<p>Idag är det möjligt att modellera de hydrauliska och mekaniska systemen hos en hjullastare. Det går även i viss omfattning att simulera omgivningen samt de förarkommandon som krävs för utförandet av en önskad uppgift. Däremot är det enda sättet att få reda på hur en förare kommer att uppleva maskinen, dess körbarhet, att bygga en fungerande prototyp och be en förare att testa den.</p><p>Syftet med det här examensarbetet var att hitta en korrelation mellan förarens bedömningar och mätdata insamlade från en hjullastare under körning. Resultaten är sedan tänkta att användas i framtida simuleringar. Olika hjullastare testades av en grupp provförare och deras subjektiva bedömningar såväl som mätdata från hjullastarna samlades in.</p><p>Slutsatsen är att det går till en viss del att förutsäga körbarheten från insamlade data om förarens körstil är känd. Då förarnas körstil skiljer väldigt mycket är det är inte möjligt att dra allmänna slutsatser om körbarheten.</p> / <p>Today it is possible to model all hydraulic and mechanical systems of a wheel loader. To an extent the surrounding environment and the operator input required for a desired operation can also be simulated. However the only way to determine how an operator will perceive the handling qualities, the operability, of the wheel loader is to assemble a working prototype and ask an operator to try it out.</p><p>The purpose of this Master thesis was to find some correlation between the drivers’ opinions and data recorded from the machines during operation. The results are intended to be used in future simulations. Different machines were tested by a group of drivers and their subjective impressions, as well as measurements from the machines were collected.</p><p>The findings from the analysis are that the operability can be determined to a certain extent if the driver’s behaviour is known. Because of the differences in the way the drivers operate the machine it has not been possible to draw any general conclusions.</p>

Along with increased oil prices and rising environmental issues, a demand for alternatives to combustion engine driven hydraulic applications has risen. In the field of mobile hydraulics, the hydraulic applications have traditionally been driven by the combustion engine of the vehicle on which they are mounted. By instead using a battery driven power pack the hydraulic application is able to operate without the engine running, saving fuel costs and reducing sound levels. In this thesis, the concept of using an electric-hydraulic power pack with a variable-speed electric motor and a fixed-displacement hydraulic pump to provide power to a truck-mounted loader crane is investigated. This concept is compared to an electric-hydraulic system imitating the conventional combustion engine system by using a fixed-speed electric motor connected to a variable-displacement pump. The use of a variable speed motor where the speed can be controlled electrically by a control unit creates possibilities of using different control strategies to improve the efficiency and responsiveness of the application. The efficiencies of the two electric-hydraulic systems are compared by constructing a physical test rig and performing measurements in a test lab. The tests have shown an increased efficiency of about 20 \% when using the variable speed configuration. Three different control strategies are also investigated and tested on a simulated model. The simulations show that very good responsiveness and robustness can be achieved by using a hydraulic flow feed forward controller with a complementary pressure feedback controller. Furthermore, by controlling the hydraulic flow to the heaviest of the crane loads entirely with the flow from the hydraulic pump, the hydraulic pressure can be reduced and energy efficiency increased.

Sloshing phenomena could seriously damage tank structures and reduce its lifetime. On the one hand, studies directly recommend the use of baffles to solve these problems, nevertheless on the other hand the existence of small tanks or plastic tanks without baffles confuse and complicate the case. The first aim in this thesis is to clarify the necessity of baffles for a particular diesel tank L120 H-Generation in Volvo front loaders. Then, the second aim is to improve the existing design. Four configurations are proposed and checked independently. Experiments in the lab, FEM static stresses analyses and vibrational simulations are done in order to fulfill the requirements. The conclusion of this thesis is that the dissipation of energy is highly recommended, so having an oblique baffle with holes could be a good way to reduce the sloshing and extend the lifetime of the tank.

