LOGGING & BIOMASS NEWS
John Deere adds 450K to crawler dozer lineup & updates 550K and 650K models
Since introducing hydrostatic transmissions to the North American crawler dozer market in 1976 , John Deere continually utilizes customer feedback to better design machines to meet the needs of the evolving contractor and job site . The new 450K and updated 550K and 650K dozers are no exception , and they help meet customer needs in site development , commercial and residential building , as well as road-building applications .
“ The 450K , 550K and 650K are key models in the John Deere dozer lineup ,” said Nathan Horstman , crawler dozer product marketing manager , John Deere Construction & Forestry . “ With the 450K , we focused on proven K-Series durability and fuel-saving technologies , and we updated the 550K and 650K models to offer enhanced reliability and serviceability upgrades to improve customers ’ operating costs .”
The 450K boasts a John Deere 4.5L Final Tier 4 diesel engine with 80 horsepower . The latest crawler addition delivers 16 percent more horsepower along with a more impressive power-to-weight ratio , available torque and drawbar pull than its J-Series counterpart . Like its K-Series siblings , the 450K features Eco Mode that regulates engine RPM and the hydrostatic transmission to burn up to 20 percent less fuel in a wide range of applications . The addition of Total
Machine Control ( TMC ) enables an operator to customize control of decelerator mode and response , forward / reverse ground speed , steering modulation , forward / reverse speed ratios and even record machine usage .
The updated 550K and 650K dozers incorporate a John Deere 4.5L Final Tier 4 diesel engine with 92 horsepower and 104 horsepower , respectively . The 550K features six undercarriage rollers versus the 650K ’ s seven , and 86 inches of track on the ground versus the 650K ’ s 92 . An efficient , friction-eliminating direct-drive fan on the 450K and 550K models is easy and less costly to maintain . A cool-on-demand variable-speed fan on the 650K runs only as needed , reducing fuel consumption , and includes an optional reversing feature to aid cooler cleanliness in high debris environments .
When examining operating costs , all K-Series models boast exclusive turbo cool-down that increases durability by allowing the engine to idle momentarily prior to shutting down . An auto shutdown feature turns the engine off after an operator-determined period of machine inactivity , saving fuel and warranty hours . Additionally , both the 550K and 650K include a composite fuel tank that features a dual-fill design for easy access from either side of the machine . Other serviceability improvements include redesigned diagnostic lines
The 450K is the newest addition to the K-Series crawler dozer lineup with 16 percent more hp than its J-Series counterpart , along with fuel-saving Eco Mode
with pressure sensors and John Deere transmission software .
All three dozers are available with optional electrohydraulic ( EH ) controls that improve blade response , including increased hydraulic motor capacity on the 450K that enables 50 percent greater blade-raise performance . Additionally , EH controls means the dozer is grade-control ready , and the John Deere “ open architecture ” design makes adding a gradecontrol system as easy as plugging in the components , calibrating and going to work with a Trimble , Leica or factory-installed Topcon 3D-MC2 system .
Fleet managers looking to get the most out of their 450K , 550K and 650K can rely on their 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 .
Forico plants up large
Forico has demonstrated its longterm commitment to the plantation forestry sector in Tasmania as it completed its extensive 2016 planting programme reports Woodweek . A total of 7 million seedlings ( more than 6,300 ha ) were planted during the season from September to early January . “ This is perhaps the largest current plantation establishment programme by a single company in Australia ,” said CEO , Bryan Hayes . More than 60 people have |
been engaged by Forico and its contractors to achieve the target area of reforestation at a cost of AU $ 15m . “ We are especially grateful for the contribution of all of our service providers and our staff in achieving this historic result ,” said Mr Hayes .
Since its establishment by forestry investment manager New Forests in September 2014 , Forico has planted 3,582 ha in 2015 and now 6,300 ha in 2016 , clearly demonstrating that it is here for the
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long term .
All Forico land and forests , both plantation ( 100,000 ha ) and native forests ( 81,000 ha ) are certified against the Forest Stewardship Council ( FSC ) Forest Management standard and PEFC Australian Forestry Standard .
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Forico CEO , Bryan Hayes |
8 International Forest Industries | FEBRUARY DECEMBER 2017 2016 / MARCH JANUARY 2017 2017