Machine control for milling and returning to cut

Abstract

A system and method of controlling a machine. The control system comprising a controller, in response to a receipt of a ready-to-start activation data received from a user interface, configured to: pivot the ground-engaging-traction member to a center position, wherein, when in the center position, the first direction of travel of the ground-engaging-traction member is oriented parallel to a longitudinal length of the machine; and place the attachment into a float status, where the attachment is a side plate, or a moldboard or an anti-slab or an inboard ski, wherein the machine is a cold planer, a milling machine or a paving machine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control system for a machine that includes an engine, an attachment and a ground-engaging-traction member coupled to a frame, the machine configured to traverse a surface on the ground-engaging-traction member, the ground-engaging-traction member rotatable in a first direction of travel and pivotable clockwise or counterclockwise about a pivot axis in a second direction transverse to the first direction of travel, the control system comprising:
 a controller including a processor, a memory component and an output signal path, the controller, in response to a receipt of a ready-to-start activation data received from a user interface, configured to:
 pivot the ground-engaging-traction member to a center position, wherein, when in the center position, the first direction of travel of the ground-engaging-traction member is oriented parallel to a longitudinal length of the machine; and 
 place the attachment into a float status, where the attachment is a side plate, or a moldboard or an anti-slab or an inboard ski, 
   wherein the machine is a cold planer, a milling machine or a paving machine.   
     
     
         2 . The control system of  claim 1 , in which the controller is further configured to set the engine to high idle in response to the receipt of the ready-to-start activation data. 
     
     
         3 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the machine further includes a spray system coupled to the frame, the spray system including one or more nozzles, the spray system configured to emit through the one or more nozzles fluid at a spray rate in a spray rate range, wherein the controller is further configured to activate the spray system, in response to the receipt of the ready-to-start activation data, to emit fluid at the spray rate, wherein the spray rate is 25-60% of a full spray. 
     
     
         4 . The control system of  claim 1 , in which the machine further includes a conveyor coupled to the frame, the conveyor including a belt and configured to move material on the belt at a conveyor speed in a conveyor speed range, and in which the controller is further configured to activate the conveyor, in response to the receipt of the ready-to-start activation data, to move the belt at the conveyor speed, wherein the conveyor speed is 25-60% of full speed. 
     
     
         5 . The control system of  claim 1 , in which the controller is further configured to activate a vent system on the machine. 
     
     
         6 . The control system of  claim 1 , in which the controller, in response to a receipt of a return-to-previous-parameters activation information received from the user interface, is further configured to:
 recall and activate the most recent cutting and/or milling parameters for a cutting tool disposed on the machine;   move the attachment from a current position to a recalled last position and place the attachment in the float status;   pivot the ground-engaging-traction member to the center position; and   set the engine to high idle.   
     
     
         7 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the machine further includes a spray system coupled to the frame, the spray system including one or more nozzles, the spray system configured to emit through the one or more nozzles fluid at a spray rate in a spray rate range, in which the controller, in response to a receipt of a return-to-previous-parameters activation information received from a user interface, is further configured to activate the spray system to emit fluid at a last activated spray rate. 
     
     
         8 . The control system of  claim 1 , in which the machine further includes a vent system and a conveyor coupled to the frame, the conveyor including a belt and configured to move material on the belt at a conveyor speed in a conveyor speed range, in which the controller, in response to a receipt of a return-to-previous-parameters activation information received from the user interface, is further configured to:
 activate the conveyor to move the belt at a last activated conveyor speed; and   place the vent system in the last previous state of “on” or “off”.   
     
