Introduction

Description

1. Incoming grain.

The isolation gate opens.

Grain falls into the weigh bucket as its harvested until a cycle is initiated either by the operator (flush cycle) or by the GrainGage when the weight trip point is met.

1. Prepare to measure.

The isolation gate closes.

If the amount of harvested grain is above the minimum weight threshold, the top gate opens. The test chamber fills with grain from the weigh bucket.

If the amount of harvested grain is below the minimum weight threshold, the sample is weighed, but no test weight, moisture, or NIR constituent data is taken. The sample is evacuated.

1. Measure.

The top gate closes.

Test chamber drops and separates from the weigh bucket.

The GrainGage measures total bucket weight, test weight, moisture, and constituent NIR data.

1. Evacuate the test chamber.

The bottom gate opens, emptying the test chamber.

If the harvested material meets the following criteria, go to step 5.

• The max sub-cycle is set to greater than 1.
• The grain in the bucket meets the minimum weight threshold.
• This isn't the last sub-cycle according to the setting in Mirus.

Otherwise, go to step 6.

1. Measure additional sub-cycle.

The bottom gate closes.

The test chamber re-docks to weigh bucket.

The top gate opens, and the test chamber fills with grain from the weigh bucket.

Go to step 3 until the set number of sub-cycles is complete. Note: The total bucket weight is not repeated for additional sub-cycles.

1. Evacuate weigh bucket. 

The top gate opens (while the bottom gate is still open).

All remaining grain empties from the weigh bucket and test chamber.

1. Grain flows into the weigh bucket for next plot cycle.

The top and bottom gates close.

Tare check is performed.

The test chamber re-docks to the weigh bucket.

The isolation gate opens.

Go to step 1 if the trip was due to bucket weight trip point.

1. Finalize plot.

The GrainGage averages the sub-cycle values, totals the bucket weights, and records the final results for the plot.

Repeat from step 1 for the next plot.

(no diagram)

The DSP is the electronics module that does the signal conditioning, measurement, and all control of the GrainGage.

This sensor uses near-infrared (NIR) technology to measure and analyze the moisture, protein, and oil (where applicable) of the test chamber sample.

This sensor measures the dielectric of the test chamber sample and converts that value to a grain moisture percentage according to the following formula.

Percent moisture = 100 ( Mw / ( Md + Mw ) ) 

Mw is the mass of the water in the grain. Md is the mass of the grain.

This electronics enclosure provides communications and signal interface to the GrainGage. The controller provides a serial communications interface, a remote enter button connection, a computer power supply, CAN (Control Area Network) connectivity, a USB connection, and system power switch.

A rugged tablet-style computer running Windows 10 or later operating system and the HarvestMaster Mirus software for field data collection.

The plot bucket holds the harvested plot.

The test chamber measures the grain moisture and test weight for a sub-cycle.

The isolation gate prevents grain from dribbling or flowing into the plot bucket during a measurement cycle.

The top gate regulates the amount of grain entering the test chamber.

This gate, located at the bottom of the test chamber, closes to hold grain in the test chamber and opens to allow grain to flow out of the GrainGage.

This pneumatic actuator moves the test chamber upwards into the filling position or downwards to the weighing position.

The system has three 44-lb (20 kg) aluminum, full-bridge strain gauge load cells. Two are used to make precise weight measurements of the entire plot bucket of the GrainGage. The third load cell (identical except for the cable length) measures the weight of the test chamber contents.

The GrainGage has four solenoids, which are controlled by the DSP actuator module and independently open and close gates and separate/dock the test chamber.

The gates in the GrainGage are actuated with pneumatic cylinders.

The limit switch senses if the gates are closed.

Definition

The Control Area Network (CAN) is a robust electronic communication protocol common in automotive applications.

When the weight of the harvested grain in the plot bucket meets the trip weight threshold (trip point), the GrainGage processes each bucket of grain as a partial plot measurement. The data from each weight trip cycle are totaled (plot weight) or averaged (moisture, test weight, or NIR constituent data) for the entire plot.

The percentage of full bucket capacity at which a weight trip cycle will occur.

A weight provided by Mirus based off the set trip point.

The minimum amount of weight required to include moisture, test weight, and NIR constituent data from that specific sub-cycle in the average for that plot.

The last cycle of the plot and Mirus advances to the next plot.

A sub-cycle is a measurement of test weight, moisture, and NIR constituent data performed when the test chamber drops. The number of sub-cycles taken for each plot bucket of grain is adjustable in Mirus based off individual needs. Data for each sub-cycle is available in the backup file.

The plot weight is the total weight of grain for an individual plot. This would be cumulative weight for all GrainGage weight-trip cycles within a plot.

The test weight is weight per unit volume of a sample of grain in the test chamber. Test weight is measured in lb/bushel or kg/hL.