PARTNER FEATURE ▶▶▶
Technology can encourage better tractor drivers
BY PETER HILL W
ith a gentle forefinger prod of the brightly-lit touch screen, another display comes into view. With this one, the operator of a tractor equipped with the Data Screen Manager can edit a headland manage-
ment sequence to fine-tune it for a perfect succession of control in- puts that minimises the driver’s workload. A second touch brings up the hydraulics screen, where oil flow, ramp- up speed and timer functions can be set for individual electronically- controlled spool valves to perfectly operate the hydraulic functions of an air seeder or multi-furrow plough. Another screen accesses the powertrain settings – start-up and reversing gears for the new P6-Drive 30-speed powershift in the X7 Series tractors, for example, and CVT control strategies for the VT-Drive stepless versions.
High-tech tractors McCormick used to be a brand of worthy tractors with mainly me- chanical controls but following a major investment in new product development, the tractors now rank alongside industry leaders in terms of on-board technology. This technology is generally developed for tractors in high power ranges to improve comfort, productivity and safety, and then over time has moved to lower power tractors that are
relatively ‘immune’ to sophisticated technologies but, increasingly, re- quire safety for the driver and the environment. The next step, reveals Antonio Salvaterra, marketing director at McCormick manufacturer Argo Tractors, is to help operators optimise performance, reduce ownership costs and remain within safe vehicle stability limits by providing indicators to influence driving style. He refers to The Human Factor, a project undertaken by engineers at the new R&D centre located at its headquarters in northern Italy, con- ducted in partnership with Milan Polytechnic University to find an ef- fective way of influencing driving techniques. “When farmers make big investments in sophisticated tractors and ma- chinery, they want to see the best return on that investment,” explains Salvaterra. “But drivers can have very different levels of experience and attitudes – some are naturally sympathetic to the machine and some drive in a more aggressive way; The Human Factor project developed a way to influence drivers towards safe and more sustainable practices that could help minimise lifetime running costs for the owner.”
Green, so all good! The background colour of the Data Screen Man- ager touch display is visible regardless of the screen selected by the operator so it constantly conveys a clear message about driving practices – green for optimal, red for significant improvements needed, and with orange and yellow graduations in between.
30 ▶ FUTURE FARMING | 25 May 2018
Algorithm driven farming The outcome is a system that measures various parameters of vehicle behaviour, provides visual feedback to the driver via the Data Screen Manager (DSM) and reports to the owner or fleet manager through wireless data transfer to an online portal. On-board equipment comprises a number of speed and movement sensors including accelerometers and a gyroscope, an electronic con- trol unit (ECU) fixed to the cab floor, and a Can-Bus connection to the tractor’s network. GPRS technology connects all tractors in a fleet equipped with the proposed ‘Human Factor’ feature via Cloud computing and a user portal. A complex patented algorithm at the core of the system standardises the scoring system that provides feedback indicators in a way that is independent of external factors – such as the state of the field or road surface – in order to isolate the active contribution of the operator. “The algorithm analyses the dynamics of the vehicle by calculating pitch and roll values, and merges the two indices to better describe the behaviour of the driver,” explains Salvaterra. “Index calculations made in real time are translated into a clear and simple interface displayed on the DSM, illustrating how violently the tractor moves in terms of pitch and roll, and providing overall average and ‘most recent’ index readings relating to safety, economy and comfort.” An eye-catching element of the design is the different colours used to support the individual index displays and relay to the driver his current
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
