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On track: March-April 2011
November 30, 1999 by On TRACK
JCB recently introduced the newly designed 3230 Fastrac Xtra.
JCB unveils new Fastrac 3230 Xtra
JCB recently introduced the newly designed 3230 Fastrac Xtra.
First launched to the European market in June 2010, this new model retains the performance and features of the previous model plus incorporates a host of new features.
The 3230 Xtra comes standard with the 24-speed P-TRONIC power-shift transmission already offered in the Fastrac 7000 Series. With this transmission, operators can move the joystick for clutch-less gear and range changes between the six gears in each of the four ranges.
The P-TRONIC Transmission also offers the same flexibility and automation as the 7000 Series. In drive mode, the tractor shifts like an automatic car for operation on the road. Similarly, a cruise control option allows the operator to set and resume a forward speed. Autoshift mode is also available, enabling the tractor to automatically shift gears in the field based on the engine load and within parameters pre-set by the operator.
The JCB Fastrac 3230 Xtra also features Xtra-Drive as standard. This new feature makes it possible to drive the machine by just using the brake pedal. When the operator is hitching the 3230 Xtra up to implements, the tractor’s clutch pedal overrides Xtra-Drive to retain inching capabilities.
JCB has increased the 3230 Xtra’s engine torque by up to 22 percent, giving the machine more pulling power in heavy field-work applications. A user-selectable power boost feature is controlled by an illuminated button on the armrest, allowing operators to choose between power and economy modes. When active, the power boost feature boosts the 3230 Xtra up to 270 horsepower in the top two gears for greater acceleration at higher road speeds and more power when climbing hills.
The JCB 3230 Xtra features variable flow hydraulics with color-coded spool controls mounted on the armrest for ease of operation. This load-sensing system provides flow rates of up to 37 GPM with 26 GPM per slice for the most demanding implements – an increase of more than 25 percent over the previous model.
The load-sensing power beyond option is available for implements with their own valve block. With this option, the implement demands oil from the tractor only when required.
A priority flow option is also available to replace the flow divider option on previous machines. This provides constant oil flow through the green spool valve independent of any other hydraulic functions.
BiOWiSH Technologies introduces odor control
BiOWiSH Technologies recently introduced BiOWiSH™ Odor, an all-natural product that is reported to reduce the strength of effluent by up to 80 percent and cut sludge production by more than 50 percent.
According to the company, BiOWiSH Odor degrades organic wastes – including fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and cellulose – into safe and smell-free compounds such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen gas and water. It is reportedly suitable for all manure treatment systems and eliminates odor-causing compounds at their source instead of masking them.
Commercial use in Asia, Australia and North America has proven that BiOWiSH Odor lowers total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium by up to 40 percent, as well as reduces biological oxygen demand and total suspended solids by up to 80 percent, the company reports.
Delivered in freeze-dried powder form that is activated in water before applying to the solid waste or wastewater, BiOWiSH Odor is available in 2.2-, 11- and 22-pound bags.
New all-steel, highway-approved radial flotation tire from Alliance
A new, all-steel radial flotation tire from Alliance Tire – the Alliance 390 All-Steel Agri-Transport Flotation Radial – is the first flotation radial to receive Department of Transportation (DOT) certification for highway use at 50 m.p.h. It’s also the first all-steel flotation radial in the industry and the first to carry nearly 11,000 pounds of load at 50 m.p.h., according to Michael Aguon, national Alliance product manager of Alliance Tire Americas,
“The new, all-steel 390 provides performance, speed and versatility that will allow farmers to lower operating costs and improve their productivity,” says Aguon. “This is a world-class innovation, the next generation of flotation tire from the company that introduced the first radial flotation tires to the world market.”
The steel belts in the new 390 deliver resistance to cuts and punctures and ensure a broad, flat footprint for improved traction and flotation, Aguon adds. A rugged tread compound improves wear resistance to maximize service life and return on investment. Extensive on-farm testing in the U.S. and abroad shows longer service life and higher load-speed performance than competitors’ nylon-construction radial flotation tires, Aguon says, with no downtime.
The all-steel 390 is currently available in the popular 600/50R 22.5 size, widely used on manure tanks and wagons, grain carts and agricultural trucks. Aguon says other sizes are in development and will be available soon.
John Deere introduces StarFire™ 3000 GNSS receiver
Crop producers using precision guidance systems in their farming operations now can experience faster system startups and less downtime with the new StarFire™ 3000 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver from John Deere Ag Management Solutions (AMS).
This next-generation technology is a direct replacement for the popular StarFire iTC.
The StarFire 3000 is compatible with the StarFire 450 RTK and 900 RTK radios as well as GPS and GLONASS satellite signals. It incorporates a number of technical innovations that contribute to greater efficiency in the field:
- Reduced startup time and downtime. StarFire 3000 significantly reduces the time needed to acquire a signal when starting equipment for the day. If that signal is lost, the receiver can reacquire it quickly.
- Terrain compensation response. The receiver detects changes in roll, pitch and yaw of the vehicle and adjusts its position relative to the ground.
- Better shade performance. Receiver performance is improved in shaded conditions because StarFire 3000 automatically tracks weak satellite signals and acquires new ones.
- Over-the-air activation. Receiver upgrades with activations and subscription renewals can be handled over the air, which eliminates the need to manually type in activation codes.
- Diagnostic display. LED lights on the front of the unit notify the operator about receiver status and can help quickly diagnose problems that may arise.
- John Deere reliability. The StarFire network remains the first and only system developed exclusively for agriculture and backed by the John Deere name.
