An agricultural baler includes: a frame; a bale chamber coupled with the frame; and a control system including: at least one sensor coupled with the frame, positioned circumferentially relative to the bale chamber, and configured for sensing an operative parameter of a crop material in the bale chamber.

A rectangular baler including a bale chamber having a plurality of walls including a movable wall section, an actuator for exerting a pressure on the movable wall section, a plunger for compressing crop material, and a control system configured to control the plunger to perform cyclic plunger strokes such that in each stroke the plunger force (F) exerted by the plunger on the crop material increases to reach a maximum plunger force (Fmax) to compress a newly inserted slice of crop material. The control system includes a first module to measure, at consecutive moments during a plunger stroke, a plurality of first values for the plunger force exerted by the plunger and/or for the pressure (Pd) in the actuator; and a control module to control at least one baling setting influencing the compressing of the crop material in the bale chamber as a function of the plurality of first values.

Cargo of rectangular bales 22 of switchgrass or miscanthus unchopped stalks having a cargo payload density of between 14.6 and 20.5 lb/ft.sup.3, loaded on a semitrailer truck 16, and preferably having an energy value of at least 240 million Btu.

A self-propelled baling vehicle for forming a bale of material includes a drive system for propelling the baling vehicle, a baling system for forming the bale, and a control system coupled to the drive system and the baling system. The control system includes a controller configured to determine a proposed location for ejection of the bale, operate the drive system to maneuver the baling vehicle from a first position to a second position for ejection of the bale at the proposed location, operate the baling system to eject the bale at the proposed location, and operate the drive system to maneuver the baling vehicle back to the first position.

A self-propelled baling vehicle for forming a bale of material includes a drive system for propelling the baling vehicle, a baling system for forming the bale, and a control system coupled to the drive system and the baling system. The control system includes a controller configured to determine a proposed location for ejection of the bale, operate the drive system to maneuver the baling vehicle from a first position to a second position for ejection of the bale at the proposed location, operate the baling system to eject the bale at the proposed location, and operate the drive system to maneuver the baling vehicle back to the first position.

A self-adaptive control system comprises a feeding device, a rotary coder, a displacement sensor, a hydraulic regulation system and a controller, wherein, the input end of the controller is electrically connected with the rotary coder, the displacement sensor, a first oil pressure sensor and a second oil pressure sensor respectively, and the output end of the controller is electrically connected with a solenoid directional valve via an interlocking controller; the controller takes the bearing force of piston rods and the rotation speed and the rotation speed change rate of a feeding knife roller as input variables and takes the positions of the piston rods as an output variable, to establish a fuzzy control model of the feeding mouth opening of the feeding device, the extension and retraction of the piston rods in a left oil cylinder and a right oil cylinder under hydraulic driving are regulated actively by controlling a three-position four-way solenoid directional valve, and thereby self-adaptive control of the feeding mouth opening is achieved.

A computer-implemented method and control system for gathering material is described. One or more vehicles may include an intake mechanism for material and a location-tracking system. A current orientation of the intake mechanism is identified based upon location information from the tracking system. A current orientation of the material is determined based upon historical location information for the material. A target orientation of the intake mechanisms is determined based upon the current orientation of the material. Movement of the intake mechanism is thus directed toward the determined target orientation.

A computer-implemented method and control system for gathering material is described. One or more vehicles may include an intake mechanism for material and a location-tracking system. A current orientation of the intake mechanism is identified based upon location information from the tracking system. A current orientation of the material is determined based upon historical location information for the material. A target orientation of the intake mechanisms is determined based upon the current orientation of the material. Movement of the intake mechanism is thus directed toward the determined target orientation.

An axle arrangement for a baler having a chassis includes a first axle having opposite ends and a pair of suspension cylinders, with each suspension cylinder positioned at a corresponding end of the first axle to accommodate generally vertical loads. The first axle is coupled with the chassis to accommodate generally horizontal loads. A second axle has opposite ends and a pair of suspension cylinders, with each suspension cylinder positioned at a corresponding end of the second axle to accommodate generally vertical loads. The second axle is coupled with the first axle to accommodate generally horizontal loads.

A method and adapted electronic systems for determining a value representative for or an estimate of the load on a plunger of a baler for harvested agricultural material includes obtaining the speed of movement of a drive element for the plunger, followed by determining the estimate of or value representative for the load on the plunger based upon the obtained speed of movement of the drive element.