John Deere hosts virtual press event

Apr. 11, 2021

John Deere, Moline, Ill., unveiled new technologies and product upgrades during an April 6 virtual press event.

One of the event themes focused on how expanding technologies can provide customers with more options, along with assisting operators with different skill levels.

Some of the products touched on included excavators, motor graders and dozers. Emphasis focused on machines featuring the company’s SmartGrade™ technology, which is now a part of the 210G LC and 350G LC excavators. The company also announced the integration of SmartGrade technology into the 333G compact track loader.

Justin Steger, Deere solutions marketing manager, site development and underground, said for the equipment rental industry, return on investment (ROI) is key.

“While this technology does come at a cost, there is definitely a value proposition in the productivity, versatility and where this really shines from a rental company’s perspective is the upgrade ability path,” Steger said. “The rental company can choose the investment that they think is right, and with no penalty for being wrong.

“As long as they order some sort of technology out of the gate, they can build and upgrade as they see customer demand for their markets.”

Steger said the quality of labor is certainly a challenge in the industry, and technologies offered by Deere can assist beginners to experienced operators. Steger says adding technology doesn’t necessarily mean you can throw a novice in the seat and watch them excavate underground utilities all of a sudden.

“What it does is take a novice operator and makes him good, makes him productive,” Steger said. “It takes a good operator and makes them great. No matter what skill level, you’re going to find some sort of benefit in there. I think that really speaks well to rental companies. They don’t know the quality of operators, and that’s a risk for them.”

Some of the product upgrades and innovations include:

Compact machine with integrated grade control

The company has integrated SmartGrade™ technology into the 333G compact track loader, the first time a fully-integrated grade control technology will be available on compact equipment, the company says. Operators also will benefit from DozerMode, a control solution that enables the EH joystick control system to function like a crawler dozer with the push of a button.

SmartGrade is designed to increase productivity by helping to automatically complete grading tasks faster with fewer passes and less rework compared to working without grade control technology. The machine delivers precise grading performance while eliminating vulnerable masts and cables, according to Deere.

Dozer grade management solutions

Slope control now is available as an integrated factory option for the company’s 450K, 550K and 650K dozers. The entry-level grade control solution assists operators in grading smooth planar surfaces and can be used in small-site development, road building, forestry and agriculture. With slope control, the system provides cross-slope and main fall-slope percentages in real time, allowing the operator to manually adjust the blade or use the system’s automated control feature to meet the required grade.

Motor grader updates

Features have been added to the company’s GP-Series motor graders. Those features are Auto-Pass and Auto-Shift PLUS technologies, along with configurable float and SmartGrade™ remote support. Auto-Pass automates machine movements while Auto-Shift PLUS transmission upgrade allows for the machine to completely stop and start without the use of an inching pedal, allowing for smoother navigation around obstacles. The configurable float technology allows operators to assign any auxiliary valve to the float switches. The upgrades are designed to allow both new and experienced operators to work more efficiently on a job site, the company says.

The Auto-Pass feature programs machine movements at the beginning and end of grading passes. While adjusting the speed of these movements and rotating the blade 180 degrees, the machine will simultaneously place the blade on the ground while preparing for the next pass. Available as an option on the GP-Series models and standard on the SmartGrade motor graders, the feature also can be programmed to raise and rotate the blade at the end of a grading pass, mirroring the finished angle.

Dozer lineup improvements

Upgrades to the John Deere dozer lineup includes a suspended double-bogie track frame on the 1050K to improve ride quality. Featuring a second layer of bogies, new isolators and refined geometry, the machine delivers increased durability and a smoother ride that reduces operator fatigue on long shifts, the company says. The machine’s Semi-U blade features increased capacity with improved roll performance and standard cast end bits. The blade reduces material plugging.

The 950k includes a stockpiling configuration and exterior hose upgrades. Intended for coal handling and wood chip applications, the factory stockpiling configuration provides specialized sheet metal guarding to increase protection from material spilling over the blade and falling through the horizontal hood perforations and grille. The configuration also includes a special high-debris cooling package.

The exterior hoses on both machines have been upgraded, offering improved flexibility and extended durability in cold-weather environments.

John Deere excavator technology

The company said the John Deere 210G LC and 350G LC excavators now are available with factory-installed and calibrated SmartGrade technology. With the introduction, the company offers a range of grade management solutions that includes SmartGrade, SmartGrade-Ready with 2D, 3D grade guidance and 2D grade guidance.

A SmartGrade excavator automates the boom and bucket functions for the operator to achieve a smooth and accurate finish grade. Using GNSS positioning technology for accurate horizontal and vertical positioning, the machine controls boom and bucket movements to a precise design target. This enables the operator to focus on controlling the arm function while the system raises and lowers the boom to maintain grade.

John Deere precision construction

The company unveiled Precision Construction, which leverages a foundation of technology innovations to deliver smart solutions. The technology is designed to make it easier for customers to select solutions that help them resolve pain points on the job site, the company says. The result is a suite of solutions focused on maximizing uptime and helping contractors accomplish more each day. Organizing the current offerings into four focused pillars, Connected Support™, Grade Management, Payload Weighing and JDLink™ Telematics, the shift enables customers to identify and incorporate technology solutions based on their unique needs.

Tiering strategy starting with utility loaders

John Deere’s Performance Tiering Strategy is designed to deliver a range of products at different levels of capability and user experience. Available first on the wheel loader lineup, the strategy supports customers by providing machine solutions built for various applications and jobs. Moving away from the traditional series letter designations, the strategy provides three tiers of machines: G tier, P tier and X tier.

The 444-724 P-tier machines feature a redesigned cab, standard parallel lift Z-Bar loader linkage, high-lift plus option, electrohydraulic controls and dual return-to-dig settings. The 644 X-tier features E-Drive technology and comprises a diesel-electric drivetrain.

The 644 G-tier is equipped with a new cab designed to boost operator comfort and productivity. Customers can customize the machine through a variety of base-level packages, including axles, tires, ride control, seats, radio and rear chassis work-light selections. The machine is designed for light to medium construction jobs, such as stockpiling, short load-and-carry, truck and hopper loading and material handling.

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