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Vktor Autonomous Vehicle
Category
Industrial Design / Concept Design / Appliances
The project focuses on the design of an autonomous electric vehicle system for managing a farm and its logistical organization, with the aim of increasing efficiency and productivity, reducing operating costs and improving crop quality. In addition, the project aims to replace manual labor with machine labor, improving employees' working conditions and increasing safety on the farm.
The vector, so called because it serves as a means of transport for agricultural machinery and products, is equipped with a single central track moved by a wheel motor. The vector is capable of hooking up and transporting, throughout the field and farm space, machinery of different weights and sizes, taking advantage of the ability to couple and work individually or in synchrony with identical modules.
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Track grip
The track offers advantages over the wheel: it reduces pressure on the ground and, on deformable and poorly compacted surfaces, it increases grip.
Tracked vehicles generally have greater mobility than those with tires on rough terrain, as they reduce jolting by passing over smaller obstacles. In addition, tracks are more durable than tires in that they cannot burst or be punctured.
Technical components
The Drive Wheel (Pinion) consists of a motor wheel.
At the opposite end of the track is a wheel on which no the motor wheel (Idler Wheel) acts on.
The idler wheel is connected to the track tensioning mechanism (Tensioning roller that serves to keep the track under tension in the less tensioned section).
In the central portion is the Rolling train to support the track throughout the area that touches the ground.
Support wheels
As for agricultural vehicles equipped with double tracks, they are able to curve by decreasing or
increasing the rotational speed of one of the two tracks and can, if necessary, rotate on themselves
(around an imaginary central pivot equidistant from both tracks) by reversing the direction of travel of one of the two, but maintaining speed. In the case of Vktor, in which there is only one track, rotation would be almost impossible.
Consequently, to enable a single module to make turns and reposition itself to connect agricultural instruments, the most direct option was to insert a pair of mechanical arms with two pivoting directional wheels positioned at the ends. The two arms, connected to and powered by a small electric motor positioned above the central support structure of the track, are by default in the raised position, mainly to avoid damage in case the track moves over uneven terrain and with the presence of protruding clods of soil. When the speed of the carrier is reduced or when it is within evenly paved warehouses, the wheels lower themselves by acting as a pivot. They, when fully lowered, raise the carrier at the front portion of the track, effectively transforming Vktor into a three-wheeled vehicle, two of which are those previously mentioned, the third being the track wheel motor, which, remaining anchored
to the ground, provides the necessary propulsion for movement.
Tools connection
At the uppermost portion of the body is a metal and magnetic surface that allows
engagement and disengagement by turning the magnet on and off (by running an electrical charge
through it that reverses polarity). In the portion just in front of the magnet, at the beginning of the sloping
part at the body, there is a fifth proximity radar to allow the instrument to figure out at what point it is
exactly below the docking point so that it can stop and activate the magnet. At the front and rear of the
body are two light clusters, which are useful in making the LiDar recognizable to its surroundings even at
night.
Charging
At the top, in addition to the docking magnet, there is an opening door containing the charging socket for
the CCS2 battery, the best solution to give the owner the ability to recharge the vehicles either with a
domestic electric vehicle charging cable or with a high-powered column whose installation is required.
Closing the outlet via a flap ensures that it is protected from any damage due to debris or mud during
agricultural operations.
How does Vktor work?
The four Vktor modules are in charge in one of the company's sheds. Depending on the remotely
sent control, the task to be performed, and the instrument to be transported, one or more Vktor modules are activated as they leave the shed. The modules make their way to the sheds containing the instruments.
Connection
Having selected the machinery needed to carry out the job, Vktor slides under it in reverse, using the two
moving wheels for steering. Once aligned, it activates the magnet: the connection phase is complete.
The modules carry the machinery out of the shed, heading toward the work destination.
How does EPY work?
The modules carry the machinery out of the shed, heading toward the work destination.
For demonstration purposes only but not exhaustively, three possible configurations of Vktor have been proposed.
Single module
The first shows how Vktor is able to work as a single module, carrying into the field and
working it with a harrow.
Double module
The second configuration, with two modules, involves the use of an intelligent
mechanical arm to harvest fruit from trees, thus without the need for farm laborers.
Quad module
The third and final configuration takes advantage of all four modules of Vktor. This configuration is designed for transporting
heavy goods in logistics areas (wheat or seed), in the fields (as an assistance to combines for unloading harvested grain) or on the farm (for transporting animals or feed).
© 2025 by Alessandro Pennese
