Automation levels in the field moving up a gear

Technological advances are helping to make the work of tractor operators easier, safer and more efficient

New levels of automation are destined for a variety of agricultural field operations as manufacturers seek to make the tractor operator’s life easier and less tiring.

Drive into the field, enter machine settings on an ISOBUS touch screen display, engage ‘forwards’ on the shuttle, then sit back, relax and let mechatronics technology take the strain.

Maybe that’s an overly ambitious scenario just now but, with an increasing number of functions on both tractors and implements being automated, it’s a scenario that is not entirely beyond the possible in future.

As with all ISOBUS features and functionalities, compatibility and related issues are overseen by AEF, the Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation, which agrees norms, standards and methods for compatibility testing.

It also publishes the AEF ISOBUS Database that enables machinery makers, dealers and now also end users to check the compatibility of tractors, implements and devices from different manufacturers.

After much preparation, Tractor Implement Management (TIM) has been added to ISOBUS capabilities such as Virtual Terminal, Task Control (eg variable rate application), and Section Control.

For TIM, protocols covering safety in addition to functional compatibility are needed because it enables implement sensors to activate various tractor functions, such as the hydraulics, PTO, rear hitch and transmission.

Among implement manufacturers, Krone is the first to obtain TIM certification for automatically opening and closing the tailgate section of the bale-forming chamber on its round balers and baler/wrappers, with other functions likely to be added.

Modern Claas Rollant balers open the bale chamber automatically and the McHale F500 will also close it again, while Pro versions of the Impress round balers from Pöttinger will do the same as well as lifting the pick-up reel as soon as the chamber is full, to give the operator one less thing to do.

Auto tailgate open and close also features on John Deere F441R, V451R and V461R balers and is an upgrade for earlier 900 Series machines; and a Deere 6R tractor with Tractor Implement Automation is used, the system will automatically bring the outfit to a halt for net wrapping.

Opt for a Kuhn FB 3135 baler and its Automate package will lift the tailgate only as far as necessary to save precious seconds, and if a blockage occurs, the drop-floor opens up the throat without operator intervention.

An auto knife-cleaning sequence on the Kuhn machine and the New Holland Roll Baler 125 Combi is another feature, while bale-forming automation features on New Holland big square balers if the tractor has so-called Class 3 ISOBUS.

In ‘charge control’ mode, IntelliCruise will slow or speed up the tractor to achieve optimum feed-in along an uneven swath, potentially achieving up to 9% more output and 4% fuel savings.

The equivalent Feed Rate Control on Case IH LB balers can do the same, along with the second mode that also varies forward speed but this time to produce the number of slices preferred by end users of the bales.

Claas ICT Cruise Control regulates Axion 800 and 900 CMatic tractors works with Quadrant balers and Cargos forage wagons to maintain optimum throughput, while ICT Auto Stop rapidly disengages the PTO when an overload is detected.

Krone is the first to obtain TIM certification