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Development of a novel mechatronic system for mechanical weed ...

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Results and discussion<br />

To avoid continuous changing <strong>of</strong> the calculated speed value, caused by<br />

exaggerated accuracy, it is necessary to increase the sampling distance ∆s. On<br />

the other hand, a too big sampling distance ∆s would cause decrease <strong>of</strong> the<br />

dynamics and accuracy <strong>of</strong> the hoe’s angular positioning, directly implying plant<br />

damaging.<br />

The distance between the plant detection unit and the plane in which the hoeing<br />

tool is positioned is limited by the construction <strong>of</strong> the prototype and the s<strong>of</strong>tware<br />

solution responsible <strong>for</strong> the online speed adjustment. For the best per<strong>for</strong>mance,<br />

positioning s<strong>of</strong>tware requires initialisation <strong>of</strong> the <strong>system</strong> be<strong>for</strong>e the hoeing<br />

starts. The initial position <strong>of</strong> the hoeing tool’s angle is achieved when the<br />

inductive position transducer mount on the arm number 3 reaches the upper<br />

vertical position corresponding to the angle <strong>of</strong> zero degrees and corresponds to<br />

time t0 (see Figure 5.19 a).<br />

92<br />

Figure 5.19 Definition <strong>of</strong> the desired angular position <strong>of</strong> the hoeing<br />

tool with three arms a) when it is in the start position and<br />

b) when it is placed exactly above a crop plant<br />

One full rotation <strong>of</strong> the hoeing tool with three arms corresponds to the travelling<br />

distance equal to the average distance between plants d. In such a kinematical<br />

assumption the rotation needs to be started, respectively corrected, in the<br />

moment when the <strong>for</strong>ward position <strong>of</strong> the plane analogous to the centre plane <strong>of</strong><br />

the hoeing tool A reaches the 1/3 <strong>of</strong> the distance between two successive<br />

plants.

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