A Basic Approach to Implement Guided Tractor Control

Abstract

Within a continuous development of mobile agricultural machinery the application and further introduction of electronic controls is offering the fare most potential for working processes optimization. The article gives an introduction to tractor and implement controls, especially targeting implement guided tractor control, underlined with two executed examples for this advanced control design. A structured development model and basic knowledge on safe and robust control loop set-ups were developed. Potential conflict scenarios within the multi master control system of driver, tractor, implement and independently pre-planned task control were identified and solved by arbitrational state strategies. The two exemplarily executed demonstration examples utilize different control commands to functions and interfaces of the tractor. One example is an implement guided headland management; the other is a PTO torque guided tractor speed control. Both automation strategies have been pre-simulated and implemented introducing ISO 11783 communication protocol. Results from final field tests are closing the paper.