John Deere to Offer Grade Guidance on Excavators

May 21, 2018
John Deere is adding GPS grade guidance technology to some of its G Series excavators, beginning in 2019 with its 210G LC model. The system will be available on 350G (above) and 470G models later in the year.

“Customers want to manage grade from inside the cab, quickly and accurately on precision excavation projects,” said Jonathan Spendlove, excavator product marketing manager. “Integrated grade guidance on the 210G LC comes ready for the customer to put it to work, is fully supported by their John Deere dealer, and will enable them to rapidly achieve final grade using only the display in the operator’s station.” 

The system, developed in partnership with Topcon, provides 2D or 3D reference for bucket location, giving operators that information in the cab (right). Controls are integrated into the joysticks.

JDLink integration provides information on system utilization and allows rapid diagnosis of problems.

Inertial measurement units (IMU) are mounted on the boom, arm, and bucket linkage (below).

A radio mounted on the back of the cab communicates with the base station.

The system is upgradeable, from 2D to 3D and on to complete grade control once that system is available, Deere says.

Other excavator upgrades

Deere also updated 11 excavator models in the 13 to 47 ton range:

  • John Deere Powerwise Plus technology which provides on demand performance and improved fuel economy.
  • An adjustable rotary pre-cleaner that keeps the engine pulling in clean air when working in harsh conditions.
  • Best in-class cab updates, including the addition of a USB port, high-visibility orange seatbelt and an optional, air suspension leather seat.
  • The addition of a single pedal propel system that gives operators the ability to track machines in a straight line without needing to articulate both hand and foot pedals.
  • A standard pattern control switch now located behind the cab.
  • Deluxe LED lights that make working at night easier and more productive.

End users can rely on John Deere dealers to provide Ultimate Uptime, featuring John Deere WorkSight. With Ultimate Uptime, owners receive predelivery and follow-up inspections that include five years of JDLink telematics, machine health prognostics, remote diagnostics, programming capabilities, and the ability to add dealer-provided uptime solutions to a customized package.