Custom application has been a growing business for John Deere and this week during the MAGIE Show in Illinois, the company shared a sneak peek of a new machine that's under development. It's so new the company doesn't even know what to call it - and for now it's a high-capacity nutrient applicator.

During the media event where the John Deere 9RX and a lot of other products were announced, John Deere also rolled out the machine you see here. It's a high capacity design that uses a New Idea spinner box and a lot of durability features the company says will appeal to dealers. The MAGIE show, where this sneak peek was officially unveiled is focused on dealers.

"These machines will work under the harshest conditions," says Jason Bueligman, involved with developing the applicator with John Deere. "We're working to limit downtime."

That means beefing up everything from the chassis to the wiring harnesses to handle the conditions these machines work under. The chassie is a dual C-channel design with leaf springs and dampeners to manage the load, but keep the ride smooth.

Corrosion is also a worry with this equipment, but John Deere designers are working to help with that too. That means no flat surfaces where corrosive materials can collect and work their way into the machine. The battery box is also sealed and the dry box is designed to handle a range of materials.

The dry box is a New Leader spinner - which on this prototype is a 330 cubic foot box that will be capable of variable rate application of up to four products.

Operator comfort is important too, and the machine has a John Deere cab that will be designed to help avoid fatigue on those long application days.

Power comes from a 9-liter John Deere PowerTech PSS final tier 4 engine with an IVT continuously variable transmission, which Bueligman says really shines at higher application and transport speeds. And the IVT system provides fuel-efficiency capabilities as well.

It's early to talk more about the machine in detail, John Deere will review the potential for the product in 2016 to determine the final development program. We'll keep you posted.