Bauma Report: Top Tiers – John Deere Power Systems and Cummins Inc. on Tier 4 Interim

I was running late meeting Stavros and Janeen by the giant Goodyear Wheel before a pair of engine press conferences this morning, so I sent them both a text to meet me at the John Deere Power Systems (JDPS) booth. I can’t say I was surprised when Stavros didn’t show up, but Janeen didn’t show up either. She’s usually pretty good about these things…I wonder what they could be in to.

I made it the JDPS booth with seconds to spare, but I had a hunch what the press event was going to focus on — Tier 4 Interim. The new Tier 4 Interim engines are the big buzz here at Bauma — from Caterpillar and Perkins to JDPS and Cummins — everyone is touting their new technology. John Deere Power Systems (JDPS) displayed their entire Interim Tier 4/Stage III B diesel engine lineup

Emissions regulations begin January 1, 2011, 174 hp and above engines and require a 90 percent reduction in diesel particulate matter (PM) and a 50 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) from previous Tier 3/Stage III A requirements. The Interim Tier 4/Stage III B regulation effective date for 75 to 174 hp engines is January 1, 2012.

For engines 75 hp and above, John Deere will start with their proven PowerTech Plus Tier 3/Stage III A in-line, four- and six-cylinder engine platform — which includes cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) for NOx control — and add an exhaust filter for reducing PM. These engines will feature full-authority electronic controls, a four-valve cylinder head, a high-pressure fuel system, turbocharging and an air-to-air aftercooling system.
 
Engines between 75 and 173 hp, will be available in 4.5L and 6.8L displacements and will be equipped with either a wastegate or variable geometry turbocharger, depending upon the size of the engine. Compared to John Deere’s larger engines, models between 75 and 173 hp will feature smaller exhaust filters that can be engine-mounted or remote-mounted for increased flexibility. Engines in this power range will use an in-cylinder dosing system, while John Deere’s 174 hp and above engines use an external dosing system.
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Another quick text to Stavros and Janeen before jetting over to the Cummins Inc. booth. Tier 4 Interim was fresh in my mind, so I drilled the Cummins personnel on the specifics: When will Cummins Tier 4 Interim solutions hit the market? What compact machines would this effect? What extra maintenance would these systems require?

They answered my rapid fire questions patiently, but then told me to check out Cummins’ newly launched Web site — www.tier4.info — which is a great resource for all things Tier 4 and beyond. A quick check of the site on my Blackberry showed a cornucopia of knowledge. If you have any burning questions of your own, www.tier4.info is a great place to start.

Janeen showed up looking frazzled just as I was leaving the Cummins booth. When I asked here where Stavros was, she hesitated before mentioning something about taking more coverage photos of the show. What is up with these two?