Predictive Field Mapping for Harvester Deck Plate Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural harvesters face performance degradation when encountering varying ear sizes in fields due to improper spacing of deck plates, leading to grain loss and inefficiencies in material handling.
Innovation Solution
The generation of a predictive map using in-situ data and historical maps to adjust machine settings in real-time, such as deck plate positioning, based on sensed ear sizes and other agricultural characteristics, to optimize harvesting operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If deck plates are fixed in position, then machine structure is simple, but harvesting performance degrades when encountering varying ear sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The deck plates are made adjustable and movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adapt to varying ear sizes. The system includes actuators that can change the spacing between deck plates in real-time based on detected crop conditions, transforming a static structure into a dynamic one that responds to field variations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the header can have independently adjustable deck plate spacing, allowing each local area to be optimized for the specific ear sizes present in that zone. This enables localized adaptation without requiring adjustment of the entire header structure.
2Productivity
If deck plate spacing is adjusted for small ears, then small ears are harvested efficiently, but large ears may not pass through properly
Solution Approach 1:
The deck plate spacing is made dynamically adjustable during harvesting operations. Sensors detect the size distribution of ears in different field zones, and the control system automatically adjusts deck plate spacing to match the local conditions, enabling the machine to handle both small and large ears efficiently by adapting to each zone's characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical parameter of deck plate spacing is changed based on detected ear size conditions. When small ears are detected, the spacing is reduced for efficient harvesting; when large ears are detected, the spacing is increased to allow proper passage, thus optimizing performance for the current crop conditions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If operator manually adjusts deck plates during harvesting, then some adaptation is possible, but response time is slow and consistency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors continuously monitor ear size and crop conditions in real-time, providing feedback to the control system. The control system automatically processes this information and adjusts deck plate spacing accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that responds immediately to changing field conditions without operator intervention delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The harvesting machine performs self-adjustment of deck plate spacing without requiring operator intervention. The automated system detects crop conditions and independently makes the necessary adjustments, freeing the operator from manual adjustment tasks and ensuring consistent, timely responses to field variations.
Data Source
AI summary
One or more information maps are obtained by an agricultural work machine. The one or more information maps map one or more agricultural characteristic values at different geographic locations of a field. An in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine senses an agricultural characteristic as the agricultural work machine moves through the field. A predictive map generator generates a predictive map that predicts a predictive agricultural characteristic at different locations in the field based on a relationship between the values in the one or more information maps and the agricultural characteristic sensed by the in-situ sensor. The predictive map can be output and used in automated machine control.