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Yield potential was predicted and mapped for three corn fields in Central Illinois, using digital aerial color infrared images. Three methods, namely statistical (regression) modeling, genetic algorithm optimization and artificial neural networks, were used for developing yield models. Two image resolutions of 3 and 6 m/pixel were used for modeling. All the models were trained using July 31 image and tested using images from July 2 and August 31, all from 1998. Among the three models, artificial neural networks gave best performance, with a prediction error less than 30%. The statistical model resulted in prediction errors in the range of 23 to 54%. The lower resolution images resulted in better prediction accuracy compared to resolutions higher than or equal to the yield resolution. Images after pollination resulted in better accuracy compared to images before pollination.

Data obtained when harvesting with a combine equipped with a yield monitor were used to develop yield maps. A prototype yield monitor was developed that uses a combination of light emitters and receivers mounted in a rectangular frame. The monitor was mounted in the combine in the top of the clean grain elevator. As grain flows through the monitor, a voltage change proportional to light reduction was recorded. This voltage was then correlated to grain flow rate. At the same time, site-specific location was recorded using the global positioning satellites (GPS) system. The location data, yield monitor output, cutting width, and combine forward speed were stored in a spreadsheet format. The data were then used to prepare the yield maps.

With COSMOsim, OTSL is looking to better virtually recreate diverse driving conditions to enable safe and accurate verifications at a point when autonomous driving continues to move toward practical use around the world.

Through this work, Wind River and Airbiquity look to enable secure and intelligent software updates and data management for these vehicles through over-the-air (OTA) programming technology. The work may also lead to similar solutions for traditional aerospace and unmanned aircraft system (UAS) industries.

Since 1992, Caterpillar has invested millions of dollars to purchase CAD software, and spends nearly $2M per year keeping its engineers up-to-date, via instructor lead training (ILT), as new enhancements are introduced. Periodic upgrades to the software also require huge resource (people, costs) commitments for the planning and execution of the training requirements required for a large global workforce. This paper will examine gaps uncovered in the efficiency and effectiveness of the current training process, and the cultural change required as a result of switching from an instructor led environment to a completely web-based solution, which, once deployed, had promised to change the way Caterpillar approached training for the future. The proposed change promised to improve human resource capability by utilizing new technological capabilities, and resulted in improvements in organizational capabilities as well.

This SAE standard presents the basic information required for the design and manufacture of a wheel chock.

Continuing education is important; in fact, it is absolutely necessary for the person or corporation that expects to be successful. Yet a lot of continuing education programs seem to be of little or no use as measured by the changes they effect in both people and companies. This study shows why so little success occurs, and makes suggestions to correct that shortfall. Good programs must be supported with time and resources provided by the employer. However, a truly successful continuing education program must be managed and driven by the individual. Otherwise, it will not pay off. The smart employer provides time and financial support, but expects the individual to direct his own career program.

Financial planners are always anxious to assist engineers and scientists in making retirement decisions. Many engineers, especially Industrial Engineers (IE), have had courses that provide the knowledge to make these retirement financial plans themselves. This paper will provide a method of estimating retirement needs utilizing Excel software and IE college coursework.

The environmental impact from herbicide utilization has been well documented in recent years. The reduction in weed control with out a viable alternative will likely result in decreased per acre production and thus higher unit production cost. The potential for selective herbicide application to reduce herbicide usage and yet maintain adequate weed control has generated significant interest in different forms of remote sensing of agricultural crops. This research evaluated the color co-occurrence texture analysis technique to determine its potential for utilization in crop groundcover identification. A program termed GCVIS (Ground Cover VISion) was developed to control an ATT TARGA 24 frame grabber; and generate HSI color features from the RGB format pixel data, HSI CCM matrices and the co-occurrence texture feature data.

A numerical methodology using 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was developed to simulate the water flows on vehicles in order to check the specifications under rain (visibility of door mirror by the driver, sealing…), or to evaluate washing efficiency (washing headlight, washing windshield …). The CFD method is constituted by a three step procedure. In the first step, the aerodynamic field around the vehicle is calculated with Powerflow software in a large domain. It uses a Lattice Boltzmann approach to solve airflow. The existing process of Powerflow computation developed by aerodynamic and aeroacoustic teams of Renault SAS was adapted to refine results in high gradients of velocity zones. In the second step, the field of air velocity vectors calculated with Powerflow is mapped towards a small domain where the water flow will be solved.

The China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co., Ltd. (CATARC), TÜV SÜD Group, and Shanghai SH Intelligent Automotive and International Transportation Innovation Center (ITIC) have joined with SAE International to establish the International Alliance for Mobility Testing and Standardization (IAMTS).

