A LAPTOP COMPUTER BASED DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM TO MONITOR TRACTOR PERFORMACE

Abstract

A data acquisition system was developed to measure a set vi' performance Fl »nctcrs of an instrumented tractor. TIle measured parameters included the front and rear wheel pin forces, the drawbar forces and the front, rear and fifth wheel speeds. The system included a laptop computer, two data acquisition cards and a speed signal conditioning circuit. The laptop displayed the measured parameters <l •d •.• tal} ,u:ll data on the console in a well-designed format. It also signaled on faulty tran-duccrs and gave an mdicutio- .,f ~:3hility of the tractor The system was field tested all an asphalt surtacc for its performance : he system provided accurate and reliable results Keywords:' Tractors, Performance, Transducers. Data c-quicition, lnstrurncntation