Development of a data acquisition system for measuring the characteristics of real time forces by cage wheels

A new data acquisition system was introduced that could be used to monitor the real time wheel forces to solve the limitations of obtaining precise performance characteristics of actual cage wheels. Contrary to previous methods, in which the cage wheel forces were obtained by summing up the individual lug forces. The new method enables measurement of the components of lug force in three orthogonal directions simultaneously. A single unit dynamometer system, with two extended octagonal rings was designed and fabricated using a solid mild steel block, was able to measure force up to 5 kN in each direction. It was used in a soil-bin test rig to determine the characteristics of the forces produced by a cage wheel with opposing circumferential lugs. The characteristics of the pull and lift forces agreed with measured drawbar pull and calculated wheel forces respectively. The force signals fluctuated periodically with rotation angle and the corresponding period approximately equal to the interval of angular lug spacing. The side force fluctuated between positive and negative values and the average was closer to zero due to the balancing effect of opposing lugs. The new system showed better output compared to the previous attempts, confirming its applicability for accurate measurement of real time wheel forces.