John Deere R4060 sprayer: Machine Spotlight

John Deere listened to Australian farmers and consumers when some requests for improvements in its sprayer were relayed back to the US.

The result is the John Deere R4060 sprayer, now in its latest version using smart technology and exotic materials to improve vehicle efficiencies, maximise the coverage of any application while minimising liquid losses. The big changes are the tank, the boom and the pulse-modulation spray heads.

The R4060 includes the numeral '60' to indicate one of the Aussie requests – upping the tank to a new 6000-litre capacity to replace its predecessor's 4500-litre unit.

With that change came the adoption of carbon-fibre for the booms, replacing steel used for the older units (though still available as an option) and picking up all the advantages associated with the composite material.

John Deere distributors for WA, AFGRI Equipment, brought the R4060 out to play in the WA central wheatbelt town of Morawa, which also hosts one of the state's agricultural colleges. It gave students the chance to see an array of machinery and equipment – the sprayer being only one – and receive instruction from the AFGRI team.

The John Deere R4060 is new to the market but its features are already being requested by owners of the previous sprayer.

AFGRI representative Jason Perry said AFGRI is now retrofitting some sprayers with the new 6000-litre tank, as the tank capacity was one of the main downfalls with the previous equipment.

"It's a request made by our Australian buyers and now not only has John Deere started making it for us, it now offers the bigger tank for US customers," he said.

The carbon-fibre boom was introduced in 2017 but is relatively new in Australia.

Benefits of the composite are well known and these are immediately appreciated in the sprayer's application.

The material is considerably lighter and stronger than steel, so the new boom saves a massive 500kg over the steel equivalent.

Because of this lightness and the greater strength, the new boom extends to 132 feet (40 metres) compared with the steel boom's maximum of 120 feet (36.5 metre).

Carbon-fibre is also presented in its raw form so needs no paint or other protection, and doesn't rust or corrode. This minimises post-spray maintenance by the operator and ensures the components will remain durable and reliable right through to the time the equipment is traded, at which point it is likely to retain much of its original value.

There are other, perhaps less obvious benefits for the sprayer, which sees a carry-over 9-litre powerplant operating an all-wheel drive hydraulic system, because in addition to requiring less energy because of the lighter boom, it's also easier to maneuver.

This is because the weight distribution with the new boom is 56:44 front:back compared with the steel boom's 59:41. Ultimately this can also improve fuel usage, though benefits here will be affected by the weight of the larger tank.

Operators will also appreciate the new ExactApply spray technology. The John Deere system uses Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) that can deliver liquid at a rate of up to 30 times a second, with the option of 15 times a second.

"This gives better coverage and a wider spread," said Jason.

"ExactApply can spray through two nozzles at once – A and B – with different droplet spectrums. These nozzles can be used individually or together, depending on the application. This is all controlled from the cabin."

The outgoing boom had 11 sections but the new unit has 72 sections, with nozzles for spray widths of 2.4m to 3.35m depending on the boom width. The spacings are 500mm but can be optioned at 380mm.

The increase in nozzle numbers makes the spray delivery more accurate and works in conjunction with the boom's height to provide for better coverage. This fits perfectly with the R4060's other trick – the ability to spray precisely through an arc.

"There is no overlapping," Jason said.

"The steering input goes to the spray nozzles and will adjust the spray from zero to 100 per cent graduated over the length of the boom. Normally, the outside of the arc will receive only a small fraction of spray compared with the inside of the arc.

"Through the arc, ExactApply will ensure the coverage is equal. There are big savings in the spray – fertiliser, herbicide, fungicide or others – because of the perfect coverage and this is particularly important in areas that have a lot of curves, as you find in undulating land or where the pasture is broken by tree lines or dams or rock outcrops."

The allocation of the spray delivery is controlled by the operator through the cabin's automated application computer. It has a turn compensator – to ensure perfect spray delivery through corners – and a graph showing the application over a paddock area.

The ExactApply's pulsing ensures that the droplets are the correct size and hit the ground in the best spread. The owner can adjust the height of the boom to control the spread or adjust the spray nozzles to suit.

The pulsing is 15 hertz or 30 hertz per second with the higher rate responsible for the accurate delivery of the spray.

"It means that regardless of the speed of the sprayer, it can perfectly control and deliver the right droplet size and rate," Jason said.

ExactApply directs the liquid through each of two solenoids that control the two flow rates.

These two solenoids sit in a body that has six nozzles and this body can be manually rotated to the desired pair to suit the application.

The system has three modes: high-flow for applications such as fertilisers, which is usually pulsed at the higher 30Hz rate by using both solenoids; A-B mode which uses two nozzles to allow greater flow and therefore higher travel speeds; and pulsing mode that allows a greater choice of the nozzles.

The control and allocation of the spray flow and nozzles can be made in the cabin through the John Deere CommandView that has a sprayer operator station.

Related reading:
John Deere 460M round baler: Machine Spotlight
Better times ahead, says John Deere chief
New Deere forestry machinery and software coming soon

John Deere states that ExactApply can increase productivity by up to 8ha per hour because of the wider spray spread and rates, along with better drift management and more precise application of liquids.

For maintenance, there is a quick diagnostic tool for any nozzles that may be clogged or damaged. The nozzles that don't work properly are sensed by the onboard computer, which immediately notifies the operator.

There are 72 nozzles and to identify the damaged unit, the system illuminates it with a small LED light. This light is also used in the bank to illuminate the spray procedure at night.

"Having the LED lights at night is very useful for the operator and also means there's no need to buy and fit additional lighting," Jason said.

The R4060 is powered by a 258kW (346hp) 9-litre John Deere Powertech engine that drives all wheels through hydraulics and a hydrostatic transmission.

It has a chassis clearance of 1445mm because of the hydraulic drive and uses dual-strut air suspension to help maintain the correct spray height above the crop or land.

In the field while spraying it is capable of up to 40km/h, though in transit it has a top speed of 56km/h.

The John Deere R4060 is available with the brand's Boom Trac automatic boom levelling and height control and JDLink telematics systems that offer features including remote technical support, machinery diagnostics and access to equipment data such as fuel use, maintenance schedules and even the location of the machine.

The sprayer also has the Solutions Command System that has been re-designed with a 12-button keyboard for quicker operation and more user-friendly operation.

The system includes real-time monitoring of functions including rinsing.

"We have four sold in WA so far but because of the technology and the advantages, we have a lot of interest so expect more sales to build," Jason said.