Browse Topic: Lawn vehicles and equipment
Compact off-highway machines should be as maneuverable, versatile and energy-efficient as possible. Key to achieving these goals is the electronification of the working hydraulics. New mini excavators, wheel loaders and track loaders from the Eurocomach brand, which is part of the Italian Sampierana Group, demonstrates the improvements that can be gained by utilizing electrohydraulic pump control and software. Sampierana first launched the electronification of its working hydraulics on its six-ton mini excavators. “Our compact construction machines are used for a wide variety of jobs,” said Giuseppe Fabbri, technical manager at Sampierana. “Loading, excavating or digging should be very accurate or quick and productive to perform, as needed, and also support a wide range of tools - from shovels to hammers or mowers.”
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become prevalent in many fields in the modern world, ranging from vacuum cleaners to lawn mowers and commercial automobiles. These capabilities are continuing to evolve and become a part of more products and systems every day, with numerous potential benefits to humans. AI is of particular interest in autonomous vehicles (AVs), where the benefits include reduced cognitive workload, increased efficiency, and improved safety for human operators. Numerous investments from academia and industry have been made recently with the intent of improving the enabling technologies for AVs. Google and Tesla are two of the more well-known examples in industry, with Google developing a self-driving car and Tesla providing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) autopilot system. Ford and BMW are also working on their own AVs.
With the growing increase in the use of lawn mowers, it is necessary to control the vibration and sound pressure levels to which operators are exposed during their workday. Noise hearing loss can affect individuals exposed to high Sound Pressure Levels (SPL). Workers using lawn mowers are part of this population. With regard to this equipment, another factor that must be considered is the occupational exposure of the vibration imposed on the operator. Occupational exposure to vibration in the hands and arms is associated with a variety of adverse effects on the health of the individual, being collectively known as the vibration syndrome in the hands and arms. Exposure to full body vibration for seated people is associated with an increased risk of degenerative injuries lumbar spine, disorders in the central nervous system, and possible damage to the digestive and genital / urinary systems. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the vibration and sound power level emitted by a tractor of this class, under different operating conditions, which are a combination of three parameters: vibration attenuators (engine block cushions), engine speed and a power take-off (PTO) of the tractor. The acoustics tests followed a methodology based on ISO 3744:2010 - “Acoustics - Determination of sound power levels and sound energy levels of noise sources using sound pressure - Engineering methods for essentially free field over reflecting plane”. The vibrations measurements are base on ISO:8041 “Human response to vibration - Measuring instrumentation”. From the obtained data, the occupational vibration indicators and sound power level were calculated, so that it was possible to compare the different conditions. When comparing the levels obtained in the tests with the ranges provided by the standards, it can be noted that for some conditions the levels of vibration exceeded the desired values, the same happens with noise.
The demands on improving the noise, vibration and harshness of the golf mowing machines are growing rapidly. Low frequency vibrations at the human touchpoints are one of the important factors leading to the discomfort of operators on these machines. In the present work, low frequency vibrations experienced by the operator of the golf mowing machine are reduced using finite element analysis (FEA) and validated by a physical test. Initially, testing observed high vibration at the command arm, where some of the operating controls are placed. FEA was carried out on a frame level assembly and the design was iterated to affect these vibration levels. The golf mowing machine considered in this work is powered by a gasoline engine, which is the source of excitation in the current scenario. The operational forces of the engine were measured by using blocked-force transfer path analysis at its mounts. The modal frequency response analysis used these calculated forces as an input excitation. The vibration levels predicted at the operator’s touchpoints through simulation showed a good match of the trend with the measured test response. The structural changes were done in simulation after studying modal participation factors for high vibration levels at a frequency of interest. Reductions in vibration levels at the command arm were validated through the test, which provided enhanced operator comfort.
Illustrations used here are not intended to include all existing industrial or agricultural machines, or to be exactly descriptive of any particular machine. They have been picked to describe the principles to be used in applying this standard.
