Development of an improved method of harvester performance testing - in association with the jet-clean system project : Final report NCA001

Abstract

In seeking to evaluate the performance of some advanced cleaning system concepts such as the NCEA Jet Clean System (NCA 006) and the NCEA Clean Flow Fan the NCEA became aware of the lack of objective automated harvester performance assessment systems. On this basis the research team set out to apply some greater level of automation and objectivity to the assessment of Extraneous Matter and Cane Loss during field experimentation. As a result of these investigations an automated billet sampler was built and trailed successfully, a trash sampling mechanism was commissioned but not adopted due to field difficulties, an improved acoustic cane loss monitor based on billet/fan-blade impact recognition was successfully commissioned and trailed and a multi purpose CANBUS based on board data management system developed in conjunction with a commercial yield monitoring product. All of these tools were used in the assessment of the NCEA Cleaning system research projects and the Cane Loss monitor will be subjected to extensive laboratory and field evaluation by the BSES in the 2002 season.