System and method for detecting disk blade bearing failure on an agricultural implement

A system for detecting disk blade bearing failure on an agricultural implement, the system comprising:

• a disk blade assembly supported on a frame member of a frame of the agricultural implement, the frame extending in a longitudinal direction between a forward end of the frame and an aft end of the frame, the frame further extending in a lateral direction between a first side of the frame and a second side of the frame, the disk blade assembly including a hanger coupled to the frame member and a first disk blade and a second disk blade rotatably coupled to the hanger;
• a fastener coupling the hanger to the frame member;
• a first load sensor in operative association with the fastener, the first load sensor configured to generate data indicative of a first load being applied to the fastener at a forward side of the frame member by the disk blade assembly;
• a second load sensor in operative association with the fastener, the second load sensor configured to generate data indicative of a second load being applied to the fastener at an aft side of the frame member by the disk blade assembly;
• and
• a computing system communicatively coupled to the first and second load sensors, the computing system configured for:
• determining the first load being applied to the fastener at the forward side of the frame member based on the data generated by the first load sensor;
• determining the second load being applied to the fastener at the aft side of the frame member based on the data generated by the second load sensor;
• and
• determining when at least one of a first disk blade bearing or a second disk blade bearing has failed based on the determined first and second loads.

A method for detecting disk blade bearing failure on an agricultural implement, the agricultural implement includes a disk blade assembly supported on a frame member of the agricultural implement, the disk blade assembly including a hanger and a first disk blade and a second disk blade rotatably coupled to the hanger, the agricultural implement further including a fastener coupling the hanger to the frame member, the method comprising:

• receiving, with a computing system, first load sensor data indicative of a first load being applied to the fastener at a forward side of the frame member by the disk blade assembly;
• determining, with the computing system, the first load being applied to the fastener at the forward side of the frame member based on the received first load sensor data;
• receiving, with the computing system, second load sensor data indicative of a second load being applied to the fastener at an aft side of the frame member by the disk blade assembly;
• determining, with the computing system, the second load being applied to the fastener at the aft side of the frame member based on the received second load sensor data;
• determining, with the computing system, when at least one of a first disk blade bearing or a second disk blade bearing has failed based on the determined first and second loads;
• and
• initiating, with the computing system, a control action in response to determining that the at least one of the first disk blade bearing or the second disk blade bearing has failed.