John Deere S780 combine harvester: Machine Spotlight

Automated harvesting technology is increasingly being incorporated into new combine harvester models due to ever growing demand from producers or contractors wanting more productivity out of their machines.

John Deere released its smart combine series, the S700 range last year to satisfy that demand, and has since received tremendous response from customers around the world, including Australia.

Its S780 was recently showcased at a John Deere Ride and Drive event in Morawa, WA, where growers had the chance to check out the impressive machine for themselves, on top of a range of other equipment including the R4060 sprayer, 460M round baler and 6195M tractor.

The event was organised by WA John Deere distributor, AFGRI Equipment.

The S780 is the second largest of four in the S700 range, with the number eight reflecting its class (S760 is a Class-6, S770 is Class-7 and so on, with the largest being the S790 Class-9 model). John Deere claims the S780 is the biggest seller in Australia in the Class 8 header category.

It’s not just the size that has made it a go-to header but also the differences to its predecessor, the S600 series, Deere said.

AFGRI Equipment spokesman, Jacques Coetzee, said the high-performance Dyna-Flo Plus cleaning shoe in the S780 increased productivity, reduced tailings volume and is lighter than the previous system.

The cleaning shoe is now made of aluminium and steel for increased strength while reducing weight by 180kg which resulted in less ground compaction.

“The drive system now has only one flywheel for better performance and maintenance,” he said.

“By increasing the sieve size by 12 per cent, there’s up to an additional 0.6 hectares per hour of productivity and there is a reduction in tailings by up to 28 per cent for coarse grains and up to 14 per cent in smaller grains.”

The Dyna-Flo Plus system starts at the conveyor which moves the threshed material to the cleaning shoe in a uniform volume to prevent bunching and clogging in areas that are on inclines.

Coetzee said about 40 per cent of free grain can be separated from the threshed material before it reaches the main chaffer where high velocity air from the fan captures additional grain from the chaff by removing any light material.

The sieve then further separates the grain which is elevated to the grain tank with residual flowing to a tailings-return area to be reintroduced into the main chaffer.

One of the main differences between the S780 and the S760 and S770 is the smaller combines redirect tailings for additional threshing. The S780 and S790 have additional processes where the tailings material go to an active tailings return system for additional threshing and then back to the main chaffer for additional cleaning.

“The original harvesters had a mass-flow sensor but now we have weigh cells, with three cells in the grain tank to measure up to 4.5 tonnes, so it suits any load,” Coetzee said.

“These ActiveYield sensors measure the grain as the tank fills which means there is no manual calibration needed by the operator.

“These sensors are also more accurate than the mass-flow sensors and can be retrofitted to the S600 Series.

“In addition to the sensors that measure grain volume, there are also sensors for grain temperature.”

Another highlight on the S780 is an Auto Maintain system with cameras designed to keep harvesting settings at the required level.

The system will maintain a performance target set by the operator and monitor grain quality, grain loss and volume of foreign material in the tank.

The cameras and grain-loss monitors identify changes in crop condition - volume, size of grain, problems with the grain, and so on - and then change the combine’s settings to retain the performance target.

This includes the threshing speed, concave clearance, chaffer clearance, sieve clearance, and fan speed.

By highlighting problems such as cracked wheat or unthreshed grain, the cameras can allow the operator to quickly solve problems as they arise.

The cameras analyse the clean grain and tailings material and input the data into the Auto Maintain system. Data is available in real time and is also recorded as a historical graph of losses, grain quality, and foreign material in the clean grain.

The in-cabin screen shows performance targets that have been met in a green-shaded area while coloured lines show the ongoing levels of losses and quality.

Where green, purple, and orange lines may show a period of time outside of the green-shaded “acceptable” area, the Auto Maintain system recognises this and makes necessary adjustments to meet the set targets.

The S780 was shown at Morawa alongside two platforms, a 740D (draper) that extends up to 40-feet (12.3m), and a 740FD (Flex-Draper) with auto levelling using hydraulic rams to cope with varying heights.

Coetzee said it’s been a big season in the Geraldton area especially with canola which is a very bulky crop and can be difficult to harvest.

“The FD is perfect for that as it doesn’t build up and clog the platform,” he said.

AFGRI sold 22 platforms and headers in the past year with the S780 being the biggest seller in the district. In addition, the FD is also a big seller in the Esperance region.

AFGRI said the 740D and 740FD HydraFlex platforms are the best picks for the S780 with both having a double-cut knife and hydraulic lift controlled from inside the cab.

John Deere said a longer knife section gives a faster and smoother cut to allow operators to harvest at faster ground speeds. Hardened sickle sections give a better wear life, while the hydraulic tilt delivering the lowest cut height offers increased productivity.

A hydraulic float system on both platforms allows for superior ground following capabilities over a wide range of crops and conditions.

The floating FD model has a cutter bar that is hydraulically adjustable via a knob in the cabin.

The S780 showcased at the Morawa event was wirelessly linked to a 8370R tractor and a GrainKing Nyrex 46000 bin.

The 8370R features John Deere’s Machine Sync feature that keeps the S780’s spout aimed at the bin at all times when loading in the field.

It uses a wireless network between the combine and the tractor that allows the synchronisation of the speed and direction of the two independent machines. The sensor for the S780 is mounted outside the cab, alongside the door.

Large-scale operators can also opt for John Deere’s In-Field Data Sharing function that shows the location of all tractors and combines undergoing harvesting in the field. This data dovetails with the fill level of each bin so operators can easily keep track of bins coming and leaving the field.