Feed pad with rubber matting hailed as game changer
For Otago farmers Michelle and Rogan Borrie, a newly constructed feed pad on one of their three farms has been a game changer.
This will allow farmers to get more from their equipment, with the introduction of turn automation for combine harvesters.
Combine AutoTrac Turn Automation is compatible with Gen 4 Displays and the new G5 Display on X9, S700 and even S600 combines – which were introduced in 2012.
John Deere production system manager Ben Kelly says automating the headland turns makes operating the harvester easier and more precise.
“Customers will see consistent, repeated and optimised end turns across the paddock, while the operator will benefit from less stress and fatigue throughout the day.”
Noting that ATTA allows operators to focus their attention on critical harvester operational tasks, like grain loss or grain sample. Kelly says the system delivers clear safety and productivity improvements, but also allows another step closer down the road to full autonomy and in doing so prepares customers for the future.
AutoTrac Turn Automation for combine harvesters is part of the 23-2 Display software bundle that was released in late 2022, using technology to automate the combine turns at the headland. ATTA is compatible with the Gen 4 family display with Automation 4.0, or G5 family display with G5 Advanced license.
In use, ATTA requires a field boundary created with either SF3, SF-RTK or RTK level signal accuracy and a boundary headland, which can now be easily created in Operations Center. The system can support multiple harvesters working in the same field to increase overall productivity. This reduces stress, via three turn types that are pre-planned and automatically executed.
ATTA will support U-Turns, Spiral-In or Spiral- Out turns. The spiral in and spiral out turns have been developed to ensure the unload auger is always extended over the harvested row, creating an opening for chaser bins and allowing simple unloading on-the-go.
“Turn automation complements the key technology required to enable completely handsfree guidance across the harvest production step in the future,” Kelly explains. “So is well worth adopting and implementing now to be ready to capitalise on full harvest automation in the future.”
Additional enhancements to the MY 2024 software bundle and John Deere Operations Center Land tool make it easier to set up headlands for paddocks. This creates the foundation needed for the ATTA functions, with users able to manage headlands directly with Operations Center. It also removes the need to create them in the paddock.
In addition, operators can now choose “Cart” for the Chaser Bin profile name. When “Cart” is selected as the profile name, the “Type of Equipment” and “Controller” fields will automatically populate to speed setup time.
