Fault detection by analysis of coupled pressure and depth for ground-engaging components

1 . A control system for an agricultural implement, comprising:

a position sensor configured to monitor a position of a piston rod of a fluid cylinder, wherein the fluid cylinder is configured to apply a force to a ground-engaging tool of the agricultural implement via the piston rod;

a pressure sensor configured to monitor a fluid pressure inside the fluid cylinder; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the position sensor and to the pressure sensor, wherein the controller comprises a memory and a processor, and the controller is configured to:

receive a position signal from the position sensor;

receive a pressure signal from the pressure sensor;

determine a position change of the piston rod based on the position signal during a certain period of time;

determine an expected pressure change based on the position change;

determine a pressure change of the fluid pressure inside the fluid cylinder based on the pressure signal during the certain period of time;

determine an expected position change based on the pressure change;

compare the position change to the expected position change;

compare the pressure change to the expected pressure change; and

identify a fault in response to determining the position change is not within a first threshold range of the expected position change, or determining the pressure change is not within a second threshold range of the expected pressure change, or a combination thereof.

2 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:

in response to determining the position change is not within a first threshold range of the expected position change, identify a first fault type for the fault; and

in response to determining the pressure change is not within a second threshold range of the expected pressure change, identify a second fault type for the fault.

3 . The control system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to store a first occurrence for the first fault type and a second occurrence for the second fault type during a time period.

4 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output a notice in response to determining a number of occurrences of the fault is greater than a threshold value.

5 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the fluid pressure inside the fluid cylinder via a control valve fluidly coupled to the fluid cylinder based on the position signal, the pressure signal, or a combination thereof.

6 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the ground-engaging tool comprises a gauge wheel configured to control a penetration depth of a disc blade into soil.

7 . The control system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the penetration depth of the disc blade into the soil based on the position signal received from the position sensor.

8 . A control system for an agricultural implement, comprising:

a plurality of position sensors, wherein each of the plurality of position sensors is configured to monitor a respective position of a respective piston rod associated with a respective fluid cylinder of a plurality of fluid cylinders, wherein the respective fluid cylinder of the plurality of fluid cylinders is configured to apply a respective force to a respective ground-engaging tool of the agricultural implement via the respective piston rod;

a plurality of pressure sensors, wherein each pressure sensor of the plurality of pressure sensors is configured to monitor a respective fluid pressure inside the respective fluid cylinder of the plurality of fluid cylinders; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of position sensors and the plurality of pressure sensors, wherein the controller comprises a memory and a processor, and for each fluid cylinder of the plurality of fluid cylinders, the controller is configured to:

receive a respective position signal from each position sensor of the plurality of position sensors;

receive a respective pressure signal from each pressure sensor of the plurality of pressure sensors;

determine a respective position change of the respective piston rod based on the respective position signal during a certain period of time;

determine a respective expected pressure change based on the respective position change;

determine a respective pressure change of the respective fluid pressure inside the respective fluid cylinder based on the respective pressure signal during the certain period of time;

determine a respective expected position change based on the respective pressure change;

compare the respective position change to the respective expected position change;

compare the respective pressure change to the respective expected pressure change; and

identify a respective fault in response to determining the respective position change is not within a first respective threshold range of the respective expected position change, or determining the respective pressure change is not within a second respective threshold range of the respective expected pressure change, or a combination thereof.

9 . The control system of claim 8 , wherein for each fluid cylinder of the plurality of fluid cylinders, the controller is configured to:

in response to determining the respective position change is not within a first respective threshold range of the respective expected position change, identify a first fault type for the respective fault; and

in response to determining the respective pressure change is not within a second respective threshold range of the respective expected pressure change, identify a second fault type for the respective fault.

10 . The control system of claim 9 , wherein for each fluid cylinder of the plurality of fluid cylinders, the controller is configured to store a first respective occurrence for the first fault type of the respective fault and a second respective occurrence for the second fault type of the respective fault during a time period.

11 . The control system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to output a notice in response to determining a respective number of occurrences of the respective fault is greater than a threshold value.

12 . The control system of claim 8 , wherein each respective ground-engaging tool of the agricultural implement comprises a respective gauge wheel configured to control a respective penetration depth of a respective disc blade into soil.

13 . The control system of claim 12 , wherein for each fluid cylinder of the plurality of fluid cylinders, the controller is configured to determine the respective penetration depth of the respective disc blade into the soil based on the respective position signal received from the respective position sensor.

14 . A method for controlling an agricultural implement, comprising:

receiving a position signal from a position sensor, wherein the position sensor is configured to monitor a position of a piston rod of a fluid cylinder, wherein the fluid cylinder is configured to apply a force to a ground-engaging tool of the agricultural implement via the piston rod;

receiving a pressure signal from a pressure sensor configured to monitor a fluid pressure inside the fluid cylinder;

determining a position change of the piston rod based on the position signal during a certain period of time;

determining an expected pressure change based on the position change;

determining a pressure change of the fluid pressure inside the fluid cylinder based on the pressure signal during the certain period of time;

determining an expected position change based on the pressure change;

comparing the position change to the expected position change;

comparing the pressure change to the expected pressure change; and

identifying a fault in response to determining the position change is not within a first threshold range of the expected position change, or determining the pressure change is not within a second threshold range of the expected pressure change, or a combination thereof.

15 . The method of claim 14 , comprising:

in response to determining the position change is not within a first threshold range of the expected position change, identifying a first fault type for the fault; and

in response to determining the pressure change is not within a second threshold range of the expected pressure change, identifying a second fault type for the fault.

16 . The method of claim 15 , comprising storing a first occurrence for the first fault type and a second occurrence for the second fault type during a time period.

17 . The method of claim 14 , comprising outputting a notice in response to determining a number of occurrences of the fault is greater than a threshold value.

18 . The method of claim 14 , comprising controlling the fluid pressure inside the fluid cylinder via a control valve fluidly coupled to the fluid cylinder based on the position signal, the pressure signal, or a combination thereof.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the ground-engaging tool comprises a gauge wheel configured to control a penetration depth of a disc blade into soil.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the penetration depth of the disc blade into the soil is determined based on the position signal received from the position sensor.