Agricultural equipment manufacturer AGCO has introduced a new Fendt 700 Vario series of tractors for the North American market. As the seventh generation of this tractor series, a variety of updates and new technologies have been introduced including to the machine’s hydraulics.
Per AGCO’s press release announcing the launch of the new tractor series, all components including the hydraulics are designed to provide high levels of torque even when operating at low engine speeds. This helps to ensure productivity for farmers while reducing fuel consumption and maintenance.
Optimized Hydraulics Allow High Torque at Low Engine Speeds
The new Fendt 700 Vario series tractors feature an AGCO Power engine equipped with the Fendt iD concept which enables operation a low engine speeds while providing the power required of many farming applications. In its press release, AGCO states this concept ensures high tractive power and acceleration strength with lower fuel consumption and extended service life.
AGCO said in a written interview with Power & Motion that the general hydraulic system is optimized for the low engine speed concept found in the new Fendt 700 and other tractors. This was accomplished by ensuring gearing and operating speeds get maximum flow from the system’s hydraulic pump which is matched to the engine speeds possible for the tractor.
The company explained that in most cases hydraulic pumps output their maximum volume at 2,100 engine rpm. However, with the Fendt iD concept pumps are instead configured to output their maximum volume at 1,700 engine rpm. “This coupled with the impressive torque of the engine at low RPMs allow the tractor to operate at lower engine speeds and thus reduce fuel consumption,” said AGCO.
Optimized gearing in the hydraulic pumps enables maximum allowable flow at lower engine speeds, the company said, which can greatly benefit fuel efficiency—an important factor for many end-use customers, especially today with higher fuel and other input costs.
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Increased Pump Flow and Isolated Systems Benefit Efficiency
Further efficiency gains can be achieved with an optional increased-capacity hydraulic pump. Standard pump capacity is 43.6 gpm, said AGCO. But use of the optional higher flow pump provides capacity up to 58 gpm which can improve efficiency.
AGCO said this is possible because it provides operators the option of using larger implements due to the increased flow offered by the hydraulic pump. The higher flow capacity ensures hydraulic components will not be overworked—and therefore wear out too quickly—or require extra power input from the engine to utilize larger implements.
If using standard size implements, efficiency can also be assured as the high-flow pump provides enough hydraulic flow to allow the implement to be used to its fullest extent.
To ensure optimal operation, the hydraulics system is completely independent and self-contained from other tractor functions. Hydraulic tanks/reservoirs, coolers, lines, filters, and all plumbing systems for the implement hydraulics are isolated from the transmission hydraulics.
AGCO said this helps to reduce the risk of any contamination which may enter the implement hydraulics from mixing with those for the transmission. Doing so ensures the tractor’s transmission has clean, available oil to operate at its most productive state the company explained.
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“There is a dramatically higher chance of contamination into sensitive transmission hydraulic systems due to dirty hydraulic fittings being connected or hydraulic motors on the implement failing and sending debris throughout the system,” said AGCO. “Having these systems separated allows us to filter the oil in multiple places to ensure maximum customer uptime.”
With these hydraulic system designs and the additional updates made to the new Fendt 700 Vario series tractors, AGCO aims to help its customers remain as productive as possible when working on their farms.
The company is debuting the next-generation tractors at the 2022 Farm Progress Show, one of the largest agricultural industry events in the U.S.
