John Deere / MSc. Thesis
My MSc project at John Deere Mannheim in cooperation with Mannheim University of Applied Science (Germany)

Projects Key Characteristics:

Tractors automatic gear shifting using a closed-loop control algorithm.
Detection of clutch slip and integration into the closed-loop control algorithm.
The system controls the multiple disc clutches during gear shifting.
Control of multiple disc clutches to ensure smooth gear shifting.
Deployment of the algorithm using the C programming language on the microcontroller AC167 manufactured by Infineon, which is installed on the prototype tractor.
Pretesting the system prior to deployment on a real tractor using an simulation model for the John Deere prototype tractor, built using Matlab/Simulink.
Utilization of Unified Modeling Language (UML) statecharts to model and structure the developed control algorithm.
Visualization of the system states using CANalyzer and CANgraph tools attached to the CAN-Bus system.
Actual testing and validation of the system on a real tractor.

Future Prospects:

Integration of the system into Engine Management System to enhance gear shifting comfort. For instance, to adjust the engine speed during opening and closing phases of the clutch to reduce jerks.
Exploration of employing an AI system to recognize various tractor conditions, including load, speed, current gear, gear range, and engine RPM and accordingly predicting suitable ramping strategies for clutch control, facilitating smoother gear shifts.
Permanent clutch slip operation during gear shifting without losing torque in the clutch for enhanced smoothness. Incorporation of a PID controller to regulate slip and maintain it at the desired level.