The purpose of this SAE Recommended Practice is to provide a selection of disc wheels for industrial and agricultural application with a maximum of interchangeability. This is accomplished by establishing five groups of disc wheels, in each of which the hub mounting elements are common. These groups are designated 4 bolt, 5 in bolt circle; 5 bolt, 4.5 in bolt circle; 5 bolt, 5.5 in bolt circle; 6 bolt, 6 in bolt circle; and 8 bolt, 8 in bolt circle. Further, this document establishes an SAE part number and the maximum rated radial load for each standard wheel. In addition, the document requires the wheel manufacturer's name or trademark to be impression stamped on the wheel with location at the discretion of the manufacturer.
Farming has not been untouched by the IoT revolution. The relationships among field conditions, crops, and strategies for planting, irrigating, and harvesting are complex, yet vital for the success of the enterprise. Agricultural machines such as tractors, combines, mowers, and balers are key to smooth operations. Intelligent, addressable sensors on the machines and in the fields, enable farm managers to keep track of operations that are not only widely dispersed but also in motion.
In the process of developing small general purpose engines, it is necessary to obtain accurate engine usage information. Commercially available measurement systems created for this purpose have unfavorable characteristics, including limited flexibility and large physical size. A compact data logging device was developed to overcome these limitations, and it was used on several lawn mowers. A microcontroller controls the data logger and acquires data. The data logger also includes a vacuum pressure sensor, tachometer input, thermocouple inputs, and a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. The GPS receiver is used to provide machine position and velocity data, which is synchronized with the other measurements. The housing is compact (54 mm x 124 mm x 100 mm), so it can be mounted on most small engine-powered products. Setup of the data logger requires no significant engine or machine modifications, which reduces the time required to instrument a product for testing. Since the data logger is simple and compact, it was possible to deploy several loggers concurrently in different geographic regions. The acquired data was used to quantify the engine loading, engine start cycles, accessory clutch cycles, and movement of the machine. These results are being used to precisely define the usage and durability requirements for small engines. In the future, work will be done to expand the data logger’s capability.
In order to fulfill future regulations regarding emissions and CO2 reduction, the small engine market inclines to migrate from carburetor systems to cleaner, more efficient electronic ignition controls and electronic fuel injection systems. When implementing such mechatronic systems in small engine applications, one has to consider specific boundary conditions like the lack of relevant sensors, limited possibilities in terms of space and of course the necessity to keep the costs as low as possible. Especially in the non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) segment, the absence of sensors makes it difficult to apply standard electronic control systems, which are based on engine related input signals provided by sensors. One engine related signal, which is even provided by the simplest engine setup, is some form of the crankshaft speed since it is essential for the functionality of the engine. In this paper, the potential of an electronic ignition timing control system based on this signal as well as experimental experiments are presented. A single cylinder lawn mower SI engine is used for the experiments, since it is representative for basic NRMM engine configurations. Under the restriction that the speed regulating centrifugal governor should not be manipulated, the potential of the electronic ignition control has been investigated with the focus on engine performance and noise emissions under transient load conditions.
Two-stroke engine keep-clean data is presented to demonstrate the deposit removal capabilities of a premium fuel additive. In this testing, the fuel additive was added as a top-treatment to a 50:1 blended fuel-oil mixture. Engine testing was conducted on an EchoTM SRM-265 (25.4 cc) string trimmer run under a standardized test cycle. Test measurements included piston deposits, ring deposits, and exhaust port blockage. In addition, a more complete data set was analyzed and several variables were investigated including: different base gasoline fuels, ethanol level (E0 and E10), additive dose (none, low, and high), and fuel stabilizer dose (none and high). Post-test inspection of engine parts using fuel additives showed a high level of clean surfaces, which maintained the engine at its original performance.
