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Tractor Three-Point Hitch Control System - Benifits of Electronic Control
Tractor Three-Point Hitch Control System - Benifits of Electronic Control
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891835
ABSTRACT ADVANTAGES
On-board vehicle electronics has matured and be- The advantages of going to an electronically con-
come a practical replacement for mechanical type trolled hitch can be summarized as design flexibilit
Mechanical linkages between operator controls a
control systems. Electronic control systems typically
allow more application flexibility and performance control devices are no longer required. This allo
enhancement potential than the mechanical control increased flexibility in the location of operator con
trols. For example, the mechanical system requi
systems they replace. This paper will cover the elec-
tronic three-point hitch control on the John Deerethe55 load/depth mix control to be located near the fl
Series row-crop and 60 Series 4WD tractors. It willof the operator station. This was necessary to prov
mechanical linkage to the rockshaft control valv
explain how the use of electronics has provided a more
With electronics, this control has been brought up i
flexible system with adaptation to different vehicle
configurations. It will also show how electronics convenient
has reach and view of the operator. On 4
provided improved serviceability and performance.tractors with mechanical hitches, push-pull cab
were required to transmit the control moveme
across the hinge. Cables and linkages make th
problem of sealing the cab against noise and dirt m
THERE ARE A NUMBER of advantages which can
difficult.
be gained when a hydromechanical system is replaced Because the electronic controls are no longer
by a microprocessor-based electronic system for the
linked directly to control valves, they require signif-
control of a tractor three-point hitch. The useicantly
of less force to operate. This means that heavy
levers can be replaced by more convenient controls
electronics can eliminate mechanical linkages between
the operator controls and the mechanical componentssuch as knobs and switches. This not only provides
of the hitch system. This in turn can provide more more convenient access by the operator, but also of-
flexibility to the design engineer in the locationfers
of greater flexibility in the placement of these con-
these controls. The use of a "smart" controller can trols.
allow changes in the system configuration to beThis elimination of control linkage also provides
"learned" at the time the tractor is manufactured. configuration flexibility when applied to various trac-
This can give the engineer further flexibility in his tor
de- sizes. For example, the same basic hitch control
signs. system can be used on both row-crop and 4WD trac-
The microprocessor-based system described in this tors. The primary difference is the length of the wire
paper is an emulation of the traditional John Deere harness and the absence of a draft sensor on the 4WD
hydromechanical hitch with enhancements which tractors. This ability to use the same control system
provide improved performance and serviceability, as for draft sensing and non-draft sensing systems is also
well as design flexibility. This paper explains how this provided by a self configuration feature which is pos-
new hitch control system has provided these improve- sible because the electrohydraulic hitch is micro-
ments in performance, serviceability and design flexi- processor based.
bility. An explanation of three-point hitch control This software system has added flexibility because
theory is also included to aid the reader in under- certain parameters are defined at the time the con-
standing some of the performance improvements ob- troller is installed on the tractor. These parameters
tained by use of electronic control. allow adjustment to match the control system to dif-
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ferent rockshaft cylinder volumes and tractor power pictorial diagram is shown in Figure 1. Draft forc
levels, as well as draft sensing configuration. transmitted from the draft link to the draft arm
A software based system also offers the ability to This force is translated hydraulically by means of
monitor the system sensors and send diagnostic infor- draft sensing cylinder (6) to the load sensing v
mation to the tractor monitoring system, as well as to piston (8). The movement of the load sensing p
disable failed sensors without disabling the whole sys- and the rockshaft cam (9) is mechanically summed
tem. This fall-back mode provides "limp-home" ca- the cam follower (10). This combined feedback sig
pability for all hitch sensors. is further combined with the operator command f
the control arm (2) by the cam adjusting link (7).
MECHANICAL HITCH results of this mechanical combination provide con
to either the pressure or return valve (3 or 4).
The John Deere electrohydraulic hitch is aresulting
software hitch action changes the position of
emulation of the Deere hydromechanical rockshaft
hitch with cam and (if operating in the field) the d
some added enhancements. Before going sensing force. The hitch movement will continue u
into detail
on the operation of the electronic hitch, thean equilibrium
theory of between position, draft and comm
operation of the mechanical hitch which was replaced
is obtained. The load/depth mix control (1) pro
an adjustment to the cam follower link so that var
will be explained.
ratios of position and draft feedback can be obtai
The John Deere hydromechanical hitch is a lower
This mechanical linkage can be described mathe
link draft sensing hitch with a single primary control
ically by the following equations:
lever which sets the desired position and draft. There
is a secondary (mix) control which allows the selection
of the mix between draft and position feedback. A
230
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Up
XV = ( FDBK - PCOM ) *PGA I N+ ( DRAFT - DCOM ) *DGA I N
PCOM = A * LEVER + B %^^ o I
Draft mode
DCOM = C * LEVER + D
PGA IN = E * LDMIX + F
DGAIN = G * LDMIX Z V N ' ,
FLOW = f(XV)
m X, Vt-
Where: 2
X ' I"
' II I
I -^
U Position mode x^. ^ ^
XV - Valve travel (either pressure or re-
turn)
X ' "/xNyOE-»! N v
Operating point ' | x.
