Agribusiness is one of the areas that has experienced the greatest technological development in recent years. Activities and decisions in the field are increasingly based on data management and digitization of processes for more efficient production. That is why, this week, Case IH, a brand of CNH Industrial, unveiled its four fundamental pillars for today's agriculture: connectivity, artificial intelligence, autonomy and electrification.
"The first two have to do with the solutions we offer today for the Argentine countryside. And the others, with a medium and long-term vision, refer to where the brand is seeing the evolution of agriculture, "explained Rodrigo Lanciotti, Marketing Manager for Argentina of Case.
Connectivity
The Case dealer network has an investment of more than 20 million dollars for the renewal and updating of the entire chain throughout the country. 50% already have active AFS Connect Center rooms and the rest are under construction. "The monitoring centers allowed 65% of situations with customers to be resolved remotely, with 265 fewer hours of machine shutdowns in the field," said the manager. "These new connection points contribute to the monitoring of our users' equipment, improving after-sales service and providing relevant information for producers' decision-making," he added.
Faced with so many technological advances in the field in recent years, Case believes the mission is to prepare farmers and the labor market for these changes. Therefore, it launched the AFS Connect Academy, an online platform for courses and training in Digital Agriculture, where users can interact and take distance classes for training as mechanics of agricultural machines, enabling new professionals and jobs.
Artificial intelligence
To optimize and improve the operator's work in the field in real time, Case has the Axial-Flow 7250 Automation combine, a pioneer in artificial intelligence and machine learning. "It is equipped with the AFS Harvest Command system, an intelligent system that self-regulates through 16 sensors scattered throughout the machine, performs up to 1,800 interventions each working day," said Lanciotti.
It has four harvest modes: balanced performance, grain quality, maximum and fixed yield. They provide up to 15% more productivity and a reduction in fuel consumption. It also allows to obtain a better quality of grains, greater comfort and agility, greater operational capacity, greater performance and more robustness and greater power with lower consumption.
"The machine is regulated automatically, the operator only does three operations now: open the discharge tube, unload and be attentive to driving," said Lanciotti.
Autonomy
Case IH introduced the Harvest Assisted Autonomy Solution, this tool, integrated with Raven Autonomy, synchronizes two machines for the combine operator to coordinate the speed and trajectory of a driverless tractor during a moving unloading operation.
"The operator can plan and execute precise and automated tasks with predictable results controlled from any point. And as a consequence, greater productivity, operational capacity and a deeper analysis of the data are obtained, "explained the manager of the company.
"Focusing on automation and autonomy is not taking farmers out of farming, it's making their machines more productive with functional automation," he said.
Electrification
The firm is creating solutions that contribute to achieving better performance of the task for which its equipment was designed and greater efficiency in its operation.
An example is the Farmall 75C Electric, where everything is found in a single tractor: hybrid concept, connectivity, autonomous features, artificial intelligence and alternative fuel. It is equipped with an electric motor and stands out for its front loader, first-generation battery, braking system, transmission, front axle and front support.
"The tractor offers up to 90% noise reduction, increased torque, greater efficiency, better control, 360° visibility and task automation," said Lanciotti. This product "marks the starting point of electrification in the development of new products for our portfolio," he said.
