Agricultural Baler Weight Compensation on Slopes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural balers equipped with load cells fail to provide accurate bale weight measurements when operating on inclines due to deflection of load cells, leading to underestimation of bale weight, and existing solutions like inclinometers increase complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A method that calculates the actual bale weight by determining the empty baler tare weight, full baler weight, and slope angle, using these values to adjust for the weight of wrapping material and preservatives, without requiring additional hardware like inclinometers, by using the formula Wa = Wr / COS(A) where Wr is the raw bale weight and COS(A) is calculated from the empty baler weight and tare weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If load cells are mounted in the hitch and/or axles to measure bale weight, then weight measurement is provided, but measurement precision deteriorates when the baler is on an incline due to misalignment between normal force and gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter being measured from direct weight to the ratio of empty baler weights at different orientations. By measuring the empty baler weight on level ground (Wt) and on incline (We), and calculating COS(A) = We/Wt, the system compensates for slope effects without requiring direct angle measurement or additional sensors.
2Measurement precision
If an inclinometer is mounted on the baler to measure slope angle, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The baler itself serves as the measurement instrument. The existing load cells and baler structure are used to measure empty baler weights at different orientations, eliminating the need for separate inclinometer hardware. The baler's own weight and orientation changes provide the necessary data to calculate slope compensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The empty baler weight measurement serves as an intermediary variable that indirectly provides slope information. Instead of directly measuring angle with an inclinometer, the system measures weight changes caused by slope and uses these as a proxy to calculate the cosine of the slope angle for compensation.
3Ease of operation
If load cells deflect in proportion to normal force perpendicular to the axle, then ease of operation is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates on slopes due to misalignment with gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces direct mechanical weight measurement with a calculated approach using weight ratios. Instead of relying on load cells to directly measure bale weight on slopes (which fails due to misalignment), the system uses load cell measurements of empty baler weight at different orientations to calculate a compensation factor that corrects the measurement error.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate bale weight determination on uneven terrain without additional hardware, accounting for wrapping material and preservative consumption, ensuring compatibility with existing agricultural equipment and techniques.
Implementation Method 1
the load cells that are typically mounted in the hitch and/or axles, deflect in proportion to the normal force which is perpendicular to the axle
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for determining the weight of an agricultural bale that compensates for un-level terrain such as hillsides. The method uses an empty baler tare weight and a full baler weight to determine a raw bale weight. The cosine of the slope upon which the baler sits is then calculated based upon the empty baler weight as it sits and the empty baler tare weight. The cosine of the angle of slope and raw bale weight are then used to determine an actual bale weight. Further steps are provided for compensating in the tare weight of the baler for the weight of wrapping material consumed in the formation of each bale.