Ultimate Front Loader Control

[Grrrr]

We have a couple of loaders with joysticks liek that. I like them but they can give you a funny feeling in your hand if you use them for too long because there is no 'feel' to them. They are extremely light.

Most farm equipment today utilises electric joysticks.

In truth, an electric joystick is actually a lot more reliable than a mechanical joystick with cables. Fact.

Cables stretch. Cables snap. Cables freeze up. Cables get damaged. Cables require specific parts to repair. Cables are specific lengths. The joystick bearings / mount wears out. The joystick gets sloppy.


The electric joysticks do not have cables snap. The cables do not stretch. The joysticks do not wear out. If a cable gets snapped, any old bit of cable joined on will get it going again. The joystick will never be sloppy.

There is relatively little to go wrong with the electrics. Mainly simple problems, like broken wires going to the control box.


I'd much rather have to fix a snapped wire late at night with a bit of electrical tape than try to replace a snapped mechanical joystick cable!

 

[kjung17]

We have a couple of loaders with joysticks liek that. I like them but they can give you a funny feeling in your hand if you use them for too long because there is no 'feel' to them. They are extremely light.

Most farm equipment today utilises electric joysticks.

In truth, an electric joystick is actually a lot more reliable than a mechanical joystick with cables. Fact.

Cables stretch. Cables snap. Cables freeze up. Cables get damaged. Cables require specific parts to repair. Cables are specific lengths. The joystick bearings / mount wears out. The joystick gets sloppy.

The electric joysticks do not have cables snap. The cables do not stretch. The joysticks do not wear out. If a cable gets snapped, any old bit of cable joined on will get it going again. The joystick will never be sloppy.

There is relatively little to go wrong with the electrics. Mainly simple problems, like broken wires going to the control box.

I'd much rather have to fix a snapped wire late at night with a bit of electrical tape than try to replace a snapped mechanical joystick cable!

A replacement cable is about $40. Potentiometers and micro switches do fail. Having to replace a joystick assembly, almost $2000

 

[magicheater]

Interesting, has a Shake function as well, might be useful for the full time operator especially if coupled with the new Westendorf loaders.

 

[Johnbro]

My poor old tractor is frightened of this new technology. I held a picture of "The Ultimate Joystick" in front of the little Ford and it squeezed out a puddle of hydraulic fluid and sagged a little. :ashamed:

Now if you excuse me, my tractor and I are off to counseling.

Joe

:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[Grrrr]

A replacement cable is about $40. Potentiometers and micro switches do fail. Having to replace a joystick assembly, almost $2000

We currently have 4 loaders with electric joysticks, and I certainly have never had any problems with any of them. Between them they have done about 20,000 hours now. Long gone are the days of having to unfreeze cable controls on cold mornings, or constantly adjust them to take up the slack.

Electrical failiures tend to be cables getting broken, especialyl ones leading from cab to implement, and getting trapped in the hitch etc or dragging along the road.


But you are correct about the cost, we have a hedge (verge) cutter, with about 10 electro hydraulic valves on it, all controlled by a very fancy proportional joystick. It got run over.

The cutting machine cost about $50,000 dollars (excluding tractor). The joystick nearly $7000 to replace as it was destroyed.

Ouch.

You might also be surprised to know that a new set of cables and fixings for a big Quicke loader is £748.64 GBP according to the book I have in front of me (2009). That's nearly 1200 dollars. More if you need longer than 3 metres.

 

[kjung17]

You know, they can put ,like, 30 functions on an xbox controller for 50 bucks. Perhaps we should approach the video game folks? Love the remark about the little Ford. I guess it would be wrong to hit it on the hood, with a rolled up newspaper?

 

[texasjohn]

Wow...this is why I love TBN and our community...just like sitting around the cracker barrel...where discussions go kinda like this...

OP... Whada y'all think about this ??

1 opinion...nah, stuff to break..too leading edge...not the way grandpa did it

2nd opinion...whooo-wee, nifty, but betcha pricey

3rd opinion....leaves you rolling on floor laughing uncontrollably:laughing:

4th opinion...been there, doing that, love it, better technology, personal experience including pros, cons and price.:thumbsup:

5th cracker, having had his thinking cap on all this time chimes in.... hmm...maybe it'd work with this twist that's less expensive or an improvement and could use some stuff I got sitting around...

And, you know, every one of them is right on the money:thumbsup:

love it!!

 

[Westendorf-RR]

Interesting, has a Shake function as well, might be useful for the full time operator especially if coupled with the new Westendorf loaders.

The guys with the new freedom loaders and electronic joystick really like them. These joysticks will run in the neighborhood of $4000 - $6000 but have unliminted potential to really speed up material handling in your application. Westendorf's has 2 extra functions (3rd & 4th spool) for attachments with dual hydralics such as a tree claw that grabs, then twists to load on flatbed or bale handler that grabs and rotates. It can be programmed to repeat repetitive tasks, such as return to dig position with touch of a button or to a 2nd bale stacking height or 3rd bale stacking height etc... It can automatically activate the bucket chatter at the top dump position to shake material free of the bucket. There is a really neat "slow" function that lets you use the rull range of the joystick but the loader will move really slow and precise.

The big question is how long will it take to pay off the added equipment with the time-saved from this joystick... Size of Operation vs. Cost of Ownership

 

[AKKAMAAN]

Very interesting post J_J!
This technology have been used for more than 2 decades in Scandinavian logging 200k$ - 800k$ equipment.So it's no coincident that this is coming from a Swedish company. I am just surprized that there is a market demand for this product on FEL's. It do definitely add a substantial amount of $$ to the price of the FEL and the tractor.

This investment is hard to defend, when there is a limited value of a good working environment. Have a hard time to see this on a tractor with no cab.


Yes this system are integrated with Load Sensing, pressure compensated hydraulic systems, that allow the hydraulics to be electronically tuned into perfection. Each function can get it's tuning stored for many different operators personal settings. Trouble shooting software is also an integrated part of these systems.


This pilot/remote control technology started snowballing on Scandinavian logging equipment in the mid 70's with hydraulic pilot servo controls, electric hydraulic pilot servo in the 80's and the digital computerized controlled pilot servo in the 90's...

I really think game control engineers and fluid power motion control engineers can have a "meeting" now, if they not already have met.


But can this be economically motivated, unless the equipment is commercially operated at least 2500+hours per year....???


EDIT:
I got it now, this control system is also made for FULL SIZE bucket loaders, se this Youtube from the Ålö manufacturing plant...NO CHINESE LABOR...just ABB robots...

 

[Rme639]

How do you tighten up cables on a quakie loader joystick? Got one fitted working tractor spool valves and its getin sloppy