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Up What about draft gain in this mix control system?
I
^ N I
As stated earlier, draft gain will determine how fast
^ v /Draft mode hitch corrections are made due to draft error. It was
shown in Figure 3 that implements with low draft
>X ' gains require increased draft gains within the control
system. When an implement is operating in mix
1
2 ' s ^ ^ Ť
1 ^ I mode, the draft gain must be reduced as the mix con-
X Position mode DE1 V| ^ ļ trol goes further toward the position mode. This is
because the hitch correction (HCM) is reduced as the
ë 1 " " " x" r " ".r" "
1 Operating point I mix control goes toward the position mode.
Figure 5 is a plot of the hydromechanical hitch
I
equations in the position/draft plane. This chart
shows the region of hitch control for one setting of the
Down- i 1
Decrease Increase
hitch control lever. The hatched area indicates the
DRAFT LOAD range through which the mix control command line
can be adjusted. This chart shows that at minimum
FIGURE 3 - High and Low Draft Gain Implement setting of the mix control the hitch will operate in po-
Curves
sition control mode, but at maximum settings of the
mix control full draft mode is not achieved. This is
As indicated earlier, a draft control system which by design, since it is felt that full draft mode is too
"mixes" some hitch position can provide better hitch active for most hitch operations.
control than does the pure draft system. Figure 4
1 ». |f''
shows a typical hitch control system with mix mode
operation.
up
' u i Draft mode '
3° X
e„ ^
i /
^ I
u
2
* i- ~ V X
i-
V/
*
/X
/
o /
X
X
X
X
X
/
/:
HUTCH LOAD (PERCENT RA
232
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curves shown are approximate because of the nonlin- ELECTROHYDRAULIC HITCH
earity of the hydromechanical hitch valves.
At this point, the details of the electrohyd
8
hitch can be discussed. Figure 7 is a pictorial
7- ✓ ' gram. Draft is sensed by a strap (1) which u
"embedment" type strain gauge sensor simil
y
6-
described in SAE paper 8301032. The hitch po
is sensed by a potentiometer (3) attached to one
1 5" /
I 4- ' / / /
rockshaft lift arms. The outputs of these senso
read directly by the hitch controller (2) and
& ' /
!» _ f & ' / /
summed by the hitch algorithm which uses the
of the mix control potentiometer (4) to determ
relative weight of each. The rockshaft control
attached to a rotary potentiometer (5) which pr
the lever command to the algorithm. A rate-of
0-1«- potentiometer (7) and a raise limit potentiom
0 37 have also been added.
MIXThe lever command,
CON the mix setting and the draft
FIGURE 6 - Draft Error Gain and Draft-to-
and position feedbacks are used to determine the
command to send to the appropriate (pressure or re-
Position Mix Functions
turn) valve solenoids (6). The electrohydraulic hitch
233
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control algorithm is defined by the following Figure 9 shows t
equations: position mix as a
also shows the ga
VCOM = ( FDBK - PC0M ) "PGA I N+ ( DRAFT - DC OM ) » DGA I N hitch. Note that
PCOM = A * LEVER + B
hydromechanica
DCOM = C * LEVER + D
be seen that the
PGA IN = fl(LDMIX) center third of the mix control. This modification of
DGAIN = f2(LDMIX)
FLOW = f 3(VCOM)
the gain and mix curves was done because it was de-
termined that the 1:1 mix ratio provides the best con-
Where: trol for most implements. The change of the draft
gain at a constant mix ratio allows the adjustment of
VCOM - Valve command current (either pressure the control to match various implement curves and
or return) operating speeds. Mix ratios above 2:1 and below
FDBK - Actual hitch position 0.5:1 are not typically required.
PCOM - Commanded hitch position
DRAFT - Sensed draft
81 I I ] '
- • Draft gain (hydromechanical) ' ^
DCOM - Commanded draft
7"
PGAIN - Position error gain - • Draft gain (electronic) / ^ x
DGAIN - Draft error gain 6" - - Mix (electronic) '
LEVER - Primary control lever setting X <
s / 5
a Z / s I / / /
LDMIX - Load/depth mix pot setting
FLOW - Oil flow through the valves Z 4 _ / /
A, B, C, & D are constants which were deter- Z < 4 _ / / / /
mined to give best hitch performance
2-
//y/
The microprocessor-based system has allowed tai-
1 ^ ^
loring of these equations to provide performance and
controllability improvements over the hydro- 0-f ^
MIX CONTR
Figure 8 is a graphic representation of these elec-
tronic hitch equations in the position/draft plane.
