From the GreenStar™ display main menu, press the application soft key to display the sugarcane
harvester homepage. On the homepage press the sugarcane harvester icon one more time
to move to the second sugarcane home screen. Press the primary extractor fan icon, opening
the extractor fan set-up screen . system controls and function status indicators are displayed
for the extractor fan. Checking the “auto” checkbox in the upper
left corner of the screen will activate the SmartClean™ system.
The fan speed scale in the upper portion of the screen is a green bar that expands progressively
to the right as the fan speed increases, indicating the current fan speed.
Fan speed increase and decrease arrow buttons below the speed scale adjust the fan speed.
The lower section of the extractor fan set-up screen includes operating mode one and mode
two checkboxes, and a fan RPM setpoint box. The smart power modes are designed to reduce
power requirements during periods when n o cane is being harvested, such as during headland
turns. The fan speed will be reduced to the speed indicated in the RPM setpoint box. The
smart power mode fan speed can be adjusted using up and down arrows that appear when
pressing the fan speed cell. When the mode one checkbox is checked, fan
speed reduction will occur when the elevator is not operating, or no crop is detected in
the elevator. When checking the mode two checkbox, fan speed reduction will occur when crop is
not present and being processed by the chopper. In the upper section of the extractor set-up
screen, the upper and lower fan speed soft keys are used to adjust the range of fan speed
from the lowest to highest allowed speeds. Press the lower speed soft key to display
plus and minus buttons to adjust the lower fan speed limit on the fan speed scale, indicated
by the right end of the gray band on the left end of the speed scale.
Press the upper speed soft key to display plus and minus buttons to adjust the highest
fan speed limit on the fan speed scale When adjusting the upper and lower speed settings,
limits cannot override the current fan speed setting by making adjustments past the current
setting. For example, the lower limit setting cannot be adjusted higher than the current
setpoint, and the higher limit setting cannot be adjusted lower than the current setpoint.
If the specific fan speed ranges are set then both manual and automatic modes are restricted
to run between the lower and upper ranges. Press menu box “E” to advance to the second
primary extractor set-up page, displaying set-up controls for elevator trash, cane loss
and residue estimate values. An enable checkbox above each of the settings must be checked
to activate that mode and allow adjustment of target settings. The up or down arrows
are then used to adjust the range and target for the maximum detected and allowable level
of elevator trash
The up and down arrows are then used to adjust the range and target for the maximum detected
and allowable level of cane billets discharged from the primary extractor fan.
The residue estimate mode reflects the amount of extracted debris that is returned to the
field surface,. The up and down arrows are then used to adjust the range and target for
the minimum allowable level of crop residue that is discharged by the primary extractor
fan. SmartClean will increase the extractor fan
speed in an attempt to reach the elevator trash targets. The result is an increased
level of debris removal and a cleaner cane harvest sample.
Increasing the speed of the extractor fan, while effective in removing debris, can also
result in cane billet loss. Therefore the effects of reaching cane loss targets often
reduce the fan speed and reduce cleaning. When multiple control modes are activated,
the cane loss mode will take control precedence, and override other settings to avoid cane
loss. The offset of preventing cane loss is slightly more debris and residue in the harvested
cane. The steady blue icon will indicate which mode is currently controlling fan speed.
During operation, the colored gauges next to each target setting adjustment will have
green gauge bars to indicate when the system is achieving or performing better than targets.
If the measured value falls outside of the target range, the gauge bar will change from
green to red in color. Understanding the interactions between the
fan speed control modes is important in helping the operator determine adjustments in reaction
to differing operating conditions. The objective to achieve optimal cleaning performance while
avoiding cane loss is for all of the performance gauges to be operating within target ranges,
with green gauge bars. Some examples will illustrate how operation
may be modified to return a control value back to meeting targets.
If elevator trash maintains a persistent red gauge, the operator may opt to accept an elevator
trash level greater than the current target, and continue to operate outside the target.
The trash target could be increased to allow more elevator trash and return to the green
range; or ground speed could be decreased until the current trash target is met.
If the cane loss mode is controlling fan speed, the cane loss target can be increased, which
will increase fan speed and decrease elevator trash. However, this approach will likely
result in an increase in cane loss. The cane loss target can remain at the higher setting,
with a corresponding reduction of ground speed until loss targets are met.
If the system does not seem to be able to remove as much trash as previously demonstrated
or expected, this indicates other effectors should be considered.
Some known influencers of cleaning vs fan speed are, cane variety, diameter, leaf condition,
throughput such as tons per hour, fan blades, chopper blades, and chopper timing should
be investigated. If difficulty is experienced in attaining
the level of performance of the SmartClean system due to sensing or fan speed control
issues, onboard diagnostics are available. Press the diagnostics button in the right-hand
menu column. System diagnostic readings can be displayed
and checked to confirm operating values are within correct system parameters. Refer to
the operator’s manual and SmartClean diagnostics for further information and procedures. Contact
your John Deere dealer as necessary for assistance. Creating a load totals file in the GreenStar
system will allow the operator to capture SmartClean operating performance.
Start by selecting the layout manager soft key from the GreenStar main menu. Select the
recommended layout menu soft key “G” as an operating screen page for sugar operation,
and check “Include in the Homepage Collection”. Select the red area at the top.
Select Sugarcane as the information source Cycle forward to the controls screen shown
for smartclean and select it by pressing on the screen area
Upon return to the layout manager, select the green area
Choose sugarcane as the information source Cycle through to the basecutter target and
pressure screen as shown and select it by pressing on the screen area.
Set up the blue section with Save/Load Totals as shown in the Harvest Monitor video, and
press “Accept”. This layout allows the floating crop divider
and contour base cutter operating page in one horizontal cell, and SmartClean in the
other horizontal cell. Harvest monitor data is displayed in the vertical cell on the right
side of the layout. This video has been provided as a supplement
to the machine operator’s manual. The objective has been to provide sugarcane harvester operators
with the information necessary to set-up and operate the SmartClean system. SmartClean
is yet another tool available to producers who have come to expect the ultimate in productivity
from harvesting equipment by John Deere.