While other solutions only allow the tractor to control the implement, Tractor Implement Management (TIM) implements talk in terms of “bidirectional communication.” This means that with Tractor Implement Management (TIM), an implement can automatically control certain functions of the tractor, such as forward speed or control valves. The implement itself optimises its own operation and sends control commands to the tractor.
Hard Work and Many Hours per Day On-Site
Farmers have to work long hours and be on-site for most of the day. They are required to do things such as planting, seeding, harvesting, and weeding in order to make sure that their crops grow well.
There is very little time off for these farmers because they need to constantly monitor their crops with a watchful eye in order to prevent any problems. This can be very tiring and stressful, but it is all part of the job.
Finding strategies for dealing with the work burden is important for maintaining a proper work-life balance. This can be difficult to do when you are always on the go, but finding time for yourself and your family is important.
Concentrating on Key Tasks While Driving the Tractor
By putting tractors and implements to work together, the farmer can save a lot of time and work more comfortably.
So how do you get tractors and implements to cooperate? Can they work as a team? At Kubota, the engineers like to start with the human factor when they think about smart farming. That means the first beneficiary of technological advance should be the operator. Kubota also has to think about the concept of cooperation more broadly and that is why the company is core members of the Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF). The AEF is an independent organisation that brings together important manufacturers and associations with the aim of improving cross-manufacturer compatibility of electronic and electric components in agricultural equipment.
In 2009, the AEF started working on secure communication between machinery from different manufacturers. The result was TIM, the Tractor Implement Management (TIM). It is a cross-product and cross-manufacturer ISOBUS solution, that enables the implement to control certain tractor functions.
Talking the Same Language: Tractor Implement Management (TIM)
To simplify some of these tasks, Kubota implemented the Tractor Implement Management (TIM) which automates a number of operations which need the coordination of the tractor and implement and thereby saves the operator a lot of repetitive and tiring work. The Tractor Implement Management (TIM) notably reduces the possibility of committing human error with absolute bilateral communication between the tractor and the implement. This gives the tractor real-time information which means the driver does not have to check the state of the bales or monitor the running direction to complete baling, a job the tractor does autonomously thanks to a sensor on the front of the cab. Once an exact bale size is reached, the tractor stops and discharges it, always maintaining the same compaction level, achieving the highest quality work.
Another big plus of the Kubota Tractor Implement Management (TIM) system is that it allows the driver to do the job better thanks to knowledge of the progress of the task provided by the system, together with increased comfort for the driver by eliminating manual operations.
Kubota is the first manufacturer ever to receive the renowned AEF certification for a combination of the M7003 Premium KVT tractor and the BV Series TIM round baler.
Initiatives for Enabling Smart Agriculture
The arrival of modern technologies impacts all spheres of human activity, including the agricultural sector. Smart farming is a concept of advanced farm management and in agriculture it involves using various software and equipment, like the Tractor Implement Management (TIM), to optimize and automate routine processes. It helps growers optimize production and compete with larger agro companies. Automated and unmanned agricultural machinery can enable farmers to work even while navigating sloped fields without having to hold the steering wheel. Kubota, as an industry leader in this field, provides support systems to help overcome the challenges of decreasing labor force and aging population to make farming more robust and profitable.
Kubota uses a wide range of products and technologies like the Tractor Implement Management (TIM) to provide solutions in the areas of food, water, and the environment, which are indispensable for people's lives. From a grain of rice or a drop of water to the foundations of society and industry, Kubota's solutions support the lives of human beings.
“The technology is really easy to use even for non-experts.”
Jean François Vanel, Farmer, Normandie, France
Jean François Vanel and his wife run a farm in Normandy with 80 hectares of arable cereals plus 50 hectares of hay for their organic beef cattle.
He told us about his baling: “We are doing 2000 to 3000 bales per year. We are doing long tiring working days, and it’s always good to get rid of numerous repetitive actions when doing round bales.The Tractor Implement Management (TIM) technology is really useful on this point, as the baler and tractor can manage the actions by themselves. The technology is really easy to use even for non-experts.”
