25 Years of John Deere Automated Guidance: A Precision Ag Timeline
This year marks the 25th anniversary of John Deere moving into automated guidance.
Varied working widths and machine configurations allow users to deal with grass, pasture, crop residues and roadsides; they’re good for farm and commercial work.
Much of the redesign is to get better cutting performance: a reshaped chamber design increases volume, better airflow around the deck improves the quality of cut and material distribution under the deck, and less material accumulates above.
At the front, a suspended front mount helps improve stability by isolating movements between the tractor and the implement and vice versa.
New torsional rear suspension is optional for the M-series but is part of the base package of the high-spec R-series. This configuration helps machine stability and gives a more consistent cutting height.
E-series machines have a 75hp rated gearbox and Category 4 driveline. The 100hp/Category 5 is the base for M-series, with the option of an upgrade to 125hp/Category 6. All R-series machines are equipped with the 125hp/Category 6 configuration to achieve greater capacity, improved durability and increased output.
Working widths: first, the new 3.6m (12-foot) cut E12, then the 4.5m (15-foot) cut E15; in the M-series the choice is the 4.5m M15 or the 6.1m (20-foot) cut M20; the top-of-the-range R-series contains the 3.5m R10, 3.6m R15 and the 6.1m R20.
