Faculty Mechanical Science and Engineering Professorship for Agricultural Systems and Technology
Robotics in Agriculture
Thomas Herlitzius, Chair Agricultural Systems and Technology TU Dresden, Bergstraße 120, 01062 Dresden Berlin, 17 January 2013
Organisation Faculty Mechanical Science and Engineering Professorship for Agricultural Systems and Technology
12 November 2011
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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Mechanization drives Productivity Faculty Mechanical Science and Engineering Professorship for Agricultural Systems and Technology
High performance machines today establish productivity by – increased engine power – growing working width – higher operational speed – larger storage volumes weight and dimension have become a major limitation – Process Automation
yet immature
• • • •
12 November 2011
Internal System-and Process Control Machine Fleet Management Process Chain Control Autonomous Machine Control Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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Faculty Mechanical Science and Engineering Professorship for Agricultural Systems and Technology
(Why) Robotics in Agriculture productivity today alternatives of the future
Engine Power Growth Tractors, Harvesters
Engine Power [kW]
Faculty Mechanical Science and Engineering Professorship for Agricultural Systems and Technology
900 800 700 600
Forage Harvester
11,7 kW a
Axial Combine Conv. Combine Tractors
500 400 300
8,4
kW a
5,0
kW a
1,8
kW a
200 100 0 1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020 Year
12 November 2011
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
Picture Sources: Manufacturer Product Brochures
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Combine Growth
Increment in 10 years – 2,5 t Weight [t] – 60 kW 20 Width [m] – 2100 l Tank [l*103] – 3 to 4 ft 16
500
24
Power [kW] 450 400 350 300
12
250 200
8
150 power weight platform grain tank
100 50 0 1960
4 0
1970
1980
50 years ago: 45 to 55 kg/kW 12 November 2011
1990
2000
2010
20 years ago: 35 to 45 kg/ kW
Decade
Assuming consistent tendencies in growth of combines, the high spec of 2030 would be: – 21 - 22 t – 490 – 530 kW – 15000 – 16200 l – 35 – 40 ft
Today: 40 to 45 kg/ kW
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
Future: 35 kg/ kW? Slide 6
Visions Around
Source: AGCO
Source: Case Study
Source: Pope Design
Productivity equals Dimensional and Power Growth ?
12 November 2011
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
Slide 7
Cost, Weight
Capacity Growth and Machine Concept Evolution
Extensive solutions: grain tank, shoe size, separator area, tracks, additional axles
1950
Growing cost for value
Preferable cost to price relationship
Today
Automatization solutions: feedrate control, coordinated machines, operator assist Productivity, Customer Value 12 November 2011
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
Slide 8
Grain Harvesting Technology
– Historically every major stage in grain harvesting technology had a peek period around 50 years before new concepts were starting to compete. – Dimensional and weight limitations for road transportation are reached and for large combines exceeded. Axle loads in many cases have negative impact to soil compaction. – Machine guidance and Smart Farming are only two examples of enabling technology for semi and fully autonomous vehicles that is emerging as a future trend.
Self Propelled Combine
Tractor Pulled Combine Binder and Stationary Thresher Stationary Thresher Scythe and Flail 1820 12 November 2011
1900
1950
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
2000 Slide 9
Evolution to Self-Propelled Machines?
– Historically implements became self-propelled and specialized machines – Electrified drives, Machine guidance and Smart Farming are enabling technology for semi and fully autonomous vehicles
self propelled implement tractor pulled implements for cultivation and seeding animal drawn tools tools for manual cultivation
1800 12 November 2011
1900
1950
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
2000
2025 Slide 10
Implements become Robots operating in swarms
Cost
Faculty Mechanical Science and Engineering Professorship for Agricultural Systems and Technology
swarm of robotic units capacity is multiplied by units
Today
1950 robotic unit small installed capacity highly automated
?
Productivity, Customer Value 12 November 2011
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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State of the Art Known autonomous vehicles: • Space Research:
Lunochod, Mars Rover
• Military:
UGVs, DARPA Challenge
Quelle: iRobot / Deere
Quelle: NASA
12 November 2011
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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State of the Art Known autonomous vehicles: • Traffic:
DARPA Urban Challenge, Leonie, Google
• Port Logistics:
Fahrerlose Transportsysteme
Quelle: Betonsteinwerk Lintel, Rheda-Wiedenbrück
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Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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State of the Art Known autonomous vehicles: • Home Owners: lawn mower, vacuum
Quelle: irobot.com
Quelle: Robomowerusa.com
Quelle: Robomower.biz
12 November 2011
Quelle: Electrolux
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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State of the Art Known autonomous vehicles: : • Home Owners: lawn mower, vacuum • Field robotic:
documentation, weeding, field robot event
Quelle: HS Osnabrück Quelle: Hortibot, Dänemark
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Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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State of the Art
Field Robot Event: student competition: navigation through corn rows in early stage high creativity at zero budget
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Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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State of the Art Known autonomous vehicles: Design-Studies : • agriculture: Operator Assistance-Systems
Quelle: SeebergDesign
Quelle: CNH
Quelle: Deere
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Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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Further Studies
Leader / Follower Combine Swarm
Quelle: Zhang et al./ MCG 2010
Cultivation Swarm
Quelle: TU-Dresden
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Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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Live Examples
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Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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12 November 2011
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
Slide 22
Robotic (Auernhammer 2005) Robotics in Agricultural Farms
Nano – Robots (2030)
Are working within the plant to improve health. Future vision
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Micro – Robots (2020)
Are working at the plant to improve health and growth. First ideas and applications known.
Mini – Robots
Medium & Large – Robots (2015)
Are working at plants from seed to harvest. Singular solutions exist. Handling of large masses in short time limited.
Are working as half or fully autonomous machine systems at scalable productivity. Technology available, first applications as masterslave systems in research
(2015)
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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Robotic Systems are Complex
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Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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Trends und Technology
sensor development
productivity
process knowledge
automatisation of machines and processes carriage and propulsion leight weight design
Embedded HW & SW visualisation
data base technology, communication, IT
concept changes of machines Elektrifizierung
reliability and up-time concept changes of processes
Navigation
robotic und autonomy
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Simulation
Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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Challenges Faculty Mechanical Science and Engineering Professorship for Agricultural Systems and Technology
Challenges are: • Cost and safety of autonomous machines. • Process automation is not at a level, where machines could fully operate independent from the operator. • Transport and field setup needs to be addressed without loading the autonomous concepts with major cost. • New system configurations always provides • development risk • acceptance risk • Self-propelled platform needs a propulsion system that is robust and functional under all terrain conditions while doubling weight if storage is filled • Field traffic and fleet management – smaller units interactions and communication is inflates
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Annual meeting of the Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
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