Arbos 7000 Series and FPT engines

Arbos 7000 Series tractors, FPT-powered and introduced as a prototype at Agritechnica 2017, were presented last year in Hanover. From here we started our chat with Arbos Marketing Director Alessandro Zambelli, touching on many other aspects related to the brand, now part of the Chinese group Lovol Heavy Industry. This is the first part of our interview. The second will be published next week.

Arbos 7000 Series tractors. What feedback have you had after Agritechnica 2019?

Feedback from field tests has been very positive, especially regarding the tractor’s capacity in traction and ploughing, the engine elasticity at all rpm (very good torque at low rpm) and low fuel consumption (both diesel and urea). This was the result of a specific design of the vehicle geometry driven by a robust, high-performance engine.

Feedback from the audience, however, shows obvious curiosity and positive pressure to drive the machine in the fields.

A NATURAL GAS OPTION FOR FPT N67 ENGINE

What are the main requirements when choosing an engine for an agricultural machine?

In the off-road segment, the mission of a tractor is the starting point. Taking once again the 7000 Series as an example,we are talking about operations in the field, medium-large farms and contractors where the machines are required to have performance, traction capacity and fuel efficiency, but also versatility and elasticity, obviously starting from the engine. Among the basic characteristics identified in the project specifications are, in brief: trend of torque and maximum power curves (and relative torque back-up); ‘distribution’ of the power curve at all rpm; engine elasticity; technological design of the engine; installation layout and interface with the machine powertrain; noise and vibrations; diesel and urea consumption; E/E architecture oriented to the engine interface also with regard to connectivity and IoT; market penetration of the engine brand.

Why was the 6-cylinder Stage V FPT chosen on the new 7000 Series tractors?

The solution offered by FPT was definitely the ideal choice for a product range above 200 hp with 6-cylinder engine. The reasons are to be found in the characteristics and targets required by the mission of the vehicle and the responses to customer needs.

Taking a step back, why did Arbos choose Kohler for the 5000 Series?

The choice of Kohler engines, dating back to 2004, proved to be a win-win choice. Both projects were ready for launch: Arbos was presenting the first open field model (5000 Series) in Europe, while Kohler was presenting the Kdi 3404 agricultural structural 4-cylinder engine with 136 horsepower. The result was a double success: Kohler was awarded the Diesel of the year 2015 and the Arbos 5000 Series won the Red Dot Product Design 2017.

Technically, the engine was appreciated during the design phase for its compact dimensions, technical solutions (EGR with compact exhaust system without DPF), and for Kohler’s willingness to enter the AG market being open to important customizations on the engine side for our specific application; in the field, however, for its performance and excellent torque and power distribution.