How To Save 80% With John Deere iGrade
Maximise iGrade's Usefulness By Adding OptiSurface Designer & OptiWorks
If you're thinking of buying John Deere iGrade or have already, you may be disappointed with its capabilities out of the box.
The reason for this is that it was developed to replace laser technology in land grading operations but ignored the real game changing opportunity that RTK GPS technology allowed. We at OptiSurface saw this potential in the 1990s and have been developing solutions to take full advantage of this technology shift since.
Don't worry, you can still get more benefits from iGrade by adding one or more of these products or services to your land grading workflow:
- OptiSurface Designer - Software which runs on a Microsoft Windows computer for you to design field earthworks, typically in your office.
- Done For You Designs - A service to get earthworks designs done for you by experts based on your field survey and your requirements.
- OptiWorks - Software which runs on a Microsoft Windows tablet computer that plugs into iGrade with one cable to extend its capabilities to follow complex 3D design surfaces that OptiSurface Designer can produce.
These are explained in more detail below.
Designing Earthworks For iGrade
With our software, OptiSurface Designer, or our Design Service, two types of designs can be generated for John Deere iGrade:
- Simple Plane Design Surfaces (2D) that are flat
- Complex Design Surfaces (3D) that have many slopes
Both of these design types are explained below.
Simple Plane Designs (2D)
Planar designs have been used in agriculture predominantly since the 1960s when the laser plane technology was invented in the USA. This process of using a rotating laser to guide the elevation of an earth moving machine was typically called laser grading or laser levelling.
An example of a flat laser plane design is shown in 3D isometric view in this image. Each line on the surface represent locations of constant elevation. When a surface is flat or planar then these lines will be straight as shown here.
John Deere iGrade, out of the box, can ONLY follow these flat planar designs just like an old style laser grading setup. If this is all you want to do, you can use our computer software, OptiSurface Designer or our Design Service to design these surfaces and calculate the earthworks.
The basic steps involved are:
- Import Topography data from many sources including John Deere Operations Center and other software.
- Design a single or multiple plane surface.
- Create a Report with the slopes of the planar surface and maps of existing surface, proposed surface, cut/fill.
- The slope parameters can be typed into iGrade and the cut fill map printed out for the operator to use as reference. This was how laser grading was done before GPS machine control systems were invented.
Watch the video below to see how this is done.
Complex Surface Designs (3D)
To take full advantage of GPS technology and save up to 80% on earthworks, you need to use more complex design surfaces.
These designs follow the natural topography more than planar designs while still achieving your water management goals.
The image here is an example of a field that grows grain crops without any irrigation. The curved surface achieves the goal of perfect surface drainage while shifting the minimum amount of soil to acheive it.
Learn more about these Product and Services here:
Extending iGrade Capabilities with OptiWorks
To use these 3D designs with iGrade you’ll need to extend it with the OptiWorks system that:
- Loads the 3D design and displays a cut/fill map,
- Gets the gps coordinates from the GPS reciever via iGrade,
- Reads the design elevation from the design and
- Sends the target height to iGrade to control the hydraulics on the tractor to raise and lower the blade to match the target.
John Deere iGrade Standard Features
NEW iGrade™ – Automated water management
For an advanced approach to leveling, ditching, grading, and plane generation, choose new iGrade™. This application automates the hydraulic commands of a scraper blade or pan, making your water management practices hassle-free. The Distance Trip feature lets you engage the tractor’s hydraulics based on distance traveled – a real advantage when creating furrows in headlands. iGrade also automates Surface Water Pro™ Plus, so ditching is even easier.
KEY FEATURES
Spend more time operating and less time moving laser components
Leave the frustrations of a laser system’s setup and maximum operating range behind. iGrade™ is a global positioning system (GPS) based water management system that can be used up to one mile from an RTK base station.
iGrade’s performance is not affected by factors that traditionally impact lasers such as operating at night, dust, wind, and heat waves. This allows more work to be done without the hassle of moving base stations or waiting for outside conditions to improve.