FIGURE 9 - Draft Error Gain and Draft-to-
Here is shown the control region for a typical setting
Position Mix Functions
of the hitch control lever. Typical operating curves for
various implements are also shown. The control lever Another point to note about these equations is
line for this hitch falls very close to the operating that the draft gain is generally lower than that of the
curves of all these implements. This minimizes the
hydromechanical hitch. This could be accomplished
depth change due to mix adjustment during field op- because of changes to the hitch control valve and
erations. Comparing this chart to Figure 5 for the electronic controller which provide more uniform flow
hydromechanical hitch, it can be seen that the elec- rates. Figure 10 is an approximate curve of the flow
tronic hitch does not allow a position control mode. versus draft error for a draft-to-position mix ratio of
This is because the electronic hitch has a separate po-1:1 for both the electrohydraulic hitch and the
sition control mode which uses different control hydromechanical hitch. Note the near zero valve
equations. deadband with the electronic hitch valve. This was
accomplished because of the preload calibration fea-
ture, which is a part of the electronic hitch.
^ Implement curves /
S 10- (,) _ Ripp.r / ' "§ 50 i i i
0 v20-
/.Xv(2)
(3)- -
Rollover plow /
Chisel plow /'' N
N o y
0 / X
Ij ^ (4) - Semi-integral plow / '
2 30- ^ ^ cu,tivator yC N.
l/J - 55 series flow limit
¿y 40- / x /
Z 40- ^ ^ ^ / '.
¿y uj
a. / X /
K - - 4850 flo
1 50- (4)v ^ /' > J30" 4650 />'48S0
O š </) '
¿ 2 g ' ' /v.
1 20- ^ / Jr 55 series
i 7o-/
CL gQ. --Control
Control lever '
lever = 1 jT
I «°- ï = ,o- A/i»' 1 jT
-67 -33 0 33 67 100 133
i uj ,o- _ ¿X yy V*
uj _ ¿X V*
0 10 20 30 40
HITCH LOAD (PERCENT RATED LOAD)
DRAFT ERR
FIGURE 8 - Electronic
FIGURE 10 - Flow Versus Draft Hitch
Error for a E
Position/Draft Draft-to-
Plane Position Mix Ratio of 1:1
234
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As stated earlier, the electrohydraulic hitch pro- draft responsive or position only hitch controller
vides a separate "position only" mode for implement was also stated that the hitch could be adjusted
attachment. The position error gain of the position rockshaft volume. These adjustments are done dur
only mode is also modified from the hydromechanical a hitch calibration procedure which allows the h
hitch. Figure 1 1 shows the flow versus position error controller to be matched to the tractor on which It is
of these two systems. The gain roll-off at high errors installed. Calibration is accomplished by the service
provides a uniform deceleration of the hitch when technician activating a switch on the tractor load cen-
large movements are required. Comparing this curve ter and going through a step-by-step procedure which
to the one in Figure 10, we see more valve deadband causes the hitch controller to monitor all sensors as
in position mode than in draft mode. This higher they are rotated through their range. This allows the
valve deadband provides more stable control of the controller to determine the range of all sensors except
hitch for implement attachment. the draft sensor-the draft sensor is zero adjusted only.
3 50
The calibration procedure includes steps which deter-
° /
mine the valve spring preloads. The controller can
therefore better control the system hysteresis caused
0
0. / ✓
ł_ - 4850 flow limit - /-/ - - - - - -- -- -- -
tem which allows the technician to be alerted to any
1 30- 4650^ /, V4850 system problems which might occur during cali-
3 o // TC bration. This information display and the fact that
^ a / all functions are exercised during calibration provides
I 20 . Q l, / ^55 SerieS
P 5E ' / a complete system functional check during calibration.
X 99 /2I /
u.10- /I / This calibration procedure, which takes approxi-
°
i-
° ♦ /
;
//
mately 5 minutes, has eliminated virtually all on-
z
lxi
V
/ vehicle adjustments. It is performed once during final
<-> s
UJ .
o: u
assembly at the factory and again whenever any sys-
CL 0- . I I I I
^ 0 5 10 15 20 25 tem component is replaced. Since it requires no spe-
POSITION cial
ERROR equipment, it can be performed almost anywhere.
(PERCENT OF F
It can, if required, be done at the customer site.
FIGURE 1 1 - Flow Versus Position Error
SERVICEABILITY
235
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of a hitch control system, other hydromechanical con- 3. Lemmon, N. F., "Three Point Hitch Geometry- a
trol systems can achieve similar advantages by use of Tractor Designer's Viewpoint," Paper No. 11558.
electronic controls. 1968.
236
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