Abstract: A header includes one or more vibration sensors mounted on a knife drive train of the header. The knife drive train includes a rotatable header drive shaft, a mechanical knife drive, a transmission for transferring rotation of the drive shaft to the knife drive and a support member with a set of knives attached thereto. The support member is coupled to the knife drive so as to undergo a reciprocating movement. One or more sensors are mounted on the support member or on a housing of the knife drive. The sensors are configured to measure a vibration in a direction of the reciprocating movement. The sensors may include accelerometers or strain gauges.

Abstract: A method for automatically controlling a harvesting parameter on a header of a combine harvester. The combine harvester includes the header, a feeder, and a downstream processing device. Crop is cut by the header, transferred to the feeder, and then transported to the processing device.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a frame and a crop cleaning assembly supported on the frame. The crop cleaning assembly, in turn, includes an oscillating component configured to oscillate relative to the frame in a manner that conveys crop material across the oscillating component. Furthermore, the agricultural harvester includes a RADAR sensor configured to emit an output signal directed at the crop material present on the oscillating component and detect an echo signal reflected by the crop material present on the oscillating component. Additionally, the agricultural harvester includes a computing system communicatively coupled to the RADAR sensor. In this respect, the computing system is configured to determine a thickness of the crop material present on the oscillating component based on detected echo signal.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for determining a threshing loss in a threshing system. The method includes irradiating a crop sample downstream at least a portion of a threshing system with electromagnetic waves having a frequency in a range of 0.1-10 THz, measuring a reflection and/or a transmission of the electromagnetic waves by the crop sample, establishing, based on the measured reflection and/or transmission, an at least two-dimensional terahertz image of the crop sample, identifying at least one ear in the terahertz image, identifying at least one grain kernel in the identified ear, and determining the threshing loss based on the identified grain kernel.

Abstract: A reel power system for a header of an agricultural system includes an electrical generator having a stator and a rotor rotatably engaged with the stator. The stator is configured to be non-rotatably coupled to a support structure of a reel of the header. The rotor is configured to non-rotatably engage a base of the header. Furthermore, the reel is configured to rotate relative to the base. The electrical generator is configured to generate electrical power in response to rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: A combine harvester includes a crop material sensor arrangement having a crop material sensor configured to monitor crop material downstream of a threshing and separating system of the combine, and having a sensor window through which the crop material sensor monitors the crop material. The sensor window is arranged adjacent to a flow path of the crop material such that crop material flows past the sensor window as it flows along the flow path, and the sensor window is arranged such that an angle is formed between a plane defined by the sensor window and a tangential projection that extends from a component of the combine harvester that influences the flow path immediately upstream of the sensor window. This ensures that the camera window remains sufficiently clean to allow the crop material sensor to monitor crop material through the window.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a combine harvester having a header for harvesting a crop and a residue spreading system for spreading a crop residue. The monitoring system includes a sensing system configured to provide one or more measurement waves that intersect a flow of crop residue discharged by the spreading system and receive a plurality of response waves reflected from the crop residue. The system further includes a processing unit configured to receive a response signal of the sensing system; process the response signal; and determine, based on the response signal, a density and velocity distribution of the crop residue across a two-dimensional measurement area. The response signal is representative of the plurality of response waves reflected from the crop residue. The measurement area is at an end of a trajectory of the crop residue towards a deposit area.

Abstract: A method for analyzing the composition of a grain-MOG mixture comprising a kernel fraction and an MOG-fraction. The method includes steps of receiving a grain-MOG mixture, at a thermal excitation location, subjecting a sample volume of the grain-MOG mixture to a thermal excitation using a thermal excitator, generating a thermal image at an imaging location of at least a surface of the sample volume of the grain-MOG mixture that has been subjected to the thermal excitation, processing the thermal image and therewith obtaining data representing the temperature distribution over the thermal image, and relating the temperature distribution to the share of the kernel fraction in the grain-MOG mixture. A device for analyzing the composition of a grain-MOG mixture comprising a kernel fraction and an MOG-fraction is also provided.

