Telai studiati con la realtà virtuale e saldati con robot per ridurre al minimo le vibrazioni. La scomparsa dei montanti laterali ha trasformato le fiancate in una sola ampia vetrata Frames designed with virtual reality and welded by robots to minimize vibrations. The disappearance of the side posts has transformed the sides into a single large window n. 10-11/2024 43 TECHNOLOGY uno dei settori che più si sono evoluti per far fronte alla rivoluzione tecnologica e digitale. In che modo? E verso cosa si andrà nei prossimi anni? Capirlo è molto difficile, anche se qualche tendenza si può cogliere. Cominciamo però col vedere come la postazione di guida si è modificata per adattarsi alle esigenze di una guida (e di un guidatore) moderna. Più ampia, più confortevole. Partiamo dalla struttura. Con gli anni le dimensioni sono aumentate, per tutte le gamme di trattori, inclusi i piccoli specializzati. Quando non è stato possibile ampliare più di tanto i volumi, si è fatto ricorso ad accorgimenti che dessero all’operatore l’impressione di avere a disposizione più spazio. Per esempio, aumentando la distanza tra il sedile e il lunotto posteriore, oppure dando una forma più bombata ai vetri laterali o al tettuccio. Anche la maggior altezza del vetro anteriore aiuta a migliorare sia la visibilità, sia il comfort per chi sta al volante, rendendogli più semplice vedere cos’ha davanti. Uno degli interventi più radicali, messo in atto nell’ultimo decennio, è stata l’eliminaCabins, how they change with the digital technology The need to accommodate bundles of cables revolutionizes internal organization, but it also allows controls to be placed wherever preferred and interchangeable. The number of displays increases, the traditional dashboard disappears, and there is room for USB ports and electrical connections. Connectivity and the pursuit of comfort guide the designers' choices those behind the wheel, making it easier to see what's ahead. One of the most radical changes made in the last decade was the elimination of the side pillars. Until 2010, cabs had six pillars: the four main ones and two on the sides. They were then reduced to five to increase the size of the left door. Now, there are four, with two large windows forming the side walls. It's obvious that all this glass allows a lot of light in and, with it, a lot of radiant energy, which causes, of course, greater heating of the interior and the environment in general. To reduce this, curtains are used, or in the case of highend machines, special glasses that allow light to pass through while cutting down on radiation, maintaining the working environment temperature even two degrees lower compared to a cabin with standard glass. A similar solution addresses the noise issue: more than one manufacturer has adopted sound-absorbing glass, especially for harvesting machinery. These consist of double panes separated by a sound-absorbing plastic film. Derived from the building and automotive sectors, they can reduce engine noise emissions, keeping indoor noise levels under 70 decibels for tractors and slightly more for combines and forage harvesters. Designed in virtual reality. Before being built, the cabin is now entirely designed on a computer, with the help of virtual reality. 3D simulations make it possible to visualize every detail and every joint, ensuring there are no problems. Laser welds complete the work, ensuring a perfect fit between the different chassis components. Noise is kept outside, besides increasingly thicker and more technological glass, by sound-absorbing panels arranged under the floor to isolate the driver's station from the transmission. Suspension, which is becoming increasingly common for mid-to-high-end cars, also promotes comfort and cabin isolation. They are often mechanical at two points; more rarely, they are semi-active and continuously interact with the front axle for a coordinated response to ground irregularities. How the interior changes. An interesting aspect of discussing cabin evolution is understanding how it is, in part or majority, conditioned by technological evolution, even at a structural level: over time, space had to be made for the hundreds of meters of wires required for the wiring of a 21st-century cabin. Multifunction armrests, linkage and spool valve controls, and then connections for the various displays, for the air conditioner, for sensors placed under the seat and in the steering wheel... designers were forced to invent at least one housing for the various control units, sometimes even two. The space under the fenders and the footboard is now occupied by skeins of cables weaving toward each direction. While digital demands complicate the division of spaces within the cabin, they also help simplify some crucial choices, such as the distribution and
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