Automatic Mode | John Deere SmartGrade™ Compact Track Loaders

14 Dec 2021

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John Deere's SmartGrade system automatically maintains grade and slope on compact track loaders, letting operators control the machine through a standard joystick while the technology handles precision grading. The system reduces operator fatigue and improves accuracy on earthmoving jobs.

One of the things that I'm personally proud of on this solution is integrating everything into the control handles of these skid steer joysticks. From the right joystick you can click the trigger and you are now in automatic mode. So you're following the map of the land. You can push a button and it'll take it over and put it to final grade.
I'm going to click the magic right hand button and it's automatically controlling that cross slope and maintaining cross slope so I, I don't have to do that. As an operator.
It takes the guesswork out of it. If you're cutting dirt, spreading dirt or spreading rock, it adapts for it.
The machine is checking the grade. You don't need someone to come out and check it. The grade is being done as you're moving it. It's all being checked and ran through the smart grade system.
The accuracy was actually really good. I went out with my hand held and checked behind it and we were easily within half a tenth.
I'm within plus or minus 200. It's better than a good operator.