Described as "a ground-engaging, GPS-controlled steering system that works in conjunction with the tractor guidance system to position an implement with sub-inch accuracy," the Orthman GPS Shadow Tracker was recently selected as one of 50 recipients of the prestigious American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE) AE50 Awards for 2011.
The award was presented to Ryan Hulme, Orthman design engineer for the project, during the ASABE Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference held in Atlanta, Ga., in conjunction with the Ag Connect Expo.
According to Hulme, the system is comprised of a group of one-blade steering modules hydraulically linked to move in unison. One master module provides blade position feedback to the steering control system. The remaining blade modules "shadow" the master, matching its blade position via linked rephrasing hydraulic cylinders. Shadow systems are available in one, two, three, four, five and six blade systems with the number of Shadow blades being proportionate to the overall size of the implement.
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