A decade ago, ag equipment manufacturers faced a daunting challenge. How would they get dozens of different tractors and implements equipped with electronic controls and monitors to communicate with each other, no matter what their brand or color?
Out of this challenge was born the Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF).
AEF was formed in 2008 by seven core member companies: AGCO, CLAAS, CNH, Grimme Group, John Deere, Kverneland Group and Poettinger, as well as AEM and the German machinery association, VDMA. SAME DEUTZ-FAHR joined the leadership of AEF as its eighth core member in 2013.
Today, AEF’s mission remains key to advancing the efficient and productive use of ag electronics worldwide. Currently, over 170 member companies work together through 11 AEF project teams, consolidating different approaches into common solutions that benefit producers, dealers, and equipment manufacturers.
Building Customer Confidence
Best-known of AEF’s activities are its semi-annual Plugfest events. One is held each year in North America and the other in Europe. The Plugfest gatherings offer an opportunity for member companies to test their own products for compatibility with all others.
One result of these events has been the development of a conformance test tool that allows manufacturers to test components and systems for compliance with an international standard, ISO 11783, commonly referred to as "ISO Bus" or "ISOBUS."
Information from test tool results is loaded into an AEF database that can now be accessed free of charge not only by manufacturers and dealers but also by farmers themselves (as of the SIMA show in France in February).
Dealers and their customers can use the information in the database to check whether tractors and implements are compatible prior to purchase. In addition, the database has provisions to help troubleshoot any issues that may occur after purchase, increasing customer satisfaction and confidence when making a buying decision.
Strong Support for AEF Activities
AEM and its members continue to play a key role in AEF, not the least of which is through staffing the secretary position within the AEF Chair Group. This position is held by AEM Technical Director Mark Benishek, whose duties include:
- Planning agendas for all the Chair Group and Steering Committee meetings (about 36 per year), recording meeting minutes, and making sure action items are handled
- Supporting project team leaders as a communication link with the Steering Committee and Chair Group committees
- Actively helping to plan Plugfest events for both U.S. and Europe
- Leading two Steering Committee task teams actively developing a five-year plan for AEF
AEM to Host Leadership Meeting
Along with regular online meetings, AEF leadership stays in touch through three yearly face-to-face meetings, including two in Europe and one in North America. The face-to-face meetings are typically sponsored by one of AEF’s core members.
This year, AEM is pleased to host one of these meetings at its offices in Milwaukee on June 17-18.
Then in July, members of the AG Sector Board will hear from AEF Chairman Peter van der Vlugt when he reports to them on AEF’s activities. Van der Vlugt will also be at AEM’s offices in June for the Chair Group meeting.
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