Two-stroke engines are used in several purposes, such as lawn mowers, chainsaws, power generators and for motorcycles in some dirt tracks competitions. In addition, small Wankel engines are used in snowmobiles, motorized paragliders and range extenders. Both types of engines are known for the great power produced per displacement, ideal for the purposes aforementioned, but its bigger emissions due to lubricating oil mixed with fossil fuels, such as gasoline, do not pass legislation's standards, which limits their use. In order to reduce emissions, tests with ethanol and castor oil, eco-friendly fuel and lubricant, respectively, will be presented to adequate these organic compounds to the engine's operation.
Google Earth is a geospatial browser produced by Google that allows interactive exploration of the world from data servers on the Internet. An integral part of Google Earth is a built-in “cache” that is stored locally on the user’s computer, and allows the user to later revisit previously viewed regions (even if the network link is disrupted or unavailable). The Google Earth cache is filled as the user interacts with Google Earth (i.e., flying and zooming the interface). The Google Earth Offline Cache Pre-loader (GEOCP) is a tool that allows users to specify a region to cache, and controls Google Earth to automatically and systematically fill the Google Earth cache. While connected to the Internet, the user specifies a latitude/longitude box, and a desired height above the ground. GEOCP then commands Google Earth to view the requested area in a lawnmower pattern, which has the side effect of bringing those areas into the Google Earth cache. When finished, the user is free to disconnect the network and continue to view the area.
Advances in unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) are providing government agencies and commercial organizations with new capabilities across a variety of mission requirements. However, many underwater vehicles only address specific criteria or support well-defined (and limited) niches. As an example, the Naval Sea Systems Command's (NAVSEA) Littoral Battlespace Sensing (LBS) system includes the LBS-G long-endurance glider to collect oceanographic data, but also needs the LBS-AUV for military applications.
Illustrations used here are not intended to include all existing industrial or agricultural machines, or to be exactly descriptive of any particular machine. They have been picked to describe the principles to be used in applying this standard.
Developing countries, facing greater challenges related to air pollution, are enacting more stringent emission rules for small engines. Idle Air Control Valve [IACV] along with Electronic Fuel Injection [EFI] is widely used for emission control in the large engine automotive market. This combination is also considered as one of the best solutions to aid in reducing the tailpipe emissions from small engines. One regulatory board for small engine use in USA is the California Air Resource Board [CARB]. CARB has a separate small engine emission category for nonautomotive Small Off-Road Engine [SORE] consisting of off-road spark-ignition engines below 25 horsepower, including all small off-road engines such as lawn mowers, weed trimmers, garden and other maintenance utility equipment [1]. SORE emission regulations for the handheld equipment were initially implemented in 1995 with most recently Tier II reductions of exhaust emissions in 2010. The Gen_VII IACV was designed for use on smaller engines, such as in motorcycle applications (refer to Figure 1). The IACV is a stepper motor having a permanent magnet rotor integrated with a threaded drive mechanism that transforms rotary motion to linear motion. This actuator is a digitally controlled bi-polar, 2-phase, linear stepper motor designed to operate as an IACV. It's recommended to be electrically controlled using a full step bipolar L/R drive circuit operating from 7.5 to 14_Vdc. The IACV is required to work in extreme engine environments and has critical operational requirements. This paper presents some challenges and technical solutions in the design and implementation of this Gen_VII IACV. The development of the smaller Gen_VII stepper motor was a continuation of collaborative efforts from Continental location in Asia, Europe, and North America.
