When conditions change, Case IH AFS Harvest Command is already one step ahead.
Every paddock throws up something different. One minute you’re in a high-yielding patch, the next you’re climbing a sandy rise or working across a side slope. Crop moisture changes, soil types vary and conditions never stay the same for long.
Rather than relying on the operator to constantly tweak settings, Harvest Command does that work in the background, helping maximise capacity, protect grain quality and reduce losses.
According to CNH Broadacre Specialist Scott Jericho, getting the setup right is the key to getting the most from the technology.
“Harvest Command will get you up and running with factory settings, but every farm and every field is different,” Scott says.
“That’s why we encourage operators to take the time to understand the system and work with their local dealer to get the best out of it.”
Once calibrated, the system continually monitors up to 17 sensors on the current Case IH 260 Series combines and 20 sensors on the Next Gen AF Series.
“Based on what those sensors are telling the machine — and the operator’s preferred harvesting strategy — it can automatically adjust seven key machine functions to deliver the best possible performance for the conditions,” Scott says.
Rather than reacting after performance drops, it continually fine-tunes key settings including ground speed, rotor speed, cleaning fan speed, sieve opening and cage vane angle.
Depending on machine loading and the operator’s selected strategy, those adjustments can happen as often as every 20 seconds, helping the combine maintain consistent harvesting performance.
Harvest conditions rarely stay the same for long. Different soil types, changing moisture levels, varying yields and seasonal conditions all influence how the crop moves through the machine — even within a single paddock.
Once operators have set their preferred limits for threshing loss, broken grain, material other than grain, tailings volume and sieve loss, the system automatically adjusts the machine to maintain those targets.
Across South Australia, where rolling country and sandy rises can place extra demands on the cleaning system, ongoing monitoring becomes even more valuable.
Both the Case IH 260 Series and Next Gen AF combine monitor cleaning shoe loading while their self-levelling systems maintain an even crop mat across the sieves. This helps minimise grain losses, even on hills and side slopes.
Protecting grain quality
It’s not just about capacity. Grain quality is also monitored throughout harvest.
A camera mounted in the clean grain elevator images the crop as it moves into the grain tank, checking for cracked grain and material other than grain. Operators can set acceptable limits, allowing the combine to automatically adjust settings to maintain the grain sample they’re aiming for.
The system also manages crop flow through the rotor by automatically adjusting the cage vanes, helping machine loading and performance as well as rotor losses. At the same time, it continually monitors sieve loading and airflow to help reduce grain loss from the cleaning shoe.
Confidence for every operator
One of Case IH AFS Harvest Command™’s biggest advantages is reducing operator workload during long harvest days. Instead of constantly watching losses and adjusting settings, operators can focus on what’s happening in front of the machine while making the ongoing adjustments in the background.
“A good operator is still a key part of setting up the combine,” Scott says.
“But once Harvest Command has been calibrated to suit your conditions, it makes its own adjustments to maximise capacity and reduce losses, giving you confidence that a second operator can achieve the same grain quality and performance. FieldOps also makes decision-making easier by allowing operators to view the combine and all its settings remotely.”
Scott recalls one operator who was confident he’d achieved the best possible setup before switching Harvest Command on. Watching the system make continual adjustments throughout the day, he realised there was simply no way to manually match the speed, accuracy or frequency of those changes.
That’s where the system delivers its biggest advantage — not through one major adjustment, but through hundreds of small ones that help maintain machine performance, protect grain quality and maximise harvesting capacity from the first paddock to the last.
Stay connected with
Case IH Field Ops
Harvest Command becomes even
more powerful when paired with
FieldOps, giving you greater visibility of
your combine wherever you are.
From a phone, tablet or computer, you
can:
1. View live machine settings and
sensor readings
2. Monitor grain tank “time to full” and
tonnes per hour
3. Keep track of overall machine
performance
4. Better plan trucks and harvest
logistics
5. Give Ramsey Bros technicians
remote access to help diagnose
issues or optimise machine setup
when needed.
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