Tractor, harvester IT comes of age
Over the last halfdecade, digital technology has appeared to be the “must-have” for tractor and machinery companies, who believe that bringing IT to tractors and farming will offer its customers huge benefits.
This tablet-based app will control any of the German manufacturer’s mowers, rakes, balers and loader wagons from any make of tractor.
The app won a gold medal at SIMA 2015.
Claas Harvest Centre product manager (Jaguar and Greenline) Luke Wheeler says this further improves the functionality of the Easy system.
“Job data can be imported as an ISO-XML file directly to the tablet via the internet, eliminating the need to send email attachments; likewise completed tasks can be exported directly to farm management software for further processing.”
The Task Controller function is compatible with any AEF-certified farm management software, such as in 365FarmNet. Operators can create jobs via their chosen platform and then access and process them in the app, or alternatively they can create, process and save new jobs in the app and then view them back in the office.
In effect, the app can turn any tablet into which it is loaded into an ISOBUS terminal, using the Claas wireless interface. The driver can control selected functions of the implement directly from the machine using the tablet, and the ISOBUS function buttons in the tractor or on the joystick can also be configured using the ISOBUS auxiliary function in the cab.
In other news, Claas has introduced two new satellite correction signals (Satcor 5 and Satcor 15) for use in its steering guidance systems. Transmitted by geostationary satellites and available worldwide, the signal supports GPS and GLONASS and is compatible with the European Galileo system.
Satcor 5 is accurate to 5cm, making it suitable for precision drilling; Satcor 15 has 15cm accuracy, suitable for cultivating, fertilising, crop spraying and harvesting.
No extra receiver hardware is needed to access the signals; all Claas S10 or S7 terminals less than two years old can receive Satcor signals on condition of an annual licence from a Claas Harvest Centre.
