Product category:
Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications
News Release from: Sensor-Technik UK | Subject: CANbus control
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 06 June 2005
CANbus puts harvester operators in
control
With its latest potato harvester, Standen realised that the practical limits of hard-wiring had been reached.
With its latest potato harvester, Standen realised that the practical limits of hard-wiring had been reached CANbus was the logical move forward
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 6 Jul 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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Sensor-Technik was asked to develop a CANbus control system for a container lifting system which would fit onto a lorry.
As agricultural machines have developed in complexity and sophistication, customers have demanded more operator control.
The latest version of a potato harvester from Standen featured 55 individual switching signals, with which the operator can control 30 individual functions.
In development, it was realised that the practical limits of hard-wiring had been reached.
Standen's main hydraulic valve supplier proposed a CANbus system using the robust and proven ESX control modules from Sensor-Technik, with software written by the supplier's electronics division.
The driver interface control unit has a membrane fascia, interfaced to the bus with a 56-channel input and 32 LED indicator output module.
To allow the operator to view and set defaults for flow rates, delay and response times and to monitor pressures in circuits, a Wachendorff Opus Light four-line operator display panel is inset in the fascia.
The system drives between 18 and 24 valves, depending on the customer specification for the machine.
Functions which previously could only have been manually preset on the harvester can now be set in-cab by the operator as required, allowing far greater control on the quality of the crop sample produced by the harvester.
Optional automatic sensors for machine levelling, discharge elevator height, depth control and axle steering position can be plugged into the main ESX processor.
Standen has saved significant costs, mainly due to reductions in commissioning times.
The simplicity of the wiring loom allowed Standen to bring the wiring in-house, delivering additional cost savings.
For more information on CANbus control, Sensor-Technik UK has a free 16-page introductory technical guide now available. Request a free brochure from Sensor-Technik UK ...
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