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.
The new machine is said to deliver more power, precision and productivity. The 9500 is part of a redefined line up that includes the reintroduction of the 9600 and a new engine and more horsepower for the flagship 9700 model.
The 8000 Series will remain largely unchanged, although a smoothing of horsepower across the range sees an engine upgrade for the 8200.
“Farmers and contractors demand durable high-capacity forage harvesters that consistently deliver maximum throughput to make the most of peak harvest windows,” says Stephanie Gersekowski – John Deere Australia and New Zealand production system manager.
The new 9500 is one of three models using increased power to deliver greater throughput in 2023, using John Deere’s new JD18X engine that operates at lower engine revs resulting in lower fuel consumption.
The 9500 and its larger 9600 and 9700 siblings are equipped with the HarvestMotion PLUS feature. This synchronises engine speed with crop flow and power demand to maintain consistent crop throughput, while operating at lower engine revolutions. The feature delivers an additional 18, 27 and 48kW of power across the 9700, 9600 and 9500 models respectively.
“This provides farmers and contractors with 10% more productivity and 10% less fuel usage per tonne harvested,” Gersekowski says.
In other areas, a redesigned and upgraded spout fitted across the 9000 series aims to offer increased visibility and ease of maintenance.
It is 20cm longer and features an optimised contour to create increased visibility. There are also more service openings making the machine easier to service, thereby maximising operational uptime.
At the business end, the 30R Windrow Pick- Up, developed by John Deere-owned Kemper, is equipped with an 80cm diameter auger. This is a 24cm upgrade compared to the standard 56cm assembly fitted on 6X9 pickups. With a working width of 2.7m, the unit features 20cm deep auger flights, six tine bars fitted with 6.5mm diameter tines and a chainless drive system.
Using the JDLink modem, free from ongoing costs since July 2021, data can be exchanged wirelessly and free of charge with the John Deere Operations Center. This allows workflows to be set up, planned and monitored in a single online portal.
Using AutoSetup, it’s possible to send information to forage harvesters directly in the field. Pre-planned work schedules then automatically appear on the Gen 4 display when the machine crosses the boundary of the designated paddock. This gives the driver direct access to the correct lanes, work settings and field boundaries.