Eliminate manual adjustments
An iGrade™ activation (requires Application Controller) reduces operator fatigue by automatically controlling the height of the scraper blade in water management applications. Manual adjustments are no longer needed.
iGrade teams up with the Application Controller keeping the scraper on grade, allowing the operator to spend more time focusing on the machinery and task.
Minimize earthmoving costs with cut-fill maps
Cut-fill maps allow producers to create the desired contour by moving the least amount of earth. Cut-fill maps provide the best-fit or multi-fit plane designs. Beyond land leveling, this solution can be used for infrastructure design of surface drainage, contours, and terraces.
iGrade™ offers cut-fill maps when teamed up with additional software and hardware. Learn more about iGrade and cut-fill maps from a local John Deere dealer.
Utilize many of the same John Deere components already owned
An iGrade™ activation works with many of the different John Deere Ag Management Solutions (AMS) components that producers may already own such as:
- GreenStar™ 3 (GS3) 2630 Display
- GreenStar 2 (GS2) 2600 Display
- StarFire™ iTC Receiver
- StarFire 3000 Receiver
- AutoTrac™
- Surface Water Pro™ Plus
iGrade is approved for the following platforms:
- 9xxx, 8xxx, 8R, and 9R Series Wheel Tractors
- 8xxx and 8R Series Track Tractors
- Any selective control valve (SCV) operated water management implement approved for the above John Deere tractors
iGrade requires receiver to have an RTK signal level. iGrade does not support WAAS, EGNOS, SF1 or SF2 signal levels.
Application Controller is required for iGrade activation.
OPERATING MODES
Surface Water Pro™ Plus automation functionality
Surface Water Pro Plus goes to the next level with iGrade™. An iGrade activation connects to a producer’s Surface Water Pro Plus activation, allowing them to create advanced ditches while iGrade controls the height of the scraper blade. Creating best-fit and linear-cut drains has never been so easy.
Once the iGrade activation and Surface Water Pro Plus are installed on the same John Deere machine, they will commonly be used to complete the following tasks:
- Advanced drainage ditches
- Advanced irrigation ditches
Two receivers, both running RTK, are recommended to run Surface Water Pro Plus automation.
In order to perform Surface Water Pro Plus automation, the iGrade activation, Application Controller, and the Surface Water Pro Plus activation must be purchased.
Control grade based on distance
Controlling grade based on distance is now available with the iGrade™ Grade Control application. Grade Control generates level-slope or single-slope land formations based on a set slope over a distance traveled.
Producers have the ability to set up Grade Control in two ways:
- Manually enter slope and distance, if recommended or already known.
- Utilize the Grade Control slope calculator that aids in determining a proper slope.
iGrade’s Grade Control application effectively moves dirt in water management tasks such as:
- Creating basic irrigation ditches
- Waste management of cattle feedlot
- Creating basic drainage ditches
It is recommended the land be professionally surveyed prior to leveling or generating a slope.
Enable hydraulic tasks based on distance
iGrade™ enables producers to move dirt based on distance. The Distance Trip functionality in iGrade allows producers to utilize many different hydraulic-controlled implements and control them based on a given distance.
The Distance Trip functionality can perform many different tasks. The most common tasks are:
- Create headland furrows in furrow irrigation applications
- Mark the soil for planting trees in an orchard
Easily perform land-leveling activities
Not only does iGrade™ allow producers to automate the scraper blade, it also provides a plane control application. Plane control can create level or single-slope land designs. Plane control allows producers basic functionality with two primary inputs: slope and direction.
Slope designs may be generated one of two ways:
- Manually enter slope percentage and direction, if recommended or already known.
- Perform a simple land survey with iGrade that provides a recommended slope and direction.
Plane control may be used with up to two scrapers in applications such as:
- Slope generation for flood irrigation
- Slope generation for drainage
- Slope generation for cattle feedlot waste management
Plane control is a basic water management application because it does not include on-screen cut/fills sheets. It is recommended the land be professionally surveyed prior to leveling or generating a slope.
Still have questions? Call us on +1 870-340-2020 (USA) or 0405 686 425 (AUS) or email: support@optisurface.com
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