forming adjustment systems |
| Soil Adaptability | Ideal for medium-texture soils | Excellent on light to medium soils |
Versatile on mixed and uneven soils |
Material S420
The S420 symbol identifies the use of high-strength special steel for the main structural components of the machine. This material ensures high robustness and superior resistance to deformation, even in highly stressed areas such as weld seams, guaranteeing greater durability and long-term reliability.
Vibrating selection grill
Machines marked with this label are equipped with an independent vibrating selection grill, designed to separate stones by channeling them downward while allowing only fine soil to pass through. The dual-spring curl system ensures continuous vibration, preventing build-up and clogging, and delivering smooth, high-quality soil processing even in challenging conditions. On certain models, the working angle is adjustable to optimize performance and reduce power absorption.
Double flange
All machines bearing this label are equipped with a double flange, which enhances the strength of the connection between the blades and the rotor, improving resistance during the most demanding operations. This system reduces the risk of bolt breakage, ensuring greater robustness and operational continuity. Especially suitable for tough soils with significant obstacles, this solution increases machine reliability, reduces unexpected downtime, and extends component lifespan.
Double frame
Machines bearing this label are equipped with a reinforced double frame above the rotor, designed to increase structural rigidity, reduce flexing and deformation, and ensure long-term reliability and durability even under extreme working conditions. The optimised design ensures smooth soil flow without build-up, improving operational efficiency across all soil types. In stony ground, the double-wall structure of the hood protects the machine’s exterior and preserves its integrity, providing an additional advantage in terms of strength and longevity.
Spherical roller bearings
Machines marked with this label are equipped with spherical roller bearings, mounted on hubs and rotor supports. Designed to withstand high radial and axial loads, they provide greater reliability and durability even under heavy-duty conditions. Compared to tapered bearings, they offer 30% higher resistance and, thanks to their self-aligning capability, ensure operational stability and simplified installation without the need for preloading. A technical solution that improves work continuity and reduces machine downtime.
Normalised rotor tube E355
All machines with this decal are equipped with a rotor tube that has undergone normalisation, a heat treatment process that enhances the mechanical properties of the material, making it stronger and less prone to breakage. During normalisation, the rotor tube is brought to a specific temperature and then cooled in a controlled manner. This process eliminates internal stresses and creates a more homogeneous metal structure, reducing the risk of deformation and failure during operation.
Side gear transmission with 3 gears
Machines with this label feature a side gear transmission with three gears, designed to provide maximum strength, reliability, and direct power transfer. Compared to chain systems, it eliminates efficiency losses and reduces maintenance requirements. Ideal for heavy-duty operations, it ensures consistently high performance over time.
Rotor hub
Machines marked with this decal are equipped with a transmission hub featuring an interchangeable shaft, designed to offer maximum reliability against impacts and mechanical stress. Its modular construction ensures operational strength and ease of maintenance: in case of damage, the shaft can be replaced quickly, reducing downtime and ensuring uninterrupted operation.
Floating seals
Machines marked with this decal are equipped with floating seals in the roto-end hubs, a high-efficiency system designed to prevent the ingress of dust, mud, and water, even under extreme working conditions. Thanks to their structure, consisting of two opposing metal rings separated by a thin oil film, floating seals ensure perfect sealing, reduce wear, and effectively protect bearings and internal lubrication. The result is longer component life, reduced maintenance requirements, and maximum operational reliability—even in the presence of vibrations and contaminants.
Folding frame
Identifies models equipped with a folding frame featuring 4 hydraulic cylinders, designed to offer maximum efficiency, manoeuvrability and safety both during operation and road transpor. A compact high-performance solution, ideal for tackling demanding working conditions with reliability.
Choice of accessory
FRONT WHEELS
REINFORCED REAR WHEELS
ADDITIONAL WHEEL FOR MULTI BED SYSTEM
EXTENDED THREE-POINT LINKAGE
TWIN FRONT WHEELS
CARDAN DRIVE SHAFT WITH AUTOMATIC CLUTCH
SIDE DISCS WITH ROUND SHANK
SIDE DISCS WITH SQUARE SHANK
MOUNTING KIT FOR REAR ROLLER
REAR EXPANDED METAL ROLLER KIT
SMOOTH REAR ROLLER KIT
MOTORIZED REAR ROLLER KIT
ADDITIONAL CONES KIT
PLASTIC KIT FOR ROLLER SCRAPER
PLASTIC CLEANING KIT FOR ROLLER
INDEPENDENT HYDRAULIC SYSTEM
FLOW DIVIDER
FIXED TRACK ERASER
TRACK ERASER WITH SHEAR SAFETY BOLT
TRACK ERASER WITH SPRING SAFETY
HEAT EXCHANGER
CUSTOM CONFIGURATIONS
Technical features
| Model | CRONO 340 | CRONO 380 | CRONO 430 | CRONO 460 | CRONO 490 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tractor power min/max (Hp) |
150 - 220 | 170 - 220 | 180 - 220 | 200 - 220 | 200 - 220 |
| Working width (cm) |
344 | 384 | 434 | 464 | 494 |
| Bed configurations |
2 x 180 | 2 x 200 | 3 x 150 | 3 x 160 | 3 x 170 |
| Transport width (cm) |
255 | 255 | 255 | 255 | 255 |
| Rotostone flanges |
17 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 |
| Total Rotostone blades 4x |
68 | 72 | 80 | 88 | 96 |
| Total Rotostone blades 6x |
102 | 108 | 120 | 132 | 144 |
| Frangiter flanges |
22 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 |
| Total Frangiter flanges 6x |
132 | 144 | 168 | 192 | 216 |
| Base configuration weight (Kg) |
2810 | 2960 | 3150 | 3320 | 3490 |
| Base configuration: 4-blade Rotostone + short bed former shaper + wheels + side discs Data refers to the machine without options. Weights and dimensions shown in the tables are indicative and not binding. |
|||||