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.
Case IH’s AFS Connect offers benefits for both users and their supplying dealers. In the case of the former, giving users freedom to adjust, manage, monitor and transfer data, view displays remotely and access support capabilities. In the dealer’s case, it means remote diagnostic information from the tractor is fed to the dealership headquarters, then on to the local dealership team.
Gisborne-based maize corn and squash grower H Pak Ltd has taken delivery of New Zealand’s first Case IH AFS Connect Magnum 340. For owner, Henry Dods, buying the 340 signalled a return to Case IH after a 10-year break. Meanwhile, for supplying dealer Jacks Machinery, the order was a milestone in its recent expansion out of their home base of Whakatane in Bay of Plenty.
H Pak runs a fleet of 20 tractors on the heavy, fertile Gisborne Plains. The arrival at Jacks of tractors of the type and horsepower required meant it was the ideal timing for Dods to return to the Case IH camp.
Working on heavy soil, the tractor was destined to spend most of its life attached to a power harrow. So, when researching a new purchase, Dods went looking for horsepower, full powershift transmission and dual wheels.
The Case IH AFS Connect Magnum 340 allows Jacks to service the East Coast from afar, with the help of a newly established team based in Gisborne.
Users simply log in to AFS Connect to view current field operations, fleet information, agronomic data and more. This allows them to remotely keep an eye on their operation, just as if they were present in the cab.
The display is set up for intuitive navigation and optimum visibility, even on the brightest days. Remote display viewing connects operators with farm managers seamlessly, and Bluetooth capabilities pair the display with a mobile phone to bring everything onto one display.
“If you are used to operating an Android phone, you’d be right at home with the AFS touch screen,” Jacks Machinery says.
And, of course, driver comfort is a top priority too.
Staff immediately took a shine to the red-leather upholstery and were squabbling over who got to drive the new machine, Dods says.
