Farming is always changing, with new tools coming out every year to help grow more crops and work faster. But many old farm machines still do a great job, even after many years. The big question is: How can we get these older machines to work with today's smart farming tech?
Recently, FJDynamics found an answer for this in Munich, Germany. We successfully upgraded an old sprayer, more than 20 years old, to be super precise. This amazing project shows that you don't always need to buy brand-new machines to farm smarter. We can make older equipment work like new.
The Challenge: Upgrading a Classic Sprayer for Modern Precision
Our project in Munich was about upgrading a Rau Spridomat D2, a mounted sprayer produced in 2002. Even though it was still strong at over 20 years old, it didn't have the smart features needed for today's farming, like automatic section control and variable rate application. These smart features are very important for an efficient, sustainable farming feature.
This Rau Spridomat D2 was "non-ISOBUS". If you haven't heard of ISOBUS before, it's a global protocol that lets different farm machines from different brands communicate with each other. Even though this sprayer is non-ISOBUS-ready, we installed our ATS-V. After this upgrade, the FJD ATS system could directly control the sprayer's valves. This made the sprayer able to carry out tasks very smartly.
The FJD ATS Solution: Tailored for Every Farm
FJDynamics has easy ways for farmers to use smart ISOBUS features, no matter what farm machines they already own. Here are two options for the ATS system:- For non-ISOBUS implements: Farmers can use the FJD ATS navigation terminal paired with its ATS-V for valve control. This lets even older machines act smart with ISOBUS, without needing big changes.
- For ISOBUS-ready implements: If a farm tool is already ISOBUS-ready (meaning it has the right wires and valves built in from the factory), farmers just need the ATS terminal and the ATS-C sprayer controller. The FJD ATS-C controller fits perfectly with those built-in valves from popular brands like ARAG and GEOline.
For the upgrade we did in Munich, while the Rau Spridomat D2 was not ISOBUS-ready, we could still retrofit it with our ATS-V and ATS-C. It took us less work to install and the sprayer got its new, precise features much faster. This gives our farmers even better control over the smart ISOBUS features.
The Upgrade Process: A Step-by-Step Transformation
Our team went to the field in Munich and provided a clear demonstration of the upgrade process, highlighting the simplicity and effectiveness of the FJD ATS system.Our engineer explained, "Today, we try the ATS ISOBUS on this machine. It's brand is RAU D2. It's made in 2002. It's 22 years from today. And here you can see it has 5 sections. And this is the proportional valve." This set the stage, emphasizing the age of the sprayer and its existing manual controls.
The physical connection was surprisingly straightforward: "Okay, you can see here guys. We connect our cable here. It's 2-pin." This simple 2-pin cable is all that's needed to bridge the old with the new.
Once connected, the FJD VCU (Vehicle Control Unit) and ATS controller take over: "And then this is our VCU here. This is our controller here. And then everything loaded on our ATS ISOBUS page." This means all the sprayer's functions become accessible and controllable directly from the FJD ATS terminal in the tractor cab.
The real magic became apparent with the demonstration of automatic control: "So if you click here, open it. And you can see here. This one. It's okay. And now this machine is transferred from a manual one to ATS ISOBUS machine." This simple switch on the screen transforms a manually operated sprayer into a precision powerhouse.
The contrast with the old method was stark: "This is the original controller here. Before we install our cables, you have to push the sections on/off by the switch. OK, but after we install our cables, now this machine is automatically controlled by the ATS ISOBUS page. It has the section control functions now." This clearly illustrates the leap from tedious manual switching to automated, precise control.
The Power of ISOBUS: Section Control and Rate Control in Action
This upgrade brings two important ISOBUS functionalities: Section Control and Rate Control. These help farmers spray pesticides or spread fertilizers more accurately.ISOBUS Section Control
This lets the sprayer automatically turn individual boom sections on and off based on real-time GPS position. This is very helpful when you're spraying a field with irregular boundaries or areas that have already been sprayed. Normally, the operator would have to turn the sections on and off by hand. This often leads to missing spots or overspraying, which wastes expensive resources.
But with ISOBUS section control, the FJD ATS screen "knows" exactly where the sprayer has been and where it needs to go. It automatically turns off spray sections over areas already sprayed and turns them on for new areas. This saves a lot of chemicals and money, and it's much better for the environment too.
Rate Control
This takes precision a step further. This feature enables the sprayer to automatically adjust the amount of liquid being applied based on predefined maps or real-time sensor data. For example, if a specific part of the field needs more fertilizer than another, the FJD ATS system precisely adjusts the flow rate to ensure the exact amount is delivered through rate control.
For our FJD dealers in Munich, seeing these smart features working on a sprayer made back in 2002 was incredibly amazing. Bringing such an old machine into today's smart farming world, making sure it wastes less and sprays more accurately, truly showed how valuable the FJD ATS system is.
