Force Measurement Calibration for Soil Cultivation (Precision Farming Preliminary Study)
In precision farming, the trend is towards capturing all parameters during every processing step – including the working depth and the associated forces on machine and material. Energy is one of the biggest cost drivers in agricultural production, so increasing efficiency becomes the decisive factor.
Setup
For the preliminary study, the forces at the lower link had to be verified as a function of working depth. What was needed was a device that could apply a defined load to the lower link force measurement sensors; the existing hydraulics were used to apply the high forces via a cable system.
Assignment
The test rig was designed and then optimised using FEM analysis. Once manufactured, it was fitted to the test tractor. A second tractor held the device down during the measurement process.
This setup was used to carry out the static calibration of the force measurement system. A calibrated load cell was used to verify the values applied at the tractor-side force measurement pins. These calibration values were then compared with the values from a working process measured dynamically using a force measurement triangle.
Result
The calibration was successful and sufficiently precise. The values correlated as expected. This provided a robust, comparable measurement basis for assessing the feasibility of the idea.
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