Lemken, an international supplier of professional crop cultivation implements, offers the Rubin 12 high-speed disc for intense residue incorporation in applications previously restricted to cultivators. With specially arranged large concave discs and rugged construction, the Rubin 12 excels in single pass tillage of tough crop residue, increasing efficiency and productivity for spring or fall applications.

“There are a lot of benefits to strategic tillage, but if you’re having to make several passes with multiple machines, you’re wasting time and fuel,” said Jim Balstad, vice president of sales and marketing for Lemken USA. “The Rubin 12 easily handles crop residue from the highest-yielding corn crops in North America, working deeper than other models, and it does it all in one pass, saving farmers time, money and compaction.”

The Rubin 12 features 29-inch serrated, concave discs that offer farmers an industry-leading working depth of up to 8 inches (20 centimeters), incorporating crop residue deep into the soil for faster nutrient release and compaction alleviation. This results in better seedbed preparation and higher yields. With working widths from 9.8-23 feet, the Rubin 12 can be customized to fit any size operation. And with operating speeds up to 10 miles per hour, tillage can be completed quickly in spring or fall.

In addition to larger discs, the Rubin 12 features a symmetrical disc arrangement that provides precise directional stability and eliminates side draft, even when working on an incline. This patented design ensures consistent cultivation and optimal penetration over the whole working width without bringing rocks to the surface or clogging up in difficult soils. Each disc is individually attached to the frame with a pre-tensioned spring element, accurately maintaining depth even in harder soils and ensuring optimal pressure exertion. 


To tackle tough soils and large volumes of crop residue with minimal maintenance, the Rubin 12 relies on quality-engineered design elements. A six-fold cassette sealing protects maintenance-free angular ball bearings from dust and moisture while the unique housing shape protects the bearing from coarse dirt and prevents crop wrapping, greatly reducing maintenance requirements. Each concave disc is attached individually to a highly tempered mounting arm, providing maximum space between discs to eliminate clogging and further reduce maintenance.

Two harrows – an impact harrow followed by a leveling harrow – combine to create a high-quality seedbed for better seeding efficiency with high yield crops. Both harrows feature central depth adjustment to quickly self-adjust to changing working conditions, ensuring optimal results.

“For more than 200 years, Lemken has worked with farmers across Europe to develop the strategic tillage implements that address their unique soils, conditions, and farming systems,” Balstad said. “The Rubin 12 brings that customer-focused approach to the challenges of farmers in America’s heartland. It is the only high-speed disc on the market that can handle the large volumes of crop residue from high yield corn in a single pass. A wet fall will keep farmers out of the fields, but with the Rubin 12, they still have an opportunity for spring tillage since they can achieve everything they need with a single pass.”

Lemken offers three mounting options for increased safety and maneuverability when transporting the Rubin 12. Pull type and semi-mounted systems that reduce the weight load on the rear tractor axle when the implement is raised provide high stability during road transport. The carriage is integrated into the frame with this design, increasing stability and maneuverability. Three-point mounting is available for rigid implements and ensures compatibility with road transport regulations when using heavy trailing rollers. Versatile mounting positions allow for a wide range of adjustments with different tractors and soils.