John Deere has just launched its new S7 Combine in Houston, Texas, a machine which the company claims is designed to deliver increased efficiency with the latest John Deere engines and higher productivity through advanced harvesting automation.
The S7 also has a new cab, styling and naming as well as integrated advanced precision agriculture features, which are already in the S9 and have proven successful so far.
The new S7 combines are equipped with the latest generation JDX engines. The smaller 9L JD9X engine powers the S7 700, while the S7 800, S7 850 and S7 900 are powered by the 13.6L JD14X.
These engines are already in service and John Deere has stated that they have been working well across all harvesting conditions.
Also spilling down from the premium models comes the X9 residue management system which is said to further enhance overall efficiency.
The unloading auger for the S7 is now fitted with the adjustable spout which can be controlled from the cab for easier and more accurate filling of the trailer.
Automating harvest
There was, not so long ago, much talk of combines becoming fully autonomous and although manufacturers of conventional machines have generally revised the timetable of this development, automation of various functions is certainly forging ahead.
The new S7 combines are no exception, offering harvesting automation through optional technology packages that include Harvest Settings Automation, where automatic adjustments of five internal combine settings take place during harvest, based on grain loss, foreign material, and broken grain limits.
Another feature to be found on the S7 is Predictive Ground Speed Automation.
This senses the crop through several different sources, including satellite biomass maps and live automation camera feedback which is then used detect crop height and/or down crop to further adjust the ground speed in real-time.
John Deere digital tech included
The new cab has been borrowed from the flagship X9 and features the G5+ CommandCente, enabling digital farming functions such as AutoTracTM, AutoTracTM Turn Automation, Documentation, and DataSync.
Additionally, a new high-definition corner post display with a user-friendly interface and digital readouts of combine performance is said to enhance the overall operator experience.
The StarFire GPS receiver is now integrated into the cab for extra security and improved signal stability with a 2.5cm pass-to-pass accuracy. JDLink is also built in from the start.
Alongside a shared cab the new styling of the S7 combines mirrors that of the John Deere flagship X9.
The new naming style indicates separator technology, model family, overall capacity, and in the future major updates of the series in each model name.
