INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE & BIOLOGY
1560–8530/2007/09–1–59–63
http://www.fspublishers.org
Design and Evaluation of Automatic Agricultural Land Leveling
Control System for Scraper
S.S. MOHTASEBI1, A. HOSSEINZADEH, M. OMID AND N. ABOLFATHI†
Department of Bio-System Engineering, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
†Mechanical Engineering Department, North Dakuta University, USA
1
Corresponding author's e-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
An automatic land leveling control system (ALLCS) consists of different sections such as electronic circuitry, laser and
hydraulic devices in order to adjust the height of scraper. A laser beam strikes a photocell array and then the electronic circuit
detects the level of the laser beam. If the level of laser beam is not the same as set point, a control signal is transmitted in order
to adjust the height of the scraper. In this paper, investigation on design and operation of different parts of the ALLCS are
presented. The steady state and transient responses of the system are also discussed. First, the whole system and also the
design of its components are described. The block diagram of control system and the mathematical model of its various
sections are presented next. Then, based on these equations, the mathematical model of whole system is derived. This model is
solved and analyzed by MATLAB's Simulink and the responses of system to different inputs are obtained. The transient
response of system to inputs of 10 and -8.5 cm amplitude step functions for embankment and landscape, respectively were
investigated. For the embankment, the response was over damped and the time to reach the steady state was 1.15 second. The
difference between steady state error simulation and experiment was about 0.04 mm. For the landscape case, the response was
over-damped too. However, the steady state response time was faster. This is due to the fact that the height for landscape case
was smaller. Based on the experimental and simulation results, the validity of the model is confirmed. The model may be used
as a reference to evaluate the functionality of the control system at different operating conditions.
Key Words: Automatic control system; Precision farming; Agricultural land leveling; Computer simulation; Mathematical
model; Scraper
INTRODUCTION respectively (El Yazal & Wissa, 1990).
At present, land leveling machines with mechanical
Now-a-days, in order to gain maximum efficiency, controllers are seldom used due to their low accuracy. For
precision farming is applied and it is tried to use all entries high accuracy, low cost and programming ability, in
with their optimum values. Moreover, precise land leveling precision farming, electronic control systems are suitable
is a prerequisite for achieving high irrigation efficiencies at substitution. Generally in land leveling systems with
the field level (Rajput & Patel, 2002). Roberts et al. (2000) mechanical controller, the accuracy of operation depends on
conducted a research to introduce laser and satellite skills, experiences and safety of operator. In order to
controllers and to investigation the dynamic behavior of alleviate these problems, design and manufacture of an
those controllers. They installed each of controllers on automatic electronic control system of height was
height control machines such as distributor asphalt machine, conducted. If an automatic control system in leveling
bulldozer, mechanic hoe bucket and grader. Results showed machines is used then it is not necessary; (i) to perform
that turbulences in laser systems are less than satellite topography operation using topography cameras in order to
systems and their responses are over-damped, however by determine the height of different points, (ii) to do
filtering data, it is possible to decrease the turbulences of engineering calculation, which is done in traditional
satellite control systems (Roberts et al., 2000). El-Yazal and methods and to pay attention to the quantity of landscape
Wissa (1990) did a research on cane fields to study the value and embankment points.
of consuming water in Egypt in 1990. They concluded that
in fields leveled with laser leveling machines, with MATERIALS AND METHODS
mechanical leveling machines and without any controller
(traditional), the quantity of required water are 18404, An automatic control system of leveling machine
23428 and 25488 m³/ha, respectively (Walker, 1989; having laser control comprises of four main parts; laser
Haynes, 1996). Also, the quantity of product when they transmitter, receiver, electronic circuits, hydraulic section,
used laser leveling machine, mechanical leveling machines which are described as follows:
and without any controller were 107.9, 88.7 and 71.9 ton/ha, Laser transmitter system. This section is separated from
MOHTASEBI et al. / Int. J. Agri. Biol., Vol. 9, No. 1, 2007
three other parts and its task is to create a definite level of suitable command will be sent to the hydraulic system.
laser light in height of land (Hosseinzadeh, 2003). At Hydraulic system. Hydraulic section is a source of
present, the transmitter is installed on a tripod and setting generating power for height control system and consists of a
location is at a point or at a side of field. Height of hydraulic pump, solenoid valve, double action cylinder and
transmitter should be so adjusted in order to light ray can pipes and junctions. The task of this section is to carry up
swirl above of any obstacle in the field even the leveling and down the cup and blade using with one or two
machine. Since some machines such as bulldozer and cylinders, which are located between main frame of scraper
scraper move fast, the laser system should have ability to and cup.
