Agricultural Spreader Pre-Set Control at Field Boundaries

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for spreading grit on agricultural areas face challenges in maintaining intended distribution, particularly at application limits and transition areas, leading to significant deviations.

Innovation Solution

An electronic control device automatically sets a predictive starting configuration for the agricultural spreading machine before reaching a switch-on point, ensuring precise grit distribution by adjusting the spreading disc speed and feed point settings, and gradually activating section switches to maintain consistent application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If spreading material is interrupted at boundaries to avoid over-spraying, then material distribution precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to frequent interruptions and time-consuming manual reconfiguration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespreading material distribution precisionVSAvoidspreading operation productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit automatically initiates a predictive setting of the start configuration on the spreader before the spreader reaches the switch-on point. This preliminary action prepares the spreader during the headland transition phase, so that when spreading resumes at the switch-on point, the correct configuration is already in place, eliminating manual reconfiguration time and maintaining both precision and productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If manual reconfiguration is performed at switch-on points after interruption, then spreading material distribution precision can be maintained, but time is lost during manual adjustment operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespreading material distribution precisionVSAvoidtime for manual reconfiguration
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The spreader system performs self-service through automatic configuration setting. The control unit automatically initiates and executes the predictive setting of the start configuration without operator intervention. This eliminates the need for manual reconfiguration operations, reducing time loss while maintaining spreading material distribution precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If standard configuration is set at transition points during spreading, then adaptability to different spreading zones is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to configuration changes during active spreading

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to spreading zonesVSAvoidspreading material distribution precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by pre-setting the start configuration before the spreader reaches the switch-on point, during the interruption phase when no material is being applied. This prevents the need to change configuration during active spreading, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while still providing adaptability to different spreading zones through the pre-calculated start configuration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP3984342B1Method and device for applying material to an agricultural crop area
Publication Date: 2024.12.18 AMAZONEN WERKE H DREYER GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3984342B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for spreading material onto an agricultural area (12) by means of an agricultural spreader (10), comprising the steps of: providing information on the spreading boundaries (14) of an agricultural area (12) to an electronic control device and moving the agricultural spreader (10) towards a predetermined switch-on point in the vicinity of a spreading boundary (14) of the agricultural area (12), at which the start of the spreading material application onto at least one spreading disc is intended, wherein, in the event of an interrupted spreading material application, the electronic control device automatically initiates a proactive setting of a start configuration predetermined for the switch-on point on the agricultural spreader (10) before the agricultural spreader (10) reaches the switch-on point.