Atualmente, existem muitos estudos para agregar mais valor às informações disponíveis na Web visando melhorar os resultados da interação dos usuários com a Web; uma das linhas de estudo é a Web Semântica, que propõe a adição de informação semântica à Web atual por meio de ontologias. A organização internacional que define os padrões para a Web (W3C) já propôs vários padrões para tornar a Web Semântica viável, porém, além de padrões, também é preciso criar ou adaptar ferramentas que explorem as suas potencialidades. Uma ferramenta que dá um suporte significativo para a Web atual e que pode ser adaptada para trabalhar com a Web Semântica é o Servidor de Aplicações. Com adição de informações semânticas, na forma de ontologias, tem-se um Servidor de Aplicações Baseado em Ontologias (OBAS). Neste trabalho foi desenvolvido um sistema protótipo para oferecer as características mínimas de um OBAS, e desta forma, foram investigadas as tecnologias para a Web Semântica que viabilizassem uma solução de acordo com os padrões recomendados pela W3C. Os componentes de software de um OBAS têm suas propriedades e comportamentos relacionados de forma semântica usando-se ontologias. Como uma ontologia é um modelo conceitual explícito, suas descrições dos componentes podem ser consultadas e inferidas, melhorando o desempenho do servidor através da combinação dos componentes mais apropriados a uma tarefa, da simplificação da programação, pois não é mais necessário saber todos os detalhes de um componente para ativá-lo / Many studies have been carried out to add more value to the available information in the Web with a view to improving the results of the users\' interaction with the Web. Semantic Web is one line of research with focus on this issue and proposes the insertion of semantic information to the current Web through ontologies. Several patterns have been proposed by W3C, the international organization that defines patterns to the Web as an attempt to make the Semantic Web viable. However, besides patterns, it is also necessary to create or adapt tools to explore their potentialities. Application Server is a tool which gives significant support to the current Web and could be adapted to work with the Semantic Web. By adding semantic information, in the ontology form, we have an Ontology-Based Application Server (OBAS). This study develops a protoptype system which aims to offer the minimum characteristics of an OBAS. We have therefore investigated the semantic web which could provide a solution according to the patterns recommended by W3C. Properties and behaviors of software components of OBAS are semantically related by means of ontologies. Given that ontology is an explicit conceptual model, its component descriptions can be consulted and inferred, and hence improve the performance of the server. This is done by applying the most appropriate components to a given task and simplifying programming since components can be activated with no need to know all their details

The viability of firmware engineering on a lower-tier computer manufacturer (OEM) level, where the OEM receives processor and chipset components second hand, was investigated. It was believed that safer and more reliable operation of an embedded system would be achieved if system startup times were minimised. Theoretical knowledge of firmware engineering, methods and standards for the x86 platform was compiled and evaluated. The practical aspects of firmware engineering were investigated through the construction of an open source boot loader for a rugged, closed-box embedded x86 Intel system using Coreboot and Seabios. The boot loader was compared with the original firmware and the startup times were found to be reduced ninefold from entry vector to operating system handover. Firmware engineering was found to be a complex field stretching from computer science to electrical engineering. Firmware development on a lower-tier OEM level was found to be possible, provided that the proper documentation could be obtained. To this end, the boot loader prototype was proof of concept. This allowed an alternative, open-source oriented model for firmware development to be proposed. Ultimately, each product use case needed to be individually evaluated in terms of requirements, cost and ideology.

Presently, there is a four-year window to prepare engines for upcoming TIER V regulations through solutions for peak power shaving and downsizing of diesel engines. In particular, Non-road mobile machinery(NRMM) offer a promising and challenging field of application due to their duty cycles, which includes high and short power peaks and extreme working conditions. In this paper, a series hybrid electric powertrain for a mining loader is presented with the goal of reducing the fuel consumption. A full-scale mining loader powertrain prototype was built to exploit the benefits of a series hybrid electric powertrain at low traction requirements with a combination of decentralized e.g. zonal hydraulics. Corespondingly, this paper introduces the structure of the mining loader and initial mathematical model of the system of a Direct Driven hydraulics (DDH). In this research, an experimental test was conducted, and the initial results are presented in this paper.

