Digital agriculture conquers training workshops

Information and communication technology is shaping the megatrends in agriculture. "Smart Farming", or "Digital Farming", relates to digitalized processes that can extend to the use of driverless vehicles, robots and drones. This development is also changing the everyday working life of agricultural and construction machinery mechatronics technicians. The technologies that facilitate Precision Farming or job preparation via the farm PC provide an in-depth picture of the technical components of the vehicles and implements used.

This should also be reflected in the training and development provided to the mechatronics technicians. Modern training schemes for agricultural machinery mechatronics technicians need to place a greater emphasis on the electronic components.

But familiarization with the new technologies directly on a tractor presents some difficulties. The measuring points for the communication and networking systems of the smart agricultural vehicles are often not readily accessible and any damage caused by incorrect operation can quickly prove costly. Lucas-Nülle has therefore created a training system that you can use with a direct spatial and digital connection to the tractors and implements. The compact system from our Commercial Vehicles 'TruckTrain' series facilitates simple, quick and comprehensive integration of Smart Farming into your training workshop.

Simple access to data communication systems brings networked agriculture into the training workshop.

The training system simulates a fully functional agricultural machine based on communication. It enables you to familiarize trainees with the main data transmission systems such as ISOBUS, J1939, CAN-Bus and Implement-Bus in a practically relevant way. The trainees themselves can read and write Bus messages or carry out diagnostics of the ISOBUS using b-ISOBUS Spy. The circuit diagrams provided and the setpoint directory allow the trainees to make authentic assessments of the readings obtained on the system.

Thanks to TruckTrain, teachers can clearly demonstrate some hot topics in the training workshop, including resource-optimized Precision Farming via GPS with Section Control. It not only allows trainees to carry out full job preparation via the farm PC but also enables them to start a driving simulation using "Trupath GPS Sim". The training unit itself features its own sower, with which the trainees can also learn how to communicate with an original implement ECU.

Maximum practical relevance designed to create direct action competence.

Thanks to the use of other original Commercial Vehicle components, the trainees can also connect this training system with the existing tractors and implements. The "Universal Terminal" as well as the Incab, the active ISOBUS socket and all diagnostic sockets are original components. In this way, didactic learning content and practical components are directly linked.

The trainees can choose from 32 different fault scenarios. These include basic electronic components such as the different fuse types and relay controls as well as the tractor's working lights, while also covering the subject areas of data communication and digital agriculture. TruckTrain thus supports the trainees through all the electrical and IT-related learning content that is relevant for agricultural and construction machinery mechatronics technicians and at the same time endows them with action competence in the diagnosis, repair and maintenance of new generations of digitalized machines.