John Deere: Revised W- and T-Series combines for 2016

John Deere W- and T-Series combines have undergone a comprehensive redesign for the 2016 harvest. Many components have been changed to achieve the best straw walker combine performance possible, industry wide. The combination of the largest active separation area on the market and an enlarged cleaning shoe area enable operators to achieve an increase in output of up to 15 per cent.

The result of the redesign is a number of leading features in this class of combine:

• largest active separation area;
• largest cleaning shoe area;
• fastest unloading rate;
• fastest crop conversion;
• exclusive 40km/hr top speed and tracks in this class;
• connectedcombine and myjohndeere.com; and
• more power with Stage IV final engines.

The main threshing drum’s diameter stays at 660mm, but the concave wrapping angle has been increased by eight degrees, to expand the threshing area and machine throughput. To ensure straw quality, the overshot beater’s diameter has been increased to 500mm, so it maintains the same angles and tip speed in the crop flow. The rear separator drum diameter is increased to 800mm – the largest in the industry. Together with a new separator grate, that features more openings, it allows better separation even under tough and wet harvesting conditions. The active separation area has been increased by 41 per cent to 3.3/4.0 square metres for the five/six walker combines, respectively.

The cleaning shoe area features a completely new design. The use of aluminum has enabled John Deere’s engineers to increase the shoe size, while retaining the weight of the previous unit. With a sieve area of more than six square metres, the cleaning shoe is among the largest in its class.

To make the shoe easily adjustable, the fan has also been redesigned and all air inlets provide an even air intake and air distribution. Tests in co-operation with universities have shown that the combines can operate at a high performance with low loss levels, across a wider range of fan settings. This makes it easy to get the maximum out of the combine with minimal losses, even for less inexperienced operators.

With many farmers and contractors now unloading on the headland, reducing non-productive time is even more important. A faster unloading rate of up 125 lit/sec enables the 11,000-litre capacity grain tank to be emptied in less than 90 seconds.

If machine adjustments are complicated or time-consuming, often they simply are not done; reducing overall machine performance and grain quality. As a solution to the problem, John Deere has developed a quick-engage Booster Bar; a rasp bar that can be swung into the crop flow in less than three minutes in situations where more aggressive threshing is required, in barley for example. The Booster Bar eliminates the use of deawning plates to close the concave, which reduces the overall active separation area. Additionally, as no filler plates are needed, the 600X header can be converted from barley to rape harvesting in three minutes. The rape knife also features a quick coupler.

With top speeds of up to 40 km/hr, larger distances are no longer an issue for contractors or farms with wide-spread fields. Significant advantages offered by tracks are that they enable an operator to act more independently of weather conditions and travel on ground unsuitable for wheeled machines; a footprint 1.7 times larger than that of an 800mm tyre reducing compaction and contributing to higher yields. On tracks the maximum width of the 5/6 walker combines stays less than 3.3m/3.5m.

John Deere’s ConnectedCombine package is designed to enable operators to get the maximum performance out of a machine and to adjust it properly, and manage the data recorded with the support of GPS. AutoTrac hands-free steering allows the driver to concentrate on adjustments. Interactive Combine Adjustment (ICA) helps with the optimisation of machine settings and, if needed, Remote Display Access (RDA) connects the operator to a dealer specialist, giving access to 24/7 product support or training, on the go.

Machine data such as fuel consumption, yield maps and hectares done, on several fields, can be transmitted via wireless data transfer (WDT) to the safe online portal MyJohnDeere.com. Here an operator can view or download data instantly as it is updated automatically on the go so nothing is lost. Further data processing with agronomic desktop software is also possible. With JDLink the logistic chain can be optimised.

W-Series combines
The W-Series walker combines also benefit from many of the updates implemented in the new T-Series. A large, 660mm diameter, single threshing drum with 10 rasp bars is paired with redesigned walkers featuring a larger area and steeper steps for more separation. The combines also have the new cleaning shoe, the quick-engage Booster Bar and the high unloading rate. The 40km/hr top speed and tracks will also be available on selected models. W-Series combines can be specified with advanced technologies such as Autotrac, Interactive Combine Adjustment (ICA), JDLink, Remote Display Access (RDA) and Wireless Data Transfer (WDT) to myjohndeere.com.

The smaller W330 model can be specified with the AutoTrac Universal automatic guidance system, as can the W440 and W440PTC, which also have the option of electric sieve adjustment.

The new W- and T-Series combines also have Stage IV compliant John Deere PSS engines. The nine-litre engines increase power outputs, while the 6.8-litre versions feature an engine speed of 2,200rpm, down by 200rpm, for better efficiency. The AdBlue consumption of only one to three per cent on both engine types contributes to more efficient combine operation.

 John Deere 2016 power outputs

A feeder house torque increase from 600Nm to 900Nm handles the larger headers of up to 10.7m needed to feed the combines. The exclusive rear axle with optional four-wheel drive and traction control allows tighter turns, and an air compressor option for easy cleaning complements a long list of new features.

For more information visit: www.johndeere.co.uk.