Large square baler drivetrain health monitoring system

A baler implement for forming crop material into a bale having a parallelepiped shape, the baler implement comprising:

• a plunger moveable in a reciprocating motion within a compression chamber through a plurality of movement cycles, wherein the plunger moves from a fully retracted position, to a fully extended position, and back to the fully retracted position during each respective movement cycle;
• a gearbox configured for receiving a rotational power, wherein the gearbox is configured to convert rotational movement about a longitudinal axis into rotational movement about a transverse axis disposed orthogonal to the longitudinal axis;
• a crank arm coupled to the gearbox and rotatable about the transverse axis, wherein the crank arm extends from the transverse axis radially outward to a distal end;
• a connecting link interconnecting the distal end of the crank arm and the plunger, whereby rotational movement of the crank arm about the transverse axis moves the connecting link linearly along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a crank bearing disposed between and rotatably supporting the distal end of the crank arm and the connecting link;
• a force sensor operable to detect data related to a force applied to the plunger and communicate a force sensor signal indicative of the detected data;
• a baler controller including a processor and a memory having a drivetrain monitoring algorithm stored thereon, wherein the processor is operable to execute the drivetrain monitoring algorithm to:
• determine a cumulative usage value for the crank bearing of the drivetrain from the force sensor signal indicative of the force applied to the plunger;
• compare the cumulative usage value for the crank bearing of the drivetrain to a bearing threshold value to determine if the cumulative usage value for the crank bearing is greater than the bearing threshold value or if the cumulative usage value for the crank bearing is equal to or less than the bearing threshold value;
• and
• communicate a notification signal to a communicator when the cumulative usage value for the crank bearing is greater than the bearing threshold value, whereby the notification signal is operable to cause the communicator to generate a message to indicate suggested maintenance of the crank bearing.

A method of monitoring a baler implement having a plunger moveable in a reciprocating motion within a compression chamber for forming a bale having a parallelepiped shape, the method comprising:

• moving the plunger in a reciprocating motion through a plurality of movement cycles, wherein the plunger moves from a fully retracted position, to a fully extended position, and back to the fully retracted position during each respective movement cycle;
• determining a peak force applied to the plunger during each respective movement cycle with a baler controller;
• assigning the peak force of each respective movement cycle into one of a plurality of different force ranges with the baler controller, wherein each respective one of the plurality of different force ranges includes a respective cycle degradation value;
• counting a number of movement cycles assigned to each respective one of the plurality of different force ranges with the baler controller;
• multiplying the number of movement cycles assigned to each respective one of the plurality of different force ranges by the respective cycle degradation value associated with their respective one of the plurality of different force ranges, with the baler controller, to calculate a respective usage value for each respective one of the plurality of different force ranges;
• aggregating the respective usage values for all of the plurality of different force ranges with the baler controller to define a cumulative usage value for a component of a drivetrain motivating the plunger;
• comparing the cumulative usage value for the component of the drivetrain to a component threshold value with the baler controller to determine if the cumulative usage value for the component is greater than the component threshold value or if the cumulative usage value for the component is equal to or less than the component threshold value;
• and
• automatically communicating a notification signal to a communicator with the baler controller when the cumulative usage value for the component is greater than the component threshold value, whereby the notification signal is operable to cause the communicator to generate a message to indicate suggested maintenance of the component of the drivetrain.