As commercial mowing season winds down, you may be evaluating your fleet, deciding if it’s time to retire an old mower, or whether a good season this year means you should expand your fleet for next year. In addition to your current situation, you might also consider whether your existing mowers have an onboard intelligence platform? If not, it may be worth trading up to mowers that do.
What is an Onboard Intelligence Platform?
An onboard intelligence platform, like Exmark’s patented RED Technology, enables communication and response between key systems on your mower, monitoring and responding to changes in RPMs, oil pressure, speed and fuel usage. If critical thresholds are exceeded, the mower automatically goes into Safe Transport mode, so that it can be driven back to base (or a trailer) without damaging the machine.
RED-equipped mowers have three preset modes to maximize fuel efficiency. In Efficient mode, the mower operates at lower RPMs, while blade speed is optimized for maximum cut quality. For tough conditions or terrain, Max mode delivers the extra power you need for difficult mowing conditions. Low mode is for operating in wet conditions, and improves cut quality by reducing deck packing. These are controlled with a rocker switch on the instrument panel.
Another benefit of RED Technology is the automatic Clutch Saver, which engages at 2,750 RPMs and shuts off at 2,500 RPMs, regardless of throttle position or what the operator does. In addition to prolonging clutch life, this lets operators engage or disengage PTO of the fly, without stopping to change setup.
Currently, RED Technology is available on the Lazer Z X-Series
What Are the Benefits of RED Technology?
For the commercial mower, better fuel efficiency is a key benefit of RED Technology onboard intelligence platforms. RED-equipped mowers can be up to 40% more efficient than other models. Since fuel is often a commercial mowers biggest operating expense, savings can add up to thousands of dollars over a season. Less wear and tear, longer lasting machines, and less damage should the mower overheat can also contribute to savings.
Do I Need a Mower with an Onboard Intelligence Platform?
Just as some people still drive stick shift cars, and other people don’t own dishwashers, you may not need it, but that doesn’t mean an intelligence platform like RED Technology won’t make your life easier. If you’re a landscape professional looking to maximize profits, minimize downtime, and make mowers last longer, then RED-equipped mowers can make a big difference. As you inventory your fleet, consider the impact of improved fuel efficiency and less mower downtime on your bottom line.
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