Some of John Deere's most powerful machines, the 900K-Series tracked feller bunchers and 900KH-Series tracked harvesters, are now equipped to take on even more of the forest with the introduction of an updated boom structure and cooling system for all models. Also, the Rapid Cycle System (RCS) is now standard on the 900K-Series tracked feller bunchers, making boom operation faster and simpler.
"At John Deere, we are committed to providing loggers with improved efficiencies that make both the machine and the operator more productive" said Neil Harber, product marketing manager at John Deere Construction & Forestry Division. "We're confident our customers will appreciate the higher productivity rates, increased uptime and lower daily operating costs with these improvements to the tracked feller bunchers and harvesters."
The new boom structure is designed to maximize logger productivity. With an additional foot of maximum reach, and two feet of additional minimum reach, the feller buncher can cover 32 percent more area. These improvements allow the felling head to tuck tighter to the machine to improve maneuverability in close quarters, as well as reach stems farther away. Similarly, the new tracked harvester boom structure has an improved cutting swath of 1 foot 3 inches, with nearly 1 foot of additional maximum reach.
The redesigned boom systems are designed to be durable, resulting in longer machine life and added uptime. In addition, these structures have been engineered to integrate protection for hoses routed along the top of the boom. The feller buncher's crank and link system was also redesigned and now features large steel castings, while the harvester booms were designed to accommodate through nose hydraulic hose routings. These routings guide the harvesting head hoses through the nose of the boom to the harvesting head rotator, up and out of harm's way, and will require a Waratah harvesting head that is compatible with the through nose plumbing. John Deere is the first OEM to offer this option from the factory.
With this type of improved productivity comes a need for increased cooling capacity, which is why both the harvesters and feller bunchers boast a new cooling package design. This model upgrade includes a larger fan for 33 percent more airflow, larger hydraulic oil cooler and the necessary interface changes to accommodate the larger cooler.
Finally, the Rapid Cycle System (RCS) for boom operation is now an option on all 900K-Series Tracked Feller Buncher models. The RCS allows the operator to control the boom, stick and felling head trajectory with a single joystick. The result is improved machine productivity and efficiency, reduced cycle times and reduced operator fatigue. RCS also provides the ability to automatically cycle the felling head arms to harvest stems or to automatically open the arms to release a bunch from the head, all with the touch of a button. The result is a system that will increase operator and machine productivity while lowering operator fatigue.
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