scan the area, about 10 times per seconds. In laser systems, Generally, before doing leveling operation using the
maximum ray that transmitter can cover with high accuracy automatic control system, transmitter of laser light should be
is 300 m (depends on laser type). Increasing the distance, calibrated and adjusted. After doing these adjustments, the
concentration of laser beam will be reduced and transmittal system is ready for operation. By moving the apparatus on a
error may be occurred (Land Leveling, www.land- land having height higher than the desired one, then cup,
level.com). blade and receiver with main frame move up and thus laser
Receiver section. This part consists of a cell, which is light strikes to the part under middle area. This situation is
sensitive to the laser light and is installed on a prop; the prop sensed by electronic section and based on the location of
is installed on a frame attached to the cutter side and with a laser light a suitable command is sent to hydraulic system to
mechanism that is always kept vertically. Moreover, the bring down the blade and receiver until laser light strikes
prop has a telescopic shape in order to have ability to again to the middle area. This action is repeated when the
change its length. Receiver sensors are divided into three system moves in a lower height surface too (Hosseinzadeh,
sections; central cells, upper cells and lower cells. The 2003).
central cells are related to the neutral situation or no action. Specification of laser transmitter system. Transmitter
Receiver senses the height of apparatus using laser light must have appropriate features such as spreading a
distributed by transmitter and then conveying it to the rotational laser light at a desired land height so as its slope
electronic part. Moreover, this system can be used in and its rotation speed can be adjusted. For implementation
topography and leveling operation. In the first application as of this design, the laser light should be rotated, however
surveyor, relation between carrier prop and mechanism of rotation of laser light source on the land surface is very
changing blade height is disconnected. In this state, with difficult and for the laser itself is harmful, therefore laser
coming up and down of the machine during its motion on light source should be fixed and the laser beam should be
the low and high land, prop comes down and up and thus, distributed optically in land surface as shown in Fig. 1. As it
laser ray strikes to the different parts of the receiver. Related is seen in Fig. 1, laser source has been set vertically and
data concerning the height of field points is transmitted to since the mirror angle is 45 degree towards the land, the
the monitoring system inside the cabin and after end of laser light is converted to horizontal state. Now, by rotating
operation, data is processed and average height and slope of of the mirror around the axis of laser source, the laser light
field is determined. Thus, topography operation of field can is distributed horizontally.
be done automatically. In next application, leveling Specification of laser receiver. Receiver is a device that
operation, prop including the laser receiver correlates with determines the height of laser light and transfers it to the
mechanism of changing blade height. In this state, light ray electronic circuit. One of the most important specifications
in definite height of land surface creates a light surface. This that a receiver should have its ability of quick responding.
surface can be leveled (zero slope) or with attention to Moreover, the striking time of laser light to the receiver is
spotted slope for leveling land can be angular (desired very short and at this moment, it must transfer its
slope). In onset of operation, the blade is set in such a state information to the electronic section. The following
that is tangent to the surface. Then, height of prop is equation calculates striking time of laser light to the
adjusted till laser light ray strikes to the bottom or up of the receiver:
receiver. This information is sent to the control unit and
30 d
through this, activates hydraulic system and causes the
T =
system to move up and down insofar as laser light ray πRN
strikes to the receiver centre.
Electronic circuitry. This section is the heart of the control Where
system and constituted of different electronic parts. T is striking time of laser light to the receiver (second),
Processing rate of this section is very important and by d is photocell width (meter), R is distance between
increasing the speed, the accuracy of the control system will transmitter and receiver (meter) and N is the rotational
be increased too. Moreover, this section also receives signal speed of transmitter (rpm). Fig. 2 shows the manufactured
from the receiver and based on that, determines strike receiver.
