The desire to have a bird’s-eye view and a record of machine operations as they occur has likely been around since the beginning of farming.
Today’s farmer often uses additional farm workers and offers custom application, seeding and harvest services.
A combination of liability, efficiency and resource allocation, as well as machine maintenance, makes current knowledge of machinery movement valuable.
Machinery maker Agco’s high-powered equipment will soon be able to send a message detailing operations, location and status. The new tracking systems will be available on combines, large tractors and application equipment.
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Dave Swain of Agco’s Advanced Technology Solutions division said by fall the company will have it available on their machines and for after market installation on Case IH machines.
Reid Hamre of Agco said the system is built to work with the existing computer devices in the Agco machinery.
Agco’s equipment will be able to send information to an internet site about its location, collected from the satellite driven guidance system, and machinery function from the onboard computer.
The Agcommand system feeds the data to the Agco internet site via cellular phone modem.
Software places the machine on a map, providing a bird’s-eye view of location and movements, whether it’s in transport, field mode or sitting still.
Managing location and operations can then be done from the farm office or anywhere there is internet access.
Virtual fences can be set, alerting the manager to movements outside those boundaries.
This could be used to indicate field completion, when a set amount of ground is covered, when seed, spray or fertilizer is needed or that a combine will be reaching a field.
Swain said the system also can provide maintenance reminders about future servicing and machine operating details that might need attention, such as radiator cleaning or fuel.
Swain said Agcommand was designed to keep down time to a minimum and provide farmers more control over their machines’ efficiency.
It uses proven technology from existing industrial systems.
