A method and a self-propelled forage harvester for determining the need for grinding chopping blades of a chopping device of the self-propelled forage harvester is disclosed. A monitoring device determines, such as cyclically, the state of wear of the chopping blades. The monitoring device comprises an input/output unit through which to enter or select a target state of the chopping blades to be produced by a grinding device as a target. The monitoring device generates, such as continuously, information depending on the target state and the determined state of wear, and causes an output on the input/output unit to visualize the extent to which the currently determined state of wear deviates from the target state.

An agricultural machine includes a cutting assembly configured to cut a crop material, a forming assembly comprising at least one of a swathboard or a forming shield, at least one actuator configured to change a position of the forming assembly, a sensor configured to detect a yield and a moisture content of the crop material, and a controller in communication with the at least one actuator, wherein the controller is configured to change an operating parameter of the agricultural machine responsive to the detected yield and moisture content. Related methods include propelling the agricultural machine through a field, cutting a crop material with the cutting assembly, detecting a yield and a moisture content of the crop material with the sensor, and changing an operating parameter of the agricultural machine responsive to the detected yield and moisture content.

A forage harvester includes a shear bar and a panel that directs the crop material downstream of the shear bar. A processing component is disposed downstream of the panel. An impact sensor is coupled to the shear bar and operable to detect data related to a magnitude of a force applied to the shear bar. The panel is moveable from a first position to a second position. The first position of the panel forms a channel for directing the crop material in the direction of crop processing along a first path toward the processing component. The second position of the panel alters the channel to direct the crop material along an alternative path not including the processing component. In response to a sufficiently high impact force applied to the shear bar by debris moving with the crop material, the panel is moved from the first position to the second position.

Method for operating an agricultural harvesting machine (1), wherein the agricultural harvesting machine (1) has a working assembly (2) in which a foreign body sensor (19) is installed, wherein a measurement signal provided by the foreign body sensor (19) is evaluated with the aid of a signal analysis in such a manner that the signal analysis is taken as a basis for determining at least one component of the working assembly (2) which has a fault which triggers, in the measurement signal, a signal component which incorrectly causes the presence of a foreign body to be detected.

A method for true-to-sample measurement by a mobile ingredient analysis system having a housing with a window, an interface for an external reference unit, a display and operating unit, a light source, an optical spectrometer, a camera, an internal reference unit, and an electronic control unit. The method includes: selecting a calibration product suitable for a sample to be examined; performing a plausibility check of the calibration product, an incorrect selection being signaled and an alternative calibration product being selected; outputting measurement conditions comprising the measurement point to be selected and measurement duration for the selected calibration product; capturing measured values of the sample by the spectrometer under the measurement conditions and with simultaneous monitoring of the measurement conditions; processing the captured measured values by means of an electronic control unit, each measured value captured while the measurement conditions were met being declared valid; outputting the measured values deemed valid.

A self-propelled forage harvester and a method for controlling said forage harvester are disclosed. A measuring device of the forage harvester may have a plurality of electrodes spaced at a distance from each other. These electrodes may be arranged or positioned in an intermediate channel of a harvested material processing channel of the forage harvester and may form a plurality of capacitors. Further, delivery-specific parameters and/or material-specific parameters may be discernible from the measurements of the electrical capacitances of the plurality of capacitors.

An agricultural system for automatically determining losses for harvesting operations includes a loss sensor supported on an agricultural harvester and having a field of view directed toward a portion of a field aft of a base cutter of the agricultural harvester, where the loss sensor is configured to generate data indicative of ground losses. Additionally, the agricultural system includes a computing system communicatively coupled to the loss sensor. The computing system is configured to identify non-height related ground losses during a harvesting operation of the agricultural harvester based at least in part on the data generated by the loss sensor. Additionally, computing system is configured to initiate a control action in response to the non-height related ground losses.

Crop is routed past a sample window on an agricultural combine harvester. Light it is impinged on the crop from an illumination source and reflected radiation is directed to a sensor. The output of the sensor is indicative of various constituents in the harvested crop. The illumination source is controlled based on the temperature proximate the crop sample.

An image capture device captures an image of crop after it has been processed by a kernel processing unit on a forage harvester. A size distribution indicative of the distribution of kernel fragment sizes in the harvested crop is identified from the image captured by the image capture device. A control system generates control signals to control a speed differential in the speed of rotation of kernel processing rollers based on the size distribution. Control signals can also be generated to control a size of a gap between the kernel processing rollers.

A corn harvesting header (24) includes a powered row unit (38) and a gathering hood (98). The row unit (38) defines a longitudinal crop row path that extends in a generally rearward crop travel direction and receives a corn row as the header (24) is advanced along the corn row. The gathering hood (98) partly overlies the row unit (38) and includes a laterally extending dam (132) that restricts corn from moving forwardly. The dam (132) at least partly defines a gutter to receive corn kernels and direct the corn kernels rearwardly.