Machine Monitoring
In this episode of The Farmcast, Troy Randall, Lead Technology Specialist, sits down with Randy Ball, Director of Century Support. They talk about machine monitoring and predictive maintenance in agriculture. Randy of Century Support explains the role of a Machine Monitoring Specialist. This is typically a technician who monitors connected John Deere equipment using dashboards that highlight alerts. These specialists evaluate issues, communicate with customers, and provide recommendations. These range from optimizations to preventive maintenance. A major focus is the use of expert alerts, which are categorized into three types: DTCs, Performance, and Uptime alerts. These alerts are generated by John Deere based on extensive data analysis. They help guide technicians and operators toward fast and effective solutions.
Predictive Warnings
The conversation emphasizes how uptime alerts—predictive warnings for machines that appear to be running normally—are particularly powerful but also challenging. Yet, it’s difficult for some operators to trust data indicating a future failure when everything seems fine in the moment. However, by identifying patterns across thousands of machines, Deere’s system can often predict breakdowns with surprising accuracy. Century Support plays an important role here. This allows customers to address issues during planned downtime—like early morning hours or rainy days—rather than in the middle of critical work. While these tools don’t eliminate breakdowns, they help convert unexpected failures into manageable, scheduled repairs. This saves time and reduces operational stress during peak farming seasons.
JDLink
A key component enabling all of this is connectivity, powered by JDLink. With JDLink as a free subscription, thousands of machines are being monitored remotely. Over 12,000 in 21st Century Equipment alone, with nearly 300 customer interactions already in 2025. Randy notes that trust and communication are ongoing challenges. Machine monitoring specialists often call customers they’ve never met, which can be met with skepticism. But over time, as customers see the value in predictive alerts and experience fewer disruptions, trust builds. The combination of real-time data, expert analysis, and proactive support revolutionizes service. It is moving from reactive repairs to proactive, data-driven maintenance. This transformation is led by the support provided by Century Support.
