Agricultural baler with controlled wrapping material brake

An agricultural baler, comprising:

• a chassis;
• a baling chamber carried by the chassis;
• and
• a wrapping assembly carried by the chassis, the wrapping assembly comprising:
• a material roll configured to hold a roll of wrapping material;
• a duckbill assembly comprising a duckbill carrying at least one duckbill roll and configured to draw material from a roll of wrapping material held by the material roll, the duckbill being movable between a first position and a second position;
• a duckbill actuator coupled to the duckbill and configured to move the duckbill between the first position and the second position;
• a variable brake associated with the material roll and configured to apply a variable braking force to the material roll;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the duckbill actuator and the brake, the controller being configured to:
• determine a maximum amount of current available for utilization by the duckbill actuator;
• determine that a load on the duckbill actuator exceeds a threshold value, wherein the controller is configured to determine the load on the duckbill actuator exceeds the threshold value by determining that a current drawn by the duckbill actuator exceeds a threshold current value, wherein the controller is configured to set the threshold current value based at least partially on the maximum amount of current available for utilization by the duckbill actuator;
• and
• output a brake reduction signal to the brake so the brake reduces applied braking force to the material roll when the load on the duckbill actuator exceeds the threshold value.

A method of controlling a wrapping assembly of an agricultural baler, the wrapping assembly comprising a material roll holding a roll of wrapping material, a duckbill assembly comprising a movable duckbill carrying at least one duckbill roll and configured to draw wrapping material from the roll of wrapping material, a duckbill actuator coupled to the duckbill, and a variable brake coupled to the material roll, the method being performed by a controller and comprising:

• outputting a movement signal to the duckbill actuator to move the duckbill from a first position to a second position;
• determining a maximum amount of current available for utilization by the duckbill actuator;
• setting a threshold current value based at least partially on the maximum amount of current available for utilization by the duckbill actuator;
• determining a load on the duckbill actuator exceeds the threshold current value, wherein determining the load on the duckbill actuator exceeds the threshold current value comprises determining an amount of current drawn by the duckbill actuator exceeds the threshold current value;
• and
• outputting a brake reduction signal to the brake so the brake reduces an applied braking force on the material roll after determining the load on the duckbill actuator exceeds the threshold current value.