The present paper describes an innovative electro-hydraulic system developed for automated side loaders. The system is based on Intelligent Flow Control (IFC), a concept where open circuit electric displacement controlled pumps are coupled with EH directional control valves. IFC was selected in order to achieve the level of performance required, in terms of efficiency and productivity (i.e. cycle times), and also to provide the best possible control of the side loader arm. The paper describes the system layout and the basics of the controls: from the alghorithms of the arm actuators to the vehicle on board telemetry and diagnostic. The paper reports the comparison between the IFC system (implemented on the vehicle) and a more traditional approach based on a Load Sense Flow Sharing concept. The benefits of the IFC solution are highlighted focusing on the energy efficiency (very important especially in the case of CNG engines, where the torque available at idle is significantly lower than diesel engines), but also in terms of controlability and response (due to the lack of load sensing signal lines).

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Mykel Taylor / The agricultural commodity market has been experiencing previously unseen high prices in recent years. This new era of prices brings with it new challenges within agriculture for farmers and grain buyers within agriculture. This research explores the basis values of hard red winter wheat in Kansas and the elevator characteristics that provide a competitive advantage for elevators buying wheat in Kansas. This research explores hard red winter wheat basis values from elevators located around Kansas from 2002 to 2013. Two hundred twenty eight locations from around Kansas were used in the research. These locations provided the price data that was used for this research. The elevator characteristics used in the research were collected from the Kansas Grain and Feed Directory and the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe and Union Pacific railway companies. Five elevator characteristics were researched that may have a significant impact on an elevators basis. These characteristics are thought to provide a competitive advantage to the location in the form of stronger or narrower basis bids to the farmer, giving the farmer a higher price for his grain. The characteristics researched included elevator capacity, transportation capabilities, elevator terminal status, shuttle loading status, and cooperative or investor-owned business structure. Each characteristic was compared against their counterpart. For example, a location is either a shuttle loader or it is not. The research provides grain companies and farmers some data that they may find useful in marketing grain and setting basis levels in the ever changing and volatile market place in today’s grain industry.

Construction equipment such as wheel loaders and dumpers are constantly getting updated with new technology when it comes to performance and fuel consumption. But the interior in the cockpit has not been exposed to any dramatic changes for decades. A modernized cockpit gives the driver a more modern feel of driving a highly technological machine, while at the same time enables for personalization. This thesis work presents a new way of improving the look and feel for displaying relevant information and also relaying information to both the driver of the machine and spectators outside. It includes a way of rerouting CAN-bus signals from a construction machine and displaying it on a tablet. The core idea with the solution is to make it as modular as possible to further improve and be able to use it in any machine available at Volvo's disposal. With this in mind, any machine could use the same software, the same hardware and still be able to fully utilize all the features that have been implemented from the thesis work. The idea and implementational results are designed as partly embedded and partly towards user interface.

<p>A lot of today’s new developments strive for energy efficiency. This includes the hydraulic side of industry. The Division of Fluid andMechanical Engineering Systems of Linköpings University in collaboration with Volvo Construction Equipment in Eskilstuna has developed a newhydraulic concept when it comes to the control of cylinder loads in a wheel loader. The concept differs from today’s application, where the cylinderload is controlled via a valve, in the way that the load is solely controlled by a pump. To control this system, an electrical feed back of operatorsdemanded signal is needed. These signals have to be correctly interpreted so that valve and the pumps perform the requested operation. The newsystem is going to need a unit that can perform these operations in a way that corresponds to the operating level of today’s hydraulically controlledsystem.The study aims to develop a software platform that solves this. This platform shall, besides performing the operators’ demands, monitor the system.The monitoring of the system is a crucial part because of security issues, but also when analyzing the systems functionality. The implementation ofthis software will be done in a real-time computer with the ability to collect data, interpret it and then control the connected units of the system.Further work that is to be done is an energy consumption study of today’s hydraulic system, and on the basis of this study, theoretically evaluate thenew system.The study has resulted in a great insight of an industrial mechanic machine, this in a level that includes an entire system. The wide range of thistask has brought analysis and development of both hydraul mechanical-, electrical- and software related systems. With an understanding of these,both separate and in interaction with each other, a platform has been designed that shall facilitate the forthcoming development of energy efficienthydraulics, both at VCE and LiTH.</p>