AEF ISOBUS, a step towards the future
The Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation AEF staged a Test Matrix of ISOBUS protocol covering the three of the Plugfest held October 21-24 in Senlis, France for a concrete verification of the progress of these applications. Manufacturers of devices based on ISO 11783 and the guidelines laid down by AEF can connect their various devices to verify their correction functioning. Numerous activities with the participation of Italian companies and the REI, Reggio Emilia Innovation, which represents the official test institute for Italy
November 2014, time for EIMA International and time for balance sheets. And among them those on the activities of AEF, the Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation, since its formation cannot be missed. It is now a given that in Europe, and in the world at large, that that talk is continuously increasing on high technology in the setting of agriculture, even in traditional areas where there has been resistance to takeing on ISOBUS, the technology for precision farming and everything with four wheels around now on the move for quickly recovering lost ground.
This is not the case for Japan, a country where the need for typical machines and especially as regards costs, size and operation specifications is similar to Italy and other Mediterranean countries, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization is pushing all manufacturers towards the adoption of ISOBUS though this process if moving in small steps. The ISOBUS Plugfest technical event was par excellence in which every manufacturer building devises and machines based on ISO standard 11783 on the guidelines set out by AEF could conntect their various devised to verify correction functioning. And in Italy? Never before this year has there been the participation of such a large and productive number of Italian companies, including the official Italian AEF Test Institute, Reggio Emilia Innovation REI in attendance at the technical meetings of the work groups. A number of manufacturers are creating ISOBUS machine devices with success implementing the functions basic for precision farming. These on view are UT Server (Universal Terminal Server – previsiously known as VT); UT Client (Universal Terminal Client – CPU equipment for UT services); TECU (Tractor Electronic Control Unit); AUX-N (Auxiliary Input New – auxiliary input devices); TC-Client (Task Controller Client – integral functioning with CPU controlled equipment capable of managing variable rate operations and automatic closure of base section in GPS locations).
There is then the strong sensation that something is moving with force also among the FederUnacoma members just as there is also the strong sensation that the world is being increasingly invaded by ISOBUS, as testified to by the new record of participation in the event. More than 220 people, 40 test stations and more than 80 CPUs set up for the test, impressive numbers.
But that is now all. AEF ISOBUS at the Plugfest was also an occasion, as stated above, to add up whast is happening inside the foundation in which FederUnacoma is beginning to play an important technical role. Leaving out the already consolidated AEF work groups active for a number of, we feel pressed to mention the new ones, those who are taking up the technologies which will lead agricultural mechanication to new steps toward the future.
The reference is thus to ISOBUS Automation (or TIM - Tractor Implement Management), the encryption procotol of communications. If TIM enables the use of automation of various tractor functions the safety protocol will have the task of blocking machines which are not authorized and unreliable – those without AEF certification – from the use of these functions for the purpose of preventing accidents for the operators and legal problems for the manufacturer. The talk is of High Voltage and the need to reduce costs and the size of cables and couplings provided for the electric power of the tractor and equipment. This is fundamental technology for the purpose of achieving greater precision in operations and a sharply reduced impact on the environment and keeping the peace with national regulations on emissions and pollution. Camera Systems are spoken of, that is, as a consequence of standardized video streaming, now analogue, between implements and tractors. The applications are many, those for safety and those on diagnostics and the verification work under way. There is talk of FMI (Farm Management Information Systems) and the information necessary for the best possible management of farms and operations.
Two new work groups have been introduced: High Speed and Wireless Communications. The first focuses on the definition of the new physical media for broad band transmissions between tractors and implements for the purpose of overcoming the ISOBUS limitation now reached. But not this alone in that these media will be capable of transmissmitting digital video flows, carry out diagnostics, calibrations and programming for CPUs and much more. The only limitation is that of the fantasy of the designers! The work group on Wireless Communications, on the other hand, is aiming mainly but not exclusively, at the synchronization of operations between different machines for the communication of data from one to the other via FMIS systems. Its useless to say that in field of the application of these technologies – taken singularly or in a combination of them – us truly infinate. This is not the occasion for discussing the issue but it will be examinated in future articles and meeting. What is pressing instead is to say two words on the FederUnacoma activities for their ideas and promotions. Reference was made at the beginning of the article to the way Japan is moving towards the adoption of the ISOBUS protocol and other AEF backed technologies has led to the question: is Japan so different from Italy? The answer is a resounding NO.
Most agricultural work in Japan is highly specialized as are the machines for performing these operations. Tractors and low price small scale implements physically deploying ISOBUS are beyond discussion because the electronic systems are complicated, too costly, too big, parts are difficult to find on the market and so forth. This is what is behind the idea of forming a group and offering a physical media for ISOBUS communications which are more simple and less costly, with obvious and ample limitations but are sufficiently stable to be used on simple and small machinery. The objective, be it clear, is to drive the manufacturers of these machines to adopt new technologies developed by AEF, led by I-SOBUS.
The new physical level is not intended to replace the standard and could not be capable of doing so because of obvious technical limitations. But it could allow Italy’s SMIs to approach electro-niche technologies with greater confidence, integrating then into their own machines for building increasingly better products for rational operations.
In ISO, with TC23/SC19/WG1 (meeting in Senlis on October 20th), is the work group involved with the ISO 11783 norm activated in April 2014 with a task forced led by FederUnacoma for analyzing possible technical solutions for this simplified physical media. The first solution presented by FederUnacoma for the task force to ISO and AEF was a strong one and led to the thinking that AEF intended to promote this activity from the technical as well as the marketing standpoints beginning with a name, though the initiative is still at the embroynic stage. There are many manufacturers grouped in the work group providing their imput and showing strong interest in the opportunity offered. In substance, according to the Italian saying, a lot of water has passed under the bridge and there’s a lot of meat in the fire for the future.
FederUmacoma has volunteered to take part in this development process along with the member companies. For this reason, EIMA International has organized three events for getting into contact with the real AEF and benefit from this knowledge. On November 13th from 10:00 to 12:3o am there is a seminar, Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF): Situation and Panorama of Activities and technical seminars on November 13th from 4:00 to 5:00 pm and November 14th from 11:00 to 12:00 am on Formula the Formulator: Introducing AEF Market Orientations to Services and Instruments for Promotion of ISOBUS Technology. All those interested can learn details from the official EIMA International webside and register for participation in the events.
