TRACTOR TRENDS

ON THE FARM

Harvest Helpers

Today’s tractors offer ultra-engineered features, data-driven technology

By Adam Stone

TRACTORS ARE GETTING SMARTER all the time. “There are a lot of things that a human operator doesn’t have the ability to sense and respond to,” said Alex Thomasson, a professor in the department of biological and agricultural engineering at Texas A&M University. “A machine can do steering better than a person. There is also a lot of work going on with collection, storage, analysis and transport of data.”

The global market for tractors above the 100 horsepower range is expected to top $175 billion by 2024, according to research firm Mordor Intelligence. Judging by the 2020 offerings, farmers will likely see these big machines getting increasingly more efficient and more capable.

Manufacturer Case IH recently introduced the AFS Pro 1200 Display on its AFS Connect Magnum Tractor.

John Deere 8RX

JOHN DEERE

“There’s a lot of peace of mind that comes with these systems. The farmers know they are putting themselves in the best possible position for farming.”

“We are trying to make the displays more user-friendly, to make them easy and intuitive,” said Case IH commercial training manager Leo Bose.

The new display “allows the operator to interact intuitively, like on an Android phone, to see things like ground speed, implement engagements or disengagement. It also allows you to customize the front and rear lighting,” Bose said.

Others are introducing new technologies to make tractors more versatile. CLAAS of America, for example, recently released its Axion 900 TT, with wheels in the front and rubber belt treads on the back.

By incorporating the wide, flat tread, “we can get more traction without adding weight, even as these tractors get larger and larger in horsepower. We also get better flotation, meaning it doesn’t sink in the mud or sand or peat,” said Drew Fletcher, product manager for tractors at CLAAS of America.

The treads can even help to extend the harvest season. “If you get a half-inch of rain, a wheeled tractor often can’t go out for a week or two, until it starts to dry out,” Fletcher said. “With this, you can get in a day earlier and pick up production even in marginal soil conditions.”

CLAAS is active on the data front, too. Last year the company joined with John Deere, CNH Industrial and 365FarmNet to release a cross-platform tool for sharing agricultural data. “Right now, there is a lot of time and complexity involved in the data manipulation. The farmer needs to be able to see the passes that the CLAAS tractor made and overlay that with the yield map from the Deere combine and with his sprayer map from the Case IH sprayer,” Fletcher said. The new tool makes it easier to share data across formerly proprietary platforms. John Deere also has been innovating its products to enhance operator comfort and convenience.

In the company’s 6M model “there is an updated cab with electronic hydraulic controls, bringing some of the controls closer to the operator for convenience and comfort. The transmission controls in some configurations are moved into the armrest so you don’t have to reach as far to interact with those,” said Douglas Felter, a product marketing manager at John Deere.

The company has also introduced its Autotrac precision steering feature for the first time on smaller models. “The precision technologies that are now almost common on large tractors are

ON THE FARM

beginning to move into smaller machines,” Felter said.

In bigger tractors like the 8RX, meanwhile, digital tools that used to be offered as add-on features now come standard. “Every large tractor we sell is coming from the factory with a full precision-ag suite, with a digital display and a GPS receiver and at minimum a guidance activation system. You can take this tractor and be operating with guidance almost immediately,” Felter said. Deere also recently unveiled its HarvestLab 3000, a digital tool to help farmers more accurately apply liquid manure. Users can analyze, adjust and document gallons applied per acre on-the-go to better manage fertilizer usage.

Other ag manufacturers are also offering new technologies in support of smarter tractors.

Kinze Manufacturing recently rolled out its Blue Vantage product, a digital interface between the planter and the tractor. “It is the control for all things that are being done by the planter,” said Eric Broadbent, Kinze senior director of North America sales. “As you are going through a field, if you want to apply different rates of feed or fertilizer depending on the soil condition, the map shows you the different areas so that you can make adjustments as you go.”

As with many of this year’s new tractor technologies, this micro level of management should give farmers a greater sense of control. “There’s a lot of peace of mind that comes with these systems,” Broadbent said. “The farmers know they are putting themselves in the best possible position for farming.”

Case IH’s AFS Connect Magnum 380 tractor features advanced technology that includes multiple camera feeds.

TRACTOR TRENDS

For many farmers, purchasing a tractor can be as expensive as buying a home. These state-ofthe-art machines offer impressive features to match their price tags:

Xerion Trac TS

CLAAS OF AMERICA

Case IH AFS Connect Magnum series

The AFS Connect Magnum tractor series gives farmers the freedom to manage, monitor, adjust and transfer data. Powered by Case IH’s Advanced Farming Systems, each tractor is outfitted with cutting-edge technology for increased connectivity, ease of operation and remote monitoring and management. The line includes models from 180 to 400 horsepower. Starting at $329,626.

John Deere 8RX

For model year 2020, John Deere has introduced a new 8 Family Tractor lineup including the all-new 8RX, equipped with an integrated Gen 4 4600 CommandCenter display, StarFire 6000 integrated receiver and AutoTrac activation. The new StarFire 6000 integrated receiver requires no calibration of the Terrain Compensation Module, is more accurate than previous models and is less vulnerable to theft, the company said. The 8RX is equipped to prepare precise seedbeds, handle variable-rate seeding and manage fertilizer prescriptions. Starting at $486,694.

CLAAS XERION TRAC TS

The new Xerion Trac TS tractor with crawler tracks is designed to deliver reliable tractive power and minimize ground pressure in almost all conditions. Equipped with a pendular suspension system, the crawler tracks adapt to the terrain and ensure a high level of driver comfort when combined with the cab suspension. Starting in the low $300,000s.