Equipment Roundup

In this Equipment Roundup, DTN/Progressive Farmer looks at CNH Industrial making a minority investment in a California-based startup specializing in the robotic harvesting of fruits; Trimble and CNH Industrial winning awards for their technology; Unverferth Manufacturing introducing a new six-wheel steerable header transport; and Bobcat adding a new model to its compact excavator line.

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CNH INVESTS IN ROBOTIC HARVESTING

CNH Industrial has made a minority investment in California-based Advanced Farm Technologies. The startup specializes in the robotic harvesting of apples, strawberries and other fruits.

Shifting to robotic picking has the potential to improve fruit farmers' productivity by harvesting high-value crops up to five times more efficiently than with human labor. In the United States, 46% of the production cost of apples comes from handpicking labor, 70% in the case of strawberries.

Advanced Farm Technologies' system uses computer vision and a machine learning tech stack to pick the best fruit, day or night, while avoiding bruising and damage.

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TRIMBLE WINS SILVER AWARD FOR SOFTWARE

Trimble has won a silver award in Enterprise Technology given by the 2023 Merit Award for Technology for its Path Planning technology. Software-based technology gives Trimble end users the ability to optimize trajectory, speed and overall path design to increase efficiency of work.

The software capability enables a range of autonomous applications across a variety of industries, including construction and agriculture.

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CASE IH, NEW HOLLAND GARNER INNOVATION AWARDS

CNH Industrial has been recognized for innovation with medals from the 2023 Agritechnica Innovation Awards, given annually by the DLG German Agricultural Society.

-- New Holland Agriculture was awarded a gold medal for its Twin Rotor Combine Harvester Concept. This new combine is designed to deliver higher performance, reduce grain loss and has more added automation features that will supercharge the future of farming.

-- New Holland was awarded a silver medal for its T7 LNG tractor concept with its "better than zero carbon" emissions biofuel technology. This tractor helps monetize off-gassing, as it is powered by gases trapped by domes erected over manure pits.

-- New Holland's T4 Electric Power tractor also earned a silver medal. The T4 Electric is the industry's first all-electric tractor with autonomous features.

-- Case IH earned a silver medal for its Axial-Flow feed rate radar system. The technology uses forward-looking radar sensors to scan and assess crop density before it enters the harvester rather than during the threshing process. Benefits to the farmer include greater consistency of throughput speeds, reduced losses, improved grain quality and reduced risk of blockages, Case IH says.

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UNVERFERTH INTRODUCES SIX-WHEEL STEERABLE HEADER TRANSPORT

Unverferth Manufacturing has introduced a new six-wheel steerable header transport for added maneuverability and increased flotation over uneven ground.

The new design features a front axle with rubber-cushioned suspension for a smoother ride over terrain. The rear, in-line walking tandem wheels follow the ground contour to better distribute the weight and increase flotation under load.

New, high-capacity IF320/65x15 wheels and tires provide the carrying capacity needed.

The two front and two rear wheels feature electric braking.

For information, visit www.umequip.com.

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NEW HOLLAND OFFERS NEW POWERSHIFT TRANSMISSION

New Holland is expanding its T7 Long Wheelbase range with a new Power Command full powershift transmission option available on models up to the T7.260 LWB. The transmission offers customers an alternative of technology to the Auto Command transmission featured in the T7.300 Long Wheelbase model launched in 2022.

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BOBCAT ADDS NEW COMPACT EXCAVATOR

Bobcat Company has added a new model to its compact excavator line: the Bobcat E40.

Features of the E40 include a non-DPF, turbocharged Bobcat engine; standard long arm; high lift capacity; dual-flange track roller system for improved lift; standard low-effort joysticks, LED lights and integrated lift eye.

The E40 will be available in late 2023.

Dan Miller can be reached at dan.miller@dtn.com

Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @DMillerPF

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