Automatic Row Guidance (Option)When the forage harvester is operated with wide corn heads, it may be difficult to permanently concentrate on steering the vehicle especially if operating in a non-stop manner during day and nighttime. To facilitate harvest operation, the vehicle can be equipped with an automatic row guidance system implementing an automatic steering functionality and thus taking away the steering task from the operator. Operating the forage harvester with automatic row guidance functionality allows to concentrate better on controlling the real harvesting functions. Activation Of The Row Guidance Function The automatic row guidance system implements a standby mode and an automatic steering operating mode. The following conditions have to be met for the activation (not for enabling) of the row guidance functions:
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Off Mode The row guidance control system implements the OFF mode whenever the road safety switch (A) is not in field operating mode or when the row guidance enable switch (B) was not pressed (while the road safety switch is in field operating mode). This functionality ensures that no row guidance function can accidentally be activated. In the OFF mode of the automatic row guidance system, manual steering is allowed. |
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Standby Mode Whenever the row guidance enable switch (A) is pressed, while the road safety switch (B) is in field operating mode, the row guidance control system enters the standby mode. While in this mode, the performance monitor provides appropriate status information to indicate that the row guidance system is ready to operate. In standby mode no automatic row guidance function is implemented but manual steering is allowed. |
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Automatic Steering Mode While in standby mode, the electronic row guidance control system will enter automatic steering mode whenever the row guidance activation button (A) on the multi-function lever is pressed. An acoustic signal will sound whenever the row guidance control system transitions from standby mode to automatic steering mode (function activate notification). In automatic steering mode, the row guidance control system will implement the following functionality: The signals of the front feelers will permanently provide information on relative vehicle to row position to the electronic row guidance system. This position information will be processed by the row guidance control system and will be used to determine if there is a position error (compared to the position setpoint). If a position error is detected, the row guidance system controls the left or right hydraulic steering valve and the flow valve to provide hydraulic power to the left or the right steering cylinder. This will result in minimizing the vehicle to row position error and thus will automatically steer the vehicle according to the selected position setpoint. Furthermore the row guidance control system implements an adaptive steering control based on vehicle speed while operating in automatic steering mode. This is necessary because vehicle speed will significantly change the way an operator would manually steer the vehicle. As a result, vehicle speed has been taken into consideration for the development of the automatic steering control mode of the row guidance system. The adaptive steering control is implemented by varying a control parameter with the travel speed so that the steering response becomes quicker with increasing vehicle speed. Vehicle safety regulations require that an electronically controlled steering mechanism has to provide adequate override capabilities in order to ensure immediate manual steering functionality in certain operating conditions. The electronic row guidance control system will deactivate automatic steering mode if one of the following conditions exists:
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Whenever the automatic steering mode is deactivated by the row guidance control system (self-deactivation) or by the operator, an acoustic signal will sound (function deactivate notification). Once the row guidance system is operating in automatic steering mode, the operator can deactivate and re-activate automatic steering mode by pressing the row guidance activate switch on the multi-function lever. Thus he will be able to toggle between standby mode and automatic steering mode, which means between manual and automatic steering. |
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Calibration and Diagnosis For correct row guidance functionality, the electric and hydraulic system components need to be calibrated. Components to calibrate: Furthermore several row guidance control parameters can be set if necessary. To calibrate gain setting use the following address: Controls the responsiveness of the system. To calibrate ratio setting use the following address: Configures the adaptive steering control based on vehicle speed. To calibrate filter setting use the following address: Configures the sensitivity of the feelers. To calibrate feeler settings use the following addresses: Configures the scale of the feeler range. The on-board diagnostic provides diagnostic capabilities for all of the row guidance system inputs and outputs by providing current status information in different diagnostic addresses. |
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