Agricultural Boom Positioning via Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural working machines, such as field sprayers and fertilizer spreaders, face challenges in maintaining exact positions of working elements due to varying heights and vibrations of the boom, leading to inaccuracies in distributing agricultural materials.
Innovation Solution
A system with a height-adjustable linkage and a data processing device that determines the position of working elements relative to a reference point, using sensors to account for pivot and height adjustments, ensuring precise placement even with different boom positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the boom is made height-adjustable to adapt to varying field conditions, then the adaptability of the machine is improved, but the position accuracy of working elements deteriorates due to varying boom heights and oscillations
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the positioning calculations based on real-time boom height and pivot position data from sensors. The control system continuously updates the position of working elements relative to the reference point as the boom moves, maintaining accuracy despite the dynamic, height-adjustable nature of the boom structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors mounted on the boom provide continuous feedback about the boom's height, pivot position, and oscillations. This feedback is fed to the control system which compensates for these movements in real-time, allowing the machine to maintain position accuracy while adapting to varying field conditions through height adjustments.
2Ease of operation
If sensors are not rigidly attached to the boom to allow movement, then the ease of operation is improved, but the measurement precision of plant positions deteriorates due to deviations between sensor positions and working element positions
Solution Approach 1:
The control system acts as an intermediary that receives position data from sensors mounted on the boom and calculates the corresponding positions of working elements. By using the known geometric relationships between sensor locations and working element locations, the system translates sensor readings into accurate working element positions without requiring rigid sensor attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of mechanically rigidly attaching sensors to the working elements (which would constrain boom movement), the system uses electronic sensing and computational methods to determine positions. Sensors are freely mounted on the boom while software calculations bridge the gap between sensor positions and working element positions.
3Productivity
If the working width is increased to improve productivity, then the productivity is improved, but the position stability of working elements deteriorates due to increased boom oscillations and pivoting
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning system is designed to be dynamic, continuously adapting to the boom's movements. As the boom oscillates and pivots during operation with large working widths, sensors track these movements and the control system dynamically recalculates working element positions to maintain accuracy despite the instability inherent in wide-boom operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system (100) for an agricultural machine (10), preferably a field sprayer or fertilizer spreader, comprising a boom (24) with a plurality of working elements (32) and a data processing device (150). To enable the precise determination of the position of working elements (32) on an agricultural machine (10), and thus, in particular, to improve the distribution of agricultural materials, the invention provides that the data processing device (150) is configured to determine the position of the working elements (32) relative to a reference point (40) based on the height and/or pivot position of the boom (24). The invention also relates to a method for determining the position of working elements (32) and to an agricultural machine (10).