Root Crop Harvesting With Image-Based Soil Screening Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing harvesting machines struggle to efficiently separate root crops from soil and other materials like loose earth, soil aggregates, leaves, and stones, leading to crop loss and reduced yield due to inadequate adjustment of excavation depth based on soil conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method using electromagnetic, optical, or acoustic image acquisition units to capture inspection images of the material being transported, analyzing soil aggregates for screening capability features, and adjusting operating parameters of transport elements like screening bands to optimize separation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the excavation depth is increased to improve harvesting throughput, then productivity increases, but crop damage increases due to inadequate adjustment for soil conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The excavation depth is made dynamically adjustable based on real-time soil condition detection. The system continuously monitors soil properties and automatically modifies the excavation depth during harvesting operations, transitioning from static to dynamic control to optimize both productivity and crop protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where soil conditions are continuously detected by sensors, evaluated by the control unit, and used to adjust excavation depth parameters. This closed-loop control ensures that productivity gains do not come at the cost of crop damage by constantly adapting to actual soil conditions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the excavation depth is decreased to protect crops from damage, then crop loss reduces, but productivity decreases due to slower harvesting
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a fixed conservative excavation depth, the system dynamically adjusts the depth based on actual soil conditions. This allows the machine to harvest as quickly as possible while protecting crops, eliminating the need to consistently operate at reduced depth for protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the excavation depth parameter in real-time based on soil condition parameters detected by sensors. By continuously monitoring and adjusting this critical parameter, the system optimizes the balance between harvesting speed and crop protection for each specific soil condition encountered.
3Ease of operation
If fixed excavation depth settings are used to simplify operation, then ease of operation improves, but adaptability to different soil conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The harvesting system performs self-adjustment by automatically detecting soil conditions and modifying excavation depth without operator intervention. The control unit autonomously processes sensor data and adjusts parameters, freeing the operator from complex manual adjustments while maintaining high adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical adjustment mechanisms with an automated sensor-based control system. Electronic sensors and control units substitute for manual depth adjustment mechanisms, providing both operational simplicity and environmental adaptability simultaneously.
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
Enhances the throughput of the harvesting machine while reducing the risk of crop damage, leading to improved economic efficiency by optimizing the separation process based on real-time soil conditions.
Implementation Method 1
at least one electromagnetic, in particular optical, or acoustic image acquisition unit captures at least one inspection image
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for operating a machine for harvesting root crops and/or for separating root crops from further additionally conveyed material that includes at least soil in the form of loose earth and/or soil aggregates, and also, if applicable, leaves and/or stones. By means of at least one electromagnetic, in particular optical, or acoustic image capturing unit, at least one inspection image is captured of at least one portion of the material, moved relative to a machine frame of the machine by at least one transport element, in particular a screen belt. On the basis of at least one inspection data set generated using the inspection image and/or formed by this image, an evaluation device generates an adjustment signal for adjusting at least one operating parameter of the transport element and/or a further transport element of the machine. At least one feature for describing the ability to be screened of the additionally conveyed soil is determined by the evaluation device and is used for adjusting the operating parameter. The invention also relates to a machine for harvesting root crops and a computer program product.