     
         9 . A method of controlling a machine that includes an engine, an attachment and a ground-engaging-traction member coupled to a frame, the machine configured to traverse a surface on the ground-engaging-traction member, the ground-engaging-traction member rotatable in a first direction of travel and pivotable clockwise or counterclockwise about a pivot axis in a second direction transverse to the first direction of travel, the method comprising:
 in response to receipt of a ready-to-start activation data from a user interface:
 automatically pivoting, by a controller, the ground-engaging-traction member to a center position, wherein, when in the center position, the first direction of travel of the ground-engaging-traction member is oriented parallel to a longitudinal length of the machine; and 
 automatically placing the attachment into a float status, wherein the attachment is a side plate, or a moldboard or an anti-slab or an inboard ski, 
   wherein the machine is a cold planer, a milling machine or a paving machine.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising setting, by the controller, the engine to a high idle in response to receipt of the ready-to-start activation data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , in which the machine further includes a spray system coupled to the frame, the spray system including one or more nozzles, the spray system configured to emit through the one or more nozzles fluid at a spray rate in a spray rate range, the method further comprising activating the spray system, in response to receipt of the ready-to-start activation data, to emit fluid at the spray rate, wherein the spray rate is 25-60% of a full spray. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , in which the machine further includes a conveyor coupled to the frame, the conveyor including a belt configured to move at a conveyor speed in a conveyor speed range, the method further comprising activating, in response to the receipt of the ready-to-start activation data, the conveyor to move the belt at the conveyor speed, wherein the conveyor speed is 25-60% of full speed. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising activating, in response to the receipt of the ready-to-start activation data, a vent system on the machine. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising, in response to a receipt of return-to-previous-parameters activation information received from a user interface:
 recalling and activating the most recent cutting and/or milling parameters for a cutting tool disposed on the machine; 
 moving the attachment from a current position to a recalled last position and placing the attachment in float status; 
 pivoting the ground-engaging-traction member to the center position; and 
 setting the engine to high idle. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , in which the machine further includes a spray system coupled to the frame, the spray system including one or more nozzles, the spray system configured to emit through the one or more nozzles fluid at a spray rate in a spray rate range, the method further comprising, in response to a receipt of return-to-previous-parameters activation information received from the user interface activating the spray system to emit fluid at a last activated spray rate. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , in which the machine further includes a conveyor coupled to the frame, the conveyor including a belt configured to move at a conveyor speed in a conveyor speed range, the method further comprising, in response to a receipt of return-to-previous-parameters activation information received from the user interface, activating the conveyor to move the belt at a last activated conveyor speed, and placing a vent system in the last previous state of “on” or “off”. 
     
     
         17 . A control system for a cold planer that includes an engine, a conveyor, a side plate, a moldboard, an anti-slab, a spray system, a vent system and a ground-engaging-traction member coupled to a frame, the cold planer configured to traverse a surface on the ground-engaging-traction member, the ground-engaging-traction member rotatable in a first direction of travel and pivotable clockwise or counterclockwise about a pivot axis in a second direction transverse to the first direction of travel, the spray system including one or more nozzles, the spray system configured to emit through the one or more nozzles fluid at a spray rate in a spray rate range, the conveyor including a belt configured to move material at a conveyor speed in a conveyor speed range, the control system comprising:
 a controller including a processor, a memory component and an output signal path, the controller, in response to a receipt of ready-to-start activation data received from a user interface, configured to:
 pivot the ground-engaging-traction member to a center position, wherein, when in the center position, the first direction of travel of the ground-engaging-traction member is oriented parallel to a longitudinal length of the cold planer; 
 place the attachment into a float status, wherein the attachment is the side plate, or the moldboard or the anti-slab or the inboard ski; 
 set the engine to high idle: 
 activate the spray system to emit fluid at the spray rate, wherein the spray rate is 25-60% of a highest spray rate in the spray rate range; 
 activate the conveyor to move the belt at the conveyor speed, wherein the conveyor speed is 25-60% of a highest speed in the conveyor speed range; 
 activate the vent system; and 
 mill or cut the surface with a milling drum disposed on the cold planer. 
   
     
     
         18 . The control system of  claim 17 , in which the controller, in response to a receipt of a return-to-previous-parameters activation information received from the user interface, is further configured to:
 recall and activate a most recent cutting and/or milling parameters for a milling drum disposed on the machine;   move the attachment from a current position to a recalled last position and place the attachment in the float status;   pivot the ground-engaging-traction member to the center position; and   set the engine to a high idle.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , in which the controller, in response to a receipt of a return-to-previous-parameters activation information received from the user interface, is further configured to activate the spray system to emit fluid at a last activated spray rate. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , in which the controller, in response to a receipt of a return-to-previous-parameters activation information received from the user interface, is further configured to:
 activate the conveyor to move the belt at a last activated conveyor speed; and   place the vent system in the last previous state of “on” or “off”.