Singulation and Portioning Timing for Seed-Fertilizer Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural spreading machines face challenges in achieving a predetermined local deposition relationship of seeds and fertilizer portions due to variations in internal conveying and external flight times influenced by seed and fertilizer properties such as size, weight, and surface texture, necessitating coordinated operation of singulation and portioning devices.
Innovation Solution
A control system adjusts the operating behavior of singulation and portioning units based on seed-specific and fertilizer-specific calibration values, which can be manually input or retrieved from a database, to achieve a predetermined spatial relationship by adjusting time offsets and rotational speeds, ensuring precise placement of seeds and fertilizer portions on the field.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the singulation device and portioning device operate independently without coordination, then each device can function at its own optimal speed, but the predetermined local placement relationship between seeds and fertilizer portions cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts operational parameters (rotational speeds, time offsets) of the singulation and portioning devices based on seed-specific and fertilizer-specific calibration values. This allows the system to maintain precise local placement relationships while adapting to different material properties without requiring complete redesign of the coordination mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calibration by determining seed-specific and fertilizer-specific values before the actual spreading operation. These calibration values are stored and retrieved during operation, allowing the coordination system to function efficiently without real-time complex calculations, thus reducing operational complexity while maintaining precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If the system uses seed-specific and fertilizer-specific calibration values for different combinations, then accurate placement can be achieved, but the complexity of calibration data management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system implements a universal calibration database that stores seed-specific and fertilizer-specific values for multiple combinations. The system can retrieve and apply the appropriate calibration values based on the selected seed and fertilizer combination, making the calibration system multi-functional and adaptable to various materials without requiring separate hardware or complex manual configuration for each combination.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating new calibration mechanisms for each seed-fertilizer combination, the system uses calibration values (data copies) that represent the characteristics of different materials. These digital copies allow the same physical hardware to be precisely controlled for various combinations by simply changing the parameter sets, greatly simplifying data management compared to having physical calibration artifacts for each combination.
3Manufacturing precision
If the control system adjusts operating behavior based on calibration values, then predetermined placement relationship is achieved, but the response time and complexity of real-time control increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines and stores seed-specific and fertilizer-specific calibration values before the actual spreading operation begins. This preliminary calibration allows the control system to use pre-computed values during operation, avoiding time-consuming real-time calculations and enabling fast response while maintaining precise longitudinal distance control between seeds and fertilizer portions.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for matching the operation of a separating device (26) to the operation of a portioning device (14) of an agricultural applicator in order to obtain a predetermined local placement relation (Δx) when placing seed grains (K) that have been separated by means of the separating device (26) and when placing fertilizer portions (P) produced by the portioning device (14) on farmland (N).