Torque sensor keeps to right rate

25 January 2002




Torque sensor keeps to right rate

ITS a simple design, but nobody has thought of it before, claims Lykketronic for the companys torque sensing system.

Before taking a look at why it is useful to know how much torque is going through a drive line, lets just explain how the Lykketronic system works.

Basically, the drive from the pto is interrupted by a hard rubber block before being allowed to continue to the machine it is powering. A magnet sensor on the front of the rubber and a second sensor on the rear of the rubber allows any twist or torque deviation to be recorded.

Now, where could such a system be useful? Muck spreader maker Samson appears to have been the first to have discovered a practical use. Available for its range of rear discharge spreaders, a computer uses information concerning torque load (sensed between the pto input and the rear of the shaft driving the spreading rotors), forward speed, manure type and loaded weight to help ensure that required quantities are applied to a given area.

In automatic mode, once the computer has been loaded with the data, the spinners start, the rear gate opens a set amount and the hydraulically drivebed chains move the muck on to the spinners.

The torque on the spinner drive shaft required to maintain the required application rate works in conjunction with the forward speed and spreading width.

When one load has been spread the computer will give an error reading, should there be one, of how much over or under the manure has been spread in terms of application rate. The operator can then adjust accuracy for the next load. &#42


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