This paper introduces a research project on a spark ignition engine used in non-road applications. The aim is to illustrate the present situation as basis for comparison and to identify possible improvement potential in terms of performance, efficiency or exhaust and noise emissions. The study is carried out in two steps. First a standard walk-behind lawn mower is equipped with measuring instrumentation for recording the cutting forces and the engine variables during real world operation. The tests are carried out on three different lawn types and two different blade types are investigated. Consequently, in a second step the engine is analysed on the engine test bench in stationary and transient operating mode. A complete engine mapping is done regarding all relevant variables. Additionally to the outdoor tests, fuel consumption and engine out emissions are measured on the engine dynamometer. The recorded data enables a detailed analysis of the engine behaviour. Furthermore the load spectrum during real world operation is diagrammed and the most frequent load and speed points of the engine on the different lawn types are identified. Moreover the flyweight governor system and, closely connected with it, the carburettor behaviour of the engine is observed under transient conditions.
Two-stroke engines have been normally used for power equipment such as bush cutters and lawn mowers because of their compactness and cost-performance. However, their exhaust smoke is often put in question for causing a poor working environment. Therefore, it is important to develop an environmentally friendly two-stroke engine oil. In this paper, the development of a two-stroke engine oil with low smoke performance and its evaluation results are reported. If dilution ratio of a two-stroke engine oil with gasoline is increased in order to reduce the exhaust smoke, the lubricity becomes poor because of the decrease of base oil ratio in the oil. A two-stroke engine oil that copes with both low exhaust smoke and anti-seizure performance for pistons, has been developed by using a carefully selected polymer ester. The oil showed excellent anti-seizure performance in actual engine tests. In addition, it was also confirmed that it had better low smoke performance than commercially available engine oils using an exhaust smoke test with an actual bush cutter.
This paper discusses an evaporative emissions control system which significantly reduces diurnal evaporative emissions in walk behind lawnmower engines equipped with float carburetors. The system also maintains engine startability, run quality, and a simplistic user interface. The system consists of low-permeation fuel line and a multi-layer fuel tank using an EVOH barrier as well as a carbon canister integrated in the lawnmower's push-handle and an Automatic Bowl Drain System (ABDS). A prototype of the system resulted in a 90% reduction in diurnal evaporative emissions when compared to a pre-regulation walk behind lawnmower using the CARB TP-902 sealed housing for evaporative determination test. This paper demonstrates a practical solution to reduce diurnal evaporative emissions and hydrocarbon running losses below the level emitted from a state of the art, float carbureted, walk behind lawnmower engine.
As long as people need to he in a machine to run a machine, operator stations will continue to become more operator-friendly. There have been obvious changes in off-highway vehicles over the last 100, or even 200 or more, years. For power, the equipment has evolved from horses to steam to gasoline then to primarily diesel. As far as a first step toward operator comfort, the wheels changed from wood to steel to steel rims with hard rubber casings then to pneumatic tires in the early part of the 20th century, which helped abate “the eyes of the operator rolling inside his head,” to paraphrase how one historian described the off-highway operator environment on The History Channel during a documentary on the history of the truck. Keeping in mind the revolutions mentioned above, it was not that long ago when off-highway operators were constantly exposed to the elements, and certainly, depending on the options afforded or desired by the consumer, some still are. However, whether the operator is snug inside a tinted-glass cab with environment control while listening to satellite radio or not, a comfortable seat is a must.
Since 1974, KUBOTA “B-Series Compact Tractors” have gained a high reputation all over the world mainly for their compact body sizes and versatile performances in mowing, transporting and landscaping. Recently KUBOTA developed the new B-Series Tractors, which consists of five models with PTO power ranging from 9.3 to 16.4 kW (12.5 to 22 HP) as shown in Table 1. Recently, models equipped with hydrostatic transmissions (HST) account for the majority of the 9 to 16 kW (12 to 22 HP) range tractor sales, because of ease of operation and higher operating efficiency. Accordingly we have equipped all five models with HST, while making the manual transmission available on only one model. We have increased the PTO horsepower to more than 14.9 kW (20 HP), while maintaining the compact body size. At the same time, we have added new features to enhance performance of the tractors' three major uses, front loader, mid mount mower, and rear implement operations. This paper discusses the technologies incorporated in the development of the higher horsepower models, the B2710 and B2910, as well as new features added.
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