Cummins powers largest ever John Deere Forage Harvester

Cummins QSK19 engine will power the largest self-propelled forage harvester ever built by John Deere. The new 7950 SPFH utilizes the 597kW (800-hp) rated output of the 19-litre engine to significantly increase harvesting productivity with a wider working width and reduced working time.

The QSK19 equips the 7950 SPFH with the rugged strength of a Cummins high-output engine initially designed for extreme duty cycles in mining applications. This inherent power capability gives the 7950 forage harvester the ability to continuously chop high-quality silage for extremely long hours under the most challenging field conditions.

With a peak torque of 3186 Nm (2350 lb-ft) available at 1700 rpm, the QSK19 holds deep reserves of strength ready for when it is needed to ensure instant response as the harvesting gets tougher. The intelligent management system of the 7950 SPFH maximizes fuel efficiency by adjusting engine speed for light crops and ground speed for heavy crops.

“We are really excited to see the QSK19 powering the new 7950 SPFH, which continues a long association of Cummins engines with the top-of-the-range forage harvester from John Deere,” said Jim Branner, Project Manager, Cummins Worldwide Agricultural Business.

“The big-displacement QSK19 is very strong, highly dependable and comes with proven performance from tough mining applications that no other engine installed in a high-power forage harvester can match. The QSK19 performs with higher refinement than typically seen with high-output engines, due to Cummins Modular Common Rail (MCR) fuel system, which provides rapid power delivery on a smooth, low-noise basis,” added Branner.

The six-cylinder inline QSK19 is fully integrated into the 7950 SPFH Prodrive propulsion system to deliver exceptional traction in difficult conditions or slopes. Up to 40 km/h (25 mph) transport speed and 19 km/h (12 mph) field speed are standard. A high-capacity cooling package regulates engine compartment temperatures for optimal performance, even when working in extreme heat.

“The new 7950 SPFH with the Cummins 19-litre boasts a 17 percent increase in power over the 7850 that it replaces. We have utilized the 800-hp rated power available to improve harvesting capacity with a wider ten-row rotary corn head and more durable hay pickup heads,” said Tim Meister, Division Manager of Marketing, John Deere Ottumwa Works.

“In field trials, we have demonstrated that the 7950 SPFH will enable our customers to significantly reduce their machinery operating and servicing costs,” added Meister.