Effects of Multi-Mode Four-Wheel Steering on Sprayer Machine Performance
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Since 1905, the Department of Agricultural Engineering, now the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE), has been a leader in providing engineering solutions to agricultural problems in the United States and the world. The department’s original mission was to mechanize agriculture. That mission has evolved to encompass a global view of the entire food production system–the wise management of natural resources in the production, processing, storage, handling, and use of food fiber and other biological products.
History
In 1905 Agricultural Engineering was recognized as a subdivision of the Department of Agronomy, and in 1907 it was recognized as a unique department. It was renamed the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering in 1990. The department merged with the Department of Industrial Education and Technology in 2004.
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1905–present
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- Department of Agricultural Engineering (1907–1990)
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- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (parent college)
- College of Engineering (parent college)
- Department of Industrial Education and Technology, (merged, 2004)
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Abstract
A self-propelled agricultural sprayer with four-wheel steering (4WS) was developed. A digital controller was designed and built to control the rear steering angle based on that of the front wheels through electrohydraulic control valves. Three modes of steering were enabled and investigated. Experimental methods were developed to determine what potential 4WS has in improving machine performance. In particular, machine performance of the sprayer was evaluated by measuring turning radius and performance metrics in headland turning and lateral path shift procedures. Coordinated 4WS resulted in smaller turning radii than conventional two-wheel steering (2WS). In the headland turning tests, significant mean increases in aligning distance of 5.58 m and significant mean decreases in rear wheel off-tracking area of 9.3 m2 were observed in 4WS over 2WS. In lateral path correction tests, crab 4WS substantially decreased the area and magnitude of estimated application errors over conventional 2WS, while coordinated 4WS resulted in increased application errors. These results provide evidence that 4WS could enable improvement in sprayer machine performance.
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This article is from Transactions of the ASAE, 47, no. 2 (2004): 385–395.