Spotlight on Case IH AFS Harvest Command

Case IH’s precision farming systems have come a long way since debuting 25 years ago

In 1995, Case IH introduced its precision farming offering - Advanced Farming Systems (AFS) to the market, and 25 years on, a new AFS product is making waves in the farming community.

Case IH’s AFS Harvest Command was introduced to the local market through the latest Axial-Flow 250 Series combines, launched at last year’s Wimmera Machinery Field Days.

The new combine automation continuously monitors and adjusts several settings such as rotor speed, rotor cage vane angle, cleaning fan speed, and sieve positions as conditions change - without driver intervention.

On the 250 series, the AFS Harvest Command automation uses 16 sensors to control a total of seven combine functions.

“AFS Harvest Command is designed to improve grain quality and grain savings through sensing and optimising machine settings, and with this level of automation even less experienced operators can achieve a similar level of productivity and performance to their more experienced counterparts,” said Case IH Australia Hay and Harvest Product Manager, Tim Slater.

The AFS Harvest Command automatically adjusts itself based on feedback from sensors and targets the maximum ground speed and engine load as set by the operator.

“The additional advantage is there is no time required to establish a baseline as can be required on competitor machines,” Slater said.

“The results we’ve seen in the field and the feedback we’re getting from our customers means we’re proud to say this is the most impressive combine automation product on the market.”

The technology is currently supporting corn, soybeans, wheat and canola, with a version suitable for barley to be introduced this year.

Sieve pressure sensors are unique to CNH Industrial brands and have been designed to ensure the optimum performance of the combine.

The sensors provide for the relay of data concerning the load on the sieve, which in turn allows the system to determine the difference between sieve overload and blow-out losses.

A grain camera monitors grain quality, including cracked and broken kernels - as well as foreign material, allowing for the adjustment of settings as required.

“Simplicity, grain savings, grain quality and crop adaptability have always been at the heart of our Axial-Flow series,” Slater said.

“The addition of AFS Harvest Command only serves to reinforce the benefits of these features and importantly, extend them into uncharted territory - where increased performance, efficiency and productivity are the reward.

“What this technology can do is something we’ve never seen before, and what Case IH is currently developing and refining will ensure AFS Harvest Command remains a market leader, continuing to revolutionise the harvesting sector and redefining just what’s possible.”