Emmets commited to future technology

John Deere agriculture equipment is often thought of as big, heavy, and powerful. The thought that these machines could run on anything but diesel fuel – and still get the work done – might have seemed like a joke just a few years ago.

However, as one of the leading technology companies on the planet, John Deere continues to introduce electric vehicles (EV) to its line-up: large earth-moving equipment, small excavators, ride-on mowers, utility vehicles, and yes, agriculture tractors.

To keep up with the coming EV machinery, there is a need for service technicians to have a sound electrical understanding and diagnostic ability.

During a recent tour of the MTA’s Cleve campus, the Emmetts training team was introduced to its recent acquisition of CAN bus electrical training tools for the auto electrical sectors.

“The electrical knowledge and skills that our service technicians will require are growing by the minute”, said Tony Welch, Technical Training Manager at Emmetts.

“The investment into these resources will provide better outcomes for our apprentices and our customers.”

CAN bus communication systems are vital for any modern machine whether it be auto, agriculture, transport or earth-moving. In agriculture, CAN bus is integral to several applications such as weed control. The electrical system detects a specific weed, targets that weed for spraying, and transmits that data to the cloud within milliseconds. Farmers rely on this precision ag process not only for machine operation, but also for data collection that allows them to make smart business decisions that impact chemical usage –impacting sustainability as well as production.

The future of autonomous tractors is also becoming a reality, all controlled and monitored through electronic and communication networks. As strange as it may be to see a driverless tractor in the paddock, John Deere has already launched prototypes that will allow farmers to keep up with global needs regardless of staff availability. As more of this technology is introduced, electrical diagnosis and repair capability will be paramount to keeping farmers operational.

It’s an exciting time for the MTA to be developing these skills in its students while the technology continues to leap ahead. By identifying these industry needs, it is working to fill the demand for electrical and EV training qualifications.

In partnership with Emmetts and John Deere, students also receive model-specific training to complement those qualifications.

Working together to build qualified service technicians, we’ll be able to support a future of farmers and producers who rely on EV technology for sustainable and quality production.