Precision system for mapping terrain trafficability, tractor-implement performance and tillage quality

Abstract

A novel data acquisition and differential global positioning system had been integrated on–board a Massey Ferguson 3060 agricultural tractor for real-time mapping of terrain trafficability, tractor-implement performance, and tillage quality with geographical location. Mapping terrain trafficability had to be done on a separate field sampling operation with the instrumented tractor and the mounted soil penetrometer-shearometer unit before the start on any field operations. Mapping of tractor-implement performance with the instrumented tractor and built-in transducers had to be done while running the tractor and implement for the intended field operation. Mapping of the tillage quality had to be done with the instrumented tractor and the towed soil surface profile digitiser on a separate field sampling operation immediately after completing the tilling operations. The instrumented tractor being the rover, received both the location coordinate signal from the satellite and the broadcasted differential correction signal from the near by set-up base station at the field site. The complete data acquisition and differential global positioning system on-board the tractor was capable of measuring, displaying, and recording in-real time the tractor’s position, soil penetration resistance and soil shear stress when mapping terrain trafficability; the tractor’s position, pitch and roll angles, traveled speed, actual speed, fuel consumption rate, drive wheel slippage, drive wheel torque, PTO shaft torque, drawbar force, tilling depth and three-point hitch forces when mapping tractor-implement performance; and the tractor’s position, soil surface profile, and soil tilt index when mapping tillage quality. Spatial variability information could be extracted from the generated maps to assist the tractor driver in the decision process of optimising the field operation of the tractor-implement. This paper describes the design, integration, and configuration of both the hardware and software for the respective field measurements, monitoring and mapping.