Abstract: A combine harvester including an aft portion, a spreader assembly, a monitoring system, and a processing unit. The monitoring system including sensors coupled to the aft portion. The sensors: receiving a plurality of response waves reflected from a portion of the crop residue that is discharged from the spreader assembly toward a discharge area before the portion of crop residue arrives at the discharge area; and sending a response signal representative of the plurality of response waves reflected from the portion of the crop residue, the reflected waves comprising a sequence of multiple reflections distributed over time. The processing unit receiving the response signal from the plurality of sensors; and processing the response signal to determine a reflected energy distribution from the portion of the crop residue representative of a distribution of the crop residue over the discharge area substantially perpendicular to a travel direction of the combine harvester.

Abstract: A combine harvester including an aft portion, a spreader assembly, a monitoring system, and a processing unit. The monitoring system including sensors coupled to the aft portion. The sensors: receiving a plurality of response waves reflected from a portion of the crop residue that is discharged from the spreader assembly toward a discharge area before the portion of crop residue arrives at the discharge area; and sending a response signal representative of the plurality of response waves reflected from the portion of the crop residue, the reflected waves comprising a sequence of multiple reflections distributed over time. The processing unit receiving the response signal from the plurality of sensors; and processing the response signal to determine a reflected energy distribution from the portion of the crop residue representative of a distribution of the crop residue over the discharge area substantially perpendicular to a travel direction of the combine harvester.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a combine harvester having a header with a header width for harvesting a crop. The monitoring system includes a plurality of sensors, configured to provide a plurality of measurement waves to a discharge area for crop residue, and receive a plurality of response waves reflected from the discharge area. The system further includes a processing unit comprising an input terminal configured to receive a response signal of the plurality of sensors, the response signal representative of the plurality of response waves reflected from the discharge area. The processing unit is configured to process the response signal and determine, based on the response signal, a distribution of the crop residue over the discharge area. The processing unit further comprises an output terminal configured to output a distribution signal representative of the distribution of the crop residue over the discharge area.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester for harvesting a crop on a field. The harvester includes a chopping assembly configured to chop a crop residue of the harvested crop. The chopping assembly includes an inlet for receiving the crop residue, a rotor provided with one or more cutting tools and configured to chop the crop residue, a drive assembly configured to drive the rotor, and an outlet for outputting the chopped crop residue onto the field. The harvester further includes an image based sensor configured to generate a signal comprising an image of the chopped crop residue and a processing unit configured to receive the signal from the image based sensor, process the signal to derive a geometric parameter indicative of a geometry of the chopped crop residue, and determine a control signal for the drive assembly based on the geometric parameter.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a combine harvester having a header with a header width for harvesting a crop. The monitoring system includes a plurality of sensors, configured to provide a plurality of measurement waves to a discharge area for crop residue, and receive a plurality of response waves reflected from the discharge area. The system further includes a processing unit comprising an input terminal configured to receive a response signal of the plurality of sensors, the response signal representative of the plurality of response waves reflected from the discharge area. The processing unit is configured to process the response signal and determine, based on the response signal, a distribution of the crop residue over the discharge area. The processing unit further comprises an output terminal configured to output a distribution signal representative of the distribution of the crop residue over the discharge area.

Abstract: An agricultural harvester for harvesting a crop on a field. The harvester includes a chopping assembly configured to chop a crop residue of the harvested crop. The chopping assembly includes an inlet for receiving the crop residue, a rotor provided with one or more cutting tools and configured to chop the crop residue, a drive assembly configured to drive the rotor, and an outlet for outputting the chopped crop residue onto the field. The harvester further includes an image based sensor configured to generate a signal comprising an image of the chopped crop residue and a processing unit configured to receive the signal from the image based sensor, process the signal to derive a geometric parameter indicative of a geometry of the chopped crop residue, and determine a control signal for the drive assembly based on the geometric parameter.

Abstract: A method for analyzing the composition of a grain-MOG mixture comprising a kernel fraction and an MOG-fraction. The method includes steps of receiving a grain-MOG mixture, at a thermal excitation location, subjecting a sample volume of the grain-MOG mixture to a thermal excitation using a thermal excitator, generating a thermal image at an imaging location of at least a surface of the sample volume of the grain-MOG mixture that has been subjected to the thermal excitation, processing the thermal image and therewith obtaining data representing the temperature distribution over the thermal image, and relating the temperature distribution to the share of the kernel fraction in the grain-MOG mixture. A device for analyzing the composition of a grain-MOG mixture comprising a kernel fraction and an MOG-fraction is also provided.