Determination of the position and geometric parameters of agricultural machinery for automated control of the washing process

Abstract

The article develops and experimentally verifies a method for determining the position and geometric parameters of agricultural machinery for automated washing process control. The method combines photoelectric sensors for verifying the admissible position of the machinery and ultrasonic sensors for determining distances to its upper and side surfaces. Median filtering is used to reduce the influence of anomalous ultrasonic measurements, while the measured distances are converted into geometric parameters using the known dimensions of the experimental installation. The obtained parameters are used by the controller to define the permissible operating area and generate control actions for the washing carriage, pump, and air-blowing system. If the machinery is positioned incorrectly or exceeds the permissible dimensions of the working zone, the technological cycle is blocked. Experimental verification using the developed automated washing installation and a tractor model confirmed correct operation of the positioning subsystem and sufficient accuracy of ultrasonic measurements. The maximum absolute error did not exceed 2 mm. The proposed approach provides direct integration of sensor measurements into the control logic and enables adaptation of the washing cycle to the actual position and dimensions of the machinery. Further research should address the integration of computer vision and adaptive generation of washing-carriage trajectories.