Today's farming needs to be accurate and efficient. Farmers are always looking for better ways to work, save time, cut costs, and still grow the best crops. That's why smart steering systems for farm machines like tractors are so important – they're changing how farming gets done.
Recently, FJDynamics held a successful handover training in Munich for our AS2 autosteering system. We wanted to show farmers and dealers how to use this great technology. The training helped them learn all about the FJD AS2 Steer Ready Autosteering System, especially for their CASE IH Puma 150 tractor.
Hands-On Training for Seamless Integration
One main part of the training in Munich was about getting to know the AS2 system's key features. Our team showed farmers and dealers how to easily put their CASE IH Puma 150 tractor into "steer-ready" mode. This is a big step because it unlocks all the cool auto-steering power of the AS2.
At FJDynamics, the FJD AS2 system is a special model designed for tractors that are already "steer-ready" from the factory. This means it plugs right into the tractor's existing hydraulic system, letting farmers control things very accurately from inside the cab. It's truly a "plug-and-play" system, so farmers can save time on setup and quickly get all the benefits of self-steering for their precise farm work without complicated setups.
One of the best things we showed during training was how smoothly the AS2 connects. Farmers didn't need to take out the original steering wheel from their CASE tractor or put in any new hydraulic parts. This keeps their tractor just like it came from the factory, making sure it works great and reliably.
The system even gets its power right from inside the cab, so you don't have to deal with messy outside wires. Farmers really liked that they could just power it on and start working, without having to set it up again every time they switched to a different farm tool.
Effortless Precision and Smart Features
The training also covered how the AS2 delivers effortless precision on any kind of land. By directly controlling the original hydraulic valves, it achieves an impressive 2.5cm accuracy through network RTK services or a base station. If the RTK signal drops out, the AS2 also uses free PPP and SBAS for decimeter-level accuracy, ensuring reliable navigation in remote farming areas, particularly in the foothills of the Alps.Farmers learned that the steering wheel would stay completely still when the autosteering mode was turned on for the tractor. They quickly saw the benefit of this, explaining it would be a huge help when driving on bumpy or sloped parts of their fields. This will lead to a much smoother ride for them in the coming harvest season.
Also, they were very interested in how the AS2 can work with many different types of steer-ready farm machines, whether they use CANBUS or non-CANBUS protocols. They felt confident that the AS2 could handle all sorts of farm jobs, from getting the soil ready to harvesting, meaning they wouldn't need to buy extra equipment.
On top of that, our engineers also showed how the smart U-turn works. This feature lets the tractor turn around by itself at the end of each row. There's also a simpler U-turn option for quick turns to the next row. These features make long workdays less tiring, especially during Munich's hot summer.
Real-World Performance: Farmers' Feedback from the Field
After the training session, it was time for the practical demonstration. We took the tractor out to the field for testing, and the system performed flawlessly. Both our farmers and dealers were very satisfied with the results. During the live field demo, our farmers shared some insightful feedback.One farmer noted, "The AS2 for Case Puma 165 is good for the field test." He also highlighted a common concern about accidentally working in an already completed area: "The risky part is when you set Point A (in the worked area), drive backward, and you've already been in the worked area... That's not my problem. That's why we first set Point A, to cancel the plan. Because otherwise, I still have the drive that I haven't worked." This indicates how the AS2 system's acre recording prevents missed or re-worked sections.
Another farmer excitedly stated, "No, all good. It’s easy. So good." This simple yet powerful feedback speaks volumes about the system's user-friendliness. They also discussed controlling the system, saying, "Either you switch it over there. Yeah, it turns off and on. Or you can take it into the steering wheel normally." This shows the flexibility in how operators can engage and disengage autosteering.
The aggressive steering response initially surprised one farmer, "Yeah, it’s easy to control. You see, he’s steering very cracky. Aggressive, right? Yeah, but it's normal." This refers to the system's powerful, decisive steering action, which quickly becomes intuitive with use.
They even pushed the limits to see how the AS2 performed at a very high driving speed: "I just found out, he would still be strong. We’re testing stretching up to 25 km/h. That’s clean." This confirms the AS2's robust performance even at higher speeds, essential for efficient fieldwork.
Farmers also appreciated advanced features like the ability to shift the baseline: "Then you also have the option to shift your baseline. Centimeters. You noticed it already? Shift current position." This allows for fine-tuning paths in the field.
They discussed how this works specifically for the active lane: "But only the active lane, there he shifts all lines that are in the current line. He shifts all. That would be, for example, something, not to count, for example. If you say 3 m, so you have 3 m yourself standing."
This granular control is vital for specific operational needs, such as managing overlaps or unworked strips. The overall sentiment was overwhelmingly positive: "That’s why it’s good; you can drive really well there. If you input the centimeters. All good!"