Case IH unveils AFS Connect Magnum

It has been a busy year for Case IH, with the company unveiling new product after new product into the Australian market in order to cater to the agricultural industry’s ever-changing needs.

Not long after it announced the launch of the new mid to high horsepower Maxxum models, Case IH dropped the news about its high-tech, high-horsepowered AFS Connect Magnum tractors scheduled to arrive in Australia in late 2020.

Visitors to the 2019 AgQuip field days in Gunnedah, NSW in late August were given a sneak peek at the new AFS Connect Magnum, which is powered by Case IH’s Advanced Farming Systems (AFS) precision technology.

While the tractor has received several aesthetic changes such as a new bonnet and new LED headlights, it’s what’s inside the tractor and cab that truly separates the new model from its predecessors. The AFS Connect Magnum boasts a new display, new operating system, new receiver and a redesigned cab.

According to Case IH Australia and New Zealand High Horsepower Product Manager, Alyx Selsmeyer, the AFS Connect Magnum features levels of connectivity producers haven’t had before.

“This connectivity means additional support features to minimise down-time and the ability to make decisions on the tractor’s operation from the location of your choosing,“ she said.

The AFS Connect portal is the door to the AFS Connect Magnum series tractor, allowing operators to view field operations, fleet information and agronomic data from a desktop or tablet anywhere, while also giving the option of sharing data with trusted advisers and suppliers.

Remote features also set this next-generation tractor apart, with remote display viewing allowing a farm manager or dealer to see what an operator is seeing on the AFS Pro display in the cab, while the remote service tool allows dealers to remotely identify maintenance and service needs.

“If you so choose, you can share your screen with your dealership, and they can send you software updates or help you solve a problem or answer a question while you're still in the field maximising your uptime,” Selsmeyer said.

Operator experience is also enhanced in the AFS Connect Magnum with operators now able to customise the seats, controls and screen to suit their own needs.

“We have a lot more moveability in the armrest to accommodate people of all sizes,” Selsmeyer said.

“We also have customisation on the screen so we have administrator passwords and also operator passwords so you can choose, as an administrator, how many features you want your operator to be able to change.

“That's really key for people who have workers on their farm and they're not necessarily supervising them all the time.”

Case IH also incorporated some creature comfort features to make long hours in the tractor that much more bearable for operators.

“We have telescoping mirrors now so you don't have to get out of the cab and try to move them. We have Bluetooth connectivity, a lot more USB charger outlets and a power outlet for laptops in the cab.

“We also have a lot more storage space because we found that these are all little things that add up. If we can provide them for our customer, they provide for a lot more comfortable experience.

“They're spending so many hours in the cab that it makes a difference if they're able to multitask comfortably.”

The AFS Connect Magnum tractor series will be available in Rowtrac (track and wheels) and four-wheeled configurations up to a maximum horsepower of 400hp.

The Case IH team has spent the past few months putting the new Magnum through its paces on Australian farms in preparation for its official launch next year, conducting field tests in a variety of conditions and across different farming practices.

“The trials are going really well,” Selsmeyer said.

“Customers who are testing are very happy with the new tractor and all of the changes and they are giving us some tweaks to make before we send them out to the production lines.

“It’s been great to see what it’s capable of in our diverse and demanding conditions, and we’re confident producers will like what they see when it becomes available in 2020.”