Harvester Foreign Body Sensor Diagnostics for False Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural harvesting machines face issues with false foreign object detections due to interference from faulty repairs or defective parts, leading to time-consuming troubleshooting and machine downtime.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a signal analysis, particularly frequency and amplitude analysis, to identify the faulty component causing erroneous foreign object detection by evaluating the measurement signal from the foreign body sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a foreign body sensor is used to detect foreign bodies in the crop, then damage to working units can be prevented, but false detections occur due to interference sources causing improper operation
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors the measurement signal and provides feedback by comparing signal characteristics against stored reference patterns. When interference sources are detected, the system automatically adjusts operations or alerts the operator, preventing false detections from causing improper operation while maintaining continuous harvest.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes detection parameters dynamically by adjusting sensitivity thresholds and signal filtering based on operating conditions. This allows the foreign body sensor to distinguish between actual foreign bodies and interference sources, maintaining high detection accuracy without causing false alarms that would disrupt operation.
2Reliability
If troubleshooting is performed for interference sources, then the harvester can be repaired, but the process is time-consuming and requires partial dismantling
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit stores reference patterns of known interference sources in advance during system setup or calibration. When a false detection occurs, the system compares the current signal against these pre-stored patterns to quickly identify the interference source, eliminating the need for time-consuming trial-and-error troubleshooting and partial dismantling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical troubleshooting with automated electronic signal analysis. The control unit electronically identifies interference sources through pattern recognition in the measurement signal, substituting the traditional mechanical approach of dismantling and testing components with a rapid software-based diagnostic system.
3Reliability
If the harvester stops operation due to false foreign body detection, then working units are protected, but productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the response to detected foreign bodies based on signal analysis. Instead of always stopping the harvester, the control unit evaluates whether the detection is genuine or caused by interference, and only triggers a stop when confident of actual foreign body presence. This maintains working unit protection while avoiding unnecessary productivity loss from false stops.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method for operating an agricultural harvesting machine (1), wherein the agricultural harvesting machine (1) has a working unit (2) in which a foreign body sensor (19) is installed, wherein a measurement signal provided by the foreign body sensor (19) is evaluated by means of a signal analysis in such a way that, on the basis of the signal analysis, at least one component of the working unit (2) is identified which has a fault which triggers a signal component in the measurement signal which erroneously causes the detection of the presence of a foreign body.