Concept of an innovative tiltable platform for the experimental test of the stability of agricultural machinery

Current systems used to test the rollover stability of agricultural machines are simple and effective: they investigate the static performance of a vehicle equipped with its own tires, placed on a flat platform inclined at different angles. This system has some limits: vehicles are tested under static conditions at the side overturning only, with their steering members (wheels, central joint) in a straight-path configuration. Therefore, a new system for testing the stability of machines, able to overcome the limitations of current test rigs, is presented. For its development, a “top-down” logic applied to a two-step design process was followed. The plot of several schemes/CAD drawings and the implementation of several equations in a numerical tool allow performing some systemic and kinetodynamics analyses. The system will be provided with a wide tilting plane allowing a vehicle, eventually equipped also with a trailer, to travel on it along a complete circular trajectory. The tangent line at each point of this circumferential trajectory has a different inclination, comprised in particular between -180° and +180° with respect to the maximum slope direction of the platform. The same support surface will have an articulation hinge, positioned at the centre of the supporting surface and having an extension equal to the platform width. This hinge will allow to angle the two flat parts that concur in it and on which the vehicles are placed and made travel: therefore, thanks to it, it will be possible to create an edge similar to a change in the slope.