location of laser light with receiver and finally with strike Specification of electronic circuitry. The task of electronic
location recognition, it will calculate the height and then system is to measure the difference between the actual
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AUTOMATIC AGRICULTURAL LAND LEVELING CONTROL SYSTEM FOR SCRAPER / Int. J. Agri. Biol., Vol. 9, No. 1, 2007
height of blade and the desired height and then sends the Fig. 1. Photo of laser transmitter
required commands to the hydraulic system. One of the
main specifications of the electronic system is its processing
rate. By improving the processing rate of electronic system,
the delay of control system becomes less and thus the
accuracy of the system will be improved. The other
specification of electronic system is its flexibility. As it is
mentioned before many parameters such as hydraulic
system and its components are effective in height control
and therefore, the electronic system should have the ability
to change the parameters in order to improve the
performance and control the system. To do this, the
electronic system was designed digitally to reach the desired
specifications. Generally, electronic circuit takes
information from receiver and also keyboard and based on
that activates the solenoid valve of hydraulic system. The
brain of electronic system is a microcontroller that processes
all the instructions and commands. The microcontroller used
here is 8052 with high speed and many abilities and
facilities (Mazidi, 2000). The manufactured electronic main
board is shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 2. Photo of receiver
ALLCS block diagram. To present a suitable mathematical
model for the system, Newton laws in Mechanics, flow and
continuity equations in Fluid Mechanics and also Laser and
Electronic laws were used (Hosseinzadeh, 2003; Mohtasebi
et al., 2005). To solve the non linear differential equations
and obtaining the transient response, MATLAB’s
SIMULINK was used (Anonymous, 1992, 93). Generally,
there are different methods for design and analysis of
control systems and computer simulation is one of the most
powerful methods in this field. In other words, it is a fast,
low cost and accurate method for analyzing and optimizing
any kind of systems.
Schematic diagrams of system and its block diagram
are shown in (Fig. 4 & 5), respectively. In the diagrams, the
input is required height and controller calculates the
difference between the desired and the actual heights and
based on that produces appropriate current signal to activate Fig. 3. Photo of electronic main board
the solenoid valve. After that the valve spool will be moved
and flow delivered to the hydraulic cylinder will be changed
and thus the blade position is changed. This process will be
continued until the system reaches its desired height.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
To validate the mathematical model and to find out the
steady state and transient response of the system, some
experimental tests were carried out. The experiments were
conducted to find the response of system to two height step
inputs of 10 and -8.5 cm. These inputs were selected to
show two possible states of blades i.e., embankment and
landscape. In the experiments, the following components
encoder was used. All required data were sent digitally to
such as a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic cylinder, a directional
the computer serial port and saved for further actions.
valve, a laser transmitter and a laser receiver,
Fig. 6 shows the transient response of system to 10 cm
microprocessor board and other necessary parts were used
step input experimentally. As it is seen, the steady state error
(Fig. 4). To measure the cylinder displacement, a shaft
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MOHTASEBI et al. / Int. J. Agri. Biol., Vol. 9, No. 1, 2007
Fig. 4. Schematic of land leveling system deviation.
Fig. 7 shows the comparison of computer simulation
and experimental results to -8.5 cm step input. The
experimental response is over damped and after 0.815
second it reaches its steady state value of -8.507 cm. In
simulated response, the response time is 0.818 second and
the steady state value is -8.505 cm showing the very
closeness of simulation and experimental results and thus
validation of proposed mathematical model. Now, by
validation of mathematical model it is possible to find the
response of other parameters.
Fig. 8 shows the spool response to the step input of 10
Fig. 5: Block diagram of automatic Land leveling cm height. It takes 25 ms for spool to move from middle
system (neutral) position to the left or right positions and thus
maintains the required flow rate for the system. Moreover,
the maximum stroke of spool is 5 mm and the response is
over damped. Also, Fig. 8 shows that the return time to the
middle position is 20 ms.
CONCLUSIONS
In this research an automatic control system for land
leveling machines was designed, manufactured and
evaluated. This system can be installed on most of leveling
Fig. 7. Comparison of simulation and experimental
results
Fig. 6. Comparison of simulation and experimental
results
Fig. 8. The Transient response of spool to step input
of 10 cm
is about 0.004 cm, which is within the range of the system
i.e. 0.4 cm. The figure also shows the comparison of
computer simulation and experiment results. As it is seen,
the response is over-damped and there is a very small
difference between them. Transient response of both of
them have similar behavior and the coefficient
determination standard deviation of these responses are R2 =
0.95, which is statistically very high showing very small
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Acknowledgments. The authors would like to thank the
(Received 12 June 2006; Accepted 03 November 2006)
Research Deputy, Tehran University for providing finical
support.
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