System and method for controlling PTO clutch engagement using adaptive incremental PID control

A method for controlling engagement of a power take-off (PTO) clutch of a work vehicle, the method comprising:

• transmitting, by an electronic controller, a PTO control command for initiating engagement of the PTO clutch;
• determining, by the electronic controller, that a PTO output shaft speed has not increased within a predetermined time period following the transmission of the PTO control command;
• determining, by the electronic controller, an average engine pre-load for the work vehicle over a time period occurring prior to transmission of the PTO control command;
• in response to determining that the PTO output shaft speed has not increased within the predetermined time period following the transmission of the PTO control command:
• transmitting, by the electronic controller, a speed control command associated with increasing a requested engine speed for the work vehicle;
• determining, by the electronic controller, an adaptive torque command for controlling the engagement of the PTO clutch based at least in part on incremental proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control logic, the incremental PID control logic using adaptive gains determined as a function of both the average engine pre-load and an engine speed for the work vehicle;
• and
• controlling, by the electronic controller, the engagement of the PTO clutch based on the adaptive torque command.

A system for controlling clutch engagement for a work vehicle, the system comprising:

• a power take-off (PTO) clutch configured to rotationally couple a PTO clutch input shaft to a PTO clutch output shaft;
• a clutch valve configured to control engagement of the PTO clutch;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the clutch valve, the controller including a processor and associated memory, the memory storing instructions that, when implemented by the processor, configure the controller to:
• transmit a PTO control command for initiating engagement of the PTO clutch;
• determine that an output speed of the PTO clutch output shaft has not increased within a first predetermined time period following the transmission of the PTO control command;
• determine an average engine pre-load for the work vehicle over a time period occurring prior to transmission of the PTO control command;
• in response to determining that the output speed of the PTO clutch output shaft has not increased within the first predetermined time period following the transmission of the PTO control command:
• transmit a speed control command associated with increasing a requested engine speed for the work vehicle;
• determine an adaptive torque command for controlling the engagement of the PTO clutch as a function of the average engine-pre-load;
• and
• control the engagement of the PTO clutch based on the adaptive torque command.