Computer algorithms were developed for generating the guidance parameters necessary to steer an agricultural tractor. A variety of field operations were considered in order that the guidance program be suited for general applications including travel in curved rows and following a single edge. Testing of the guidance algorithm was performed in the laboratory using simulated and videotaped images of rowcrops and tilled soil. From the images, yaw angle change of the tractor, direction value and offset error were computed. Prediction of the direction value and offset error compared well to measured values. Accuracy of the direction value was within +/- 0.5 degrees while the offset error was within +/- 0.05 meters. Good performance was observed for straight and curved rows as well as following a single edge.

Current trends in vehicle development, including both automotive and commercial vehicles, are characterized by short model life cycles, reduced development time, concurrent design and manufacturing development, reduced design changes, and reduced total cost. All of these are driven by customer demand of higher load capacity, reduced weight, extended durability and warranty requirement, better NVH performance and reduced cost. These trends have resulted in increased usage of computational simulation tools in design, manufacturing, and testing, i.e. virtual testing or virtual prototyping. This paper summarizes our work in virtual testing, i.e. fatigue life simulations using computational fracture mechanics for commercial vehicle axle gearing development. First, fatigue life simulation results by using computational fracture mechanics CRACKS software were verified by comparing with gear teeth bending fatigue test data and three point bending fatigue test data.

In this paper, a computer model of a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) is built to study vehicle ride comfort by multi-body system dynamic theory. Virtual test rigs are developed to perform natural body frequency tests and random road input tests on the complete vehicle multi-body dynamic model. By comparing simulation results with field test results, the accuracy of the model is validated and the feasibility of virtual test rigs is established.

The existing instrumentation of a soil bin was retrofitted with virtual instrumentation techniques to achieve improved repeatability and more precise measurements. Current-loop sensors were added to the prime mover for improved speed control. Soil preparation operations were instrumented to determine penetrometer forces as a function of soil penetration depth, soil surface smoothness, compaction force, and soil surface elevation. Test hitch-points for agricultural implements were instrumented with wheatstone bridge force transducers. Implement depth was found with ratiometric linear transducers. Distance and speed determinations utilized an optical encoder with a resolution of 3.0 × 10-4 m. Temperature measurements were also recorded with solid state current transducers.

Vermeer concept targets autonomous baling

Three-dimensional models of real world terrain have application in a variety of tasks, but digitizing a large environment poses constraints on the design of a 3D scanning system. We have developed a Mobile Scanning System that works within these constraints to quickly digitize large-scale real world environments. We utilize a mobile platform to move our sensors past the scene to be digitized - fusing the data from cm-level accuracy laser range scanners, positioning and orientation instruments, and high-resolution video cameras - to provide the mobility and speed required to quickly and accurately model the target scene.

A graphical user interface (GUI) toolbox called Vehicle System Simulator (VSS) is developed in MATLAB to ease the use of this vehicle model and hopefully encourage its widespread application in the future. This toolbox uses the inherent MATLAB discrete-time solvers and is mainly based on Level-2 s-function design. This paper describes its built-in vehicle dynamics model based on multibody dynamics approach and nonlinear tire models, and traction/braking control systems including Cruise Control and Differential Braking systems. The built-in dynamics model is validated against CarSim 8 and the simulation results prove its accuracy. This paper illustrates the application of this new MATLAB toolbox called Vehicle System Simulator and discusses its development process, limitations, and future improvements.

Vehicle and traffic safety improvement is one of the most important targets in the vehicle industry. The introduction of ABS for commercial vehicles, meanwhile standard in various countries, was one of the major safety improvements. This system, based on electronics, sensors and actuators shows what is achievable by controlling brakes of such heavy vehicles at the physical limits under various road conditions. With EBS (brake-by-wire) further safety features are integrated including active access of each wheel brake that allows, independent from the driver to apply the brakes to keep the vehicle stable. Electronic stability control as the overall vehicle control system integrated into EBS leads to a new generation of driver assistance concepts. The concept of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) integrated into EBS, simulation studies of vehicle behavior in critical situations, the control strategies and discussion of test results are the main content of this paper.

The design of suspension systems for heavy-duty vehicles covers a specific field of automotive industry. The proposed work focuses on the design development of a front controllable suspension for an agricultural tractor capable to satisfy the system requirements under different operating conditions. The design of the control algorithms is based on the developed multibody model of the actual tractor, including the pitch motion of the sprung mass, the anti-dive effects during braking and forward-reverse maneuvers and the non-linear dynamics of the actuation system. For an advanced analysis, a novel thermo-hydraulic model of the hydraulic system has been implemented. Several semi-active damping controls are analyzed for the specific case study.