Farmers remotely monitor, manage farm with AFS Connect

BOONE, Iowa — Farmers can focus on improving their productivity with the Case IH AFS Connect Steiger series tractors.

“The ability for a dealership to eliminate windshield time to go out and identify a problem is advantageous for both the dealership and the farmers,” said Nate McGraw, Case IH tractor product specialist.

The AFS Steiger series tractors range from 370 to 620 horsepower and include models, 370, 420, 470, 500, 540, 580 and 620.

“With AFS Connect the farmer owns his data and he has the freedom to manage, monitor, adjust, transfer and partner, the way he wants,” said McGraw during the Farm Progress Show Media Day.

“So, if a farmer has an agronomist writing scripts for him, he can give the agronomist access to the agronomic data or if he is working with a co-op for chemicals, the farmer can give them the guidance line,” he explained.

Advanced Farming Systems Connect is accessible from a computer, phone or tablet.

“Whether it’s a fleet manager for a larger organization or an owner-operator, this system allows that person to step away and go to a family event they missed in the past,” McGraw said.

“We have an app that the farmer can use to see vehicles running and the speed they’re traveling, so they’ll have the confidence they’ll be up to date when they get back to the field.”

Various equipment can be included in the AFS Connect system including tractors, combines and sprayers, as well as legacy equipment.

“We can put all those pieces of equipment into one location so it can be monitored remotely,” McGraw said.

Since every farming operation is different, McGraw said, a profile can be created for different equipment operators.

“If you have a novice driver, you can lock some of the features out to operate the tractor within parameters,” he said.

Farmers have options to customize the tractor operations to fit their needs.

“You can switch the electronic hydraulic remotes in the cab,” McGraw said. “Some people on a grain cart like the gate right next to the MultiFunction Handle and other guys like it to be on the other side.”

The Electro-Hydraulic remote levers are color-coded.

“If you have the tractor set up one way and someone else gets in the machine who wants it a different way, rather than getting out and swapping hoses, you can reassign the levers,” McGraw said. “So, if you get in the machine and the one right next to the handle is normally red and it’s blue, you know someone made a switch, so you won’t grab something on accident and have something happen you don’t want to happen.”

There are four buttons on the MultiFunction handle and four buttons on the armrest of the Magnum tractors, McGraw said.

“The Steiger has an additional button for any functional feature of the tractor,” he said. “The more techy people will want something on every button, other people will use as few buttons as possible.”

The operator platform of the Steiger tractor is intuitive.

“You can get in this tractor and in about 10 minutes comfortably run it,” McGraw said. “It doesn’t matter if you are male, female, young or old, you can start driving this tractor very quickly.”

AFS Connect has three system components — the AFS Pro 1200 Display, the AFS Pro Operating System and the AFS Vector Pro Receiver.

“The 12-inch monitor is touch screen with anti-glare built into it so no matter which direction you’re going through the field, you’re not going to lose visibility from the sun coming in,” McGraw said. “And just like a tablet, you can pinch to zoom in and out.”

With AFS Connect dealers have the ability to log into the system and assist farmers with issues.

“If it’s a code that needs cleared, dealers can do that remotely instead of sending a technician out to the field just to hook a computer up to clear a code,” McGraw said.

“With the live readings, if it is a sensor that’s gone bad, the technician arrives at the field with all the parts and tools they need to fix the problem which makes them very efficient.”

The Steiger tractors are equipped with Isobus Class 3.

“That allows the tool to command the tractor,” McGraw said. “For example, with a round baler, as the bale becomes full, the baler can tell the tractor to stop, kick the bale out and start baling again.”

In addition, other brands of machinery can be included in the AFS Connect system.

“We can run anything through our monitor that’s not proprietary controlled, whether it’s a competitive planter, tillage tool, etc.,” McGraw said. “We’re getting away from the proprietary software because that handcuffs customers, and we want to open it up so farmers can run what they want to so they can make their farm as efficient for their bottom lime as possible.”

For more information about Case IH equipment, go to www.caseih.com.