End of Cut Speed Control for Turf Mowers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf course fairway and greens mowers face productivity issues due to reduced ground speeds at the end-of-cut to prevent turf damage, as high speeds during sharp turns can cause damage to the turf, leading to inefficient mowing processes.
Innovation Solution
An end-of-cut speed control system that uses sensors to detect the position of cutting units and adjusts the traction drive speed of the mower, allowing it to maintain high ground speeds while minimizing turf damage by reducing speed when cutting units are raised, utilizing a vehicle controller, sensors, and a display module to manage speed transitions smoothly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the mower operates at high ground speeds (7-10 mph) during mowing, then productivity is improved, but turf damage occurs at the end-of-cut when making sharp turns
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the mower's ground speed based on the cutting units' position. When cutting units are lowered (mow position), the mower operates at high speed (7-10 mph) for maximum productivity. When cutting units are raised (end-of-cut position), the system automatically reduces speed to 3-6 mph to prevent turf damage during sharp turns. This dynamic speed adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting the operating parameter (speed) to the operational context.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect the position of cutting units and provides feedback to the vehicle controller. The controller continuously monitors this feedback and automatically adjusts the traction drive speed accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to maintain high productivity during normal mowing while automatically protecting against turf damage during end-of-cut maneuvers without requiring operator intervention.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the mower reduces ground speed to 3-6 mph at the end-of-cut to prevent turf damage, then turf integrity is preserved, but productivity significantly decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic speed adjustment that is context-dependent. During normal mowing operations with cutting units lowered, the mower maintains high ground speeds (7-10 mph) for maximum productivity. Only when sensors detect that cutting units are raised (end-of-cut condition) does the system reduce speed to 3-6 mph. This selective dynamic adjustment minimizes the impact on overall productivity while providing targeted protection during critical maneuvers.
Solution Approach 2:
The speed reduction occurs periodically and temporarily only during end-of-cut maneuvers when cutting units are raised. The system automatically transitions between high-speed mowing mode and reduced-speed protection mode based on the periodic raising and lowering of cutting units. This periodic action ensures that speed reduction is applied only when necessary, minimizing its impact on overall productivity while effectively preventing turf damage during sharp turns.
Data Source
AI summary
An end of cut speed control system includes a vehicle controller that commands a traction drive system to a reduced ground speed based on the setting of a control to a preset end of cut mode ground speed as a percentage of the mow mode ground speed. The vehicle controller changes the speed from the mow mode to the end of cut mode when a proximity sensor indicates the cutting units are raised to a cross cut position.