Design and Experiment of an Automatic Leveling System for Tractor-Mounted Implements

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Engineering
• Control Systems
• Robotics

Background:

• Tractor body roll causes uneven soil penetration in mounted implements due to rigid hitch systems.
• This asymmetry negatively impacts the operational effectiveness of agricultural machinery.
• Existing systems lack precise and rapid correction for implement roll angles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an automatic leveling system for tractor-mounted implements.
• To address asymmetrical soil penetration caused by tractor body roll.
• To enhance the operational effectiveness and precision of agricultural implements.

Main Methods:

• Developed an automatic leveling system utilizing a dual closed-loop fuzzy Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) algorithm.
• Employed an attitude angle sensor for real-time implement posture detection.
• Utilized double-acting hydraulic cylinders and a solenoid directional valve for precise control.

Main Results:

• Simulations showed a 56.89% reduction in roll angle correction time compared to traditional fuzzy PID.
• Static tests achieved ±10° to 0° roll angle adjustment within 1.3 seconds.
• Field experiments demonstrated high precision with Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.19° and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.28°.

Conclusions:

• The dual closed-loop fuzzy PID algorithm provides superior performance over traditional methods.
• The developed system exhibits high control precision, stability, and robustness for tractor-mounted implements.
• The system effectively mitigates implement deviation even under sudden terrain changes.