Digital Power Steering at Agritechnica

Italy-based Ognibene Power is a specialist in the production of hydraulic steering systems for off-highway vehicles. The company celebrates in 2023 its 70-year anniversary.

Ognibene Power has phased in its Digital Power Steering (DPS) system that received the EIMA International Innovation Award in 2022 for application in agricultural tractors. The system will be on display at the company’s booth at the Agritechnica show, in Hall 16, B06.

The DPS is a brushless electric motor with sensors coaxially integrated inside the steering column between the steering wheel and the hydraulic steering unit. The integrated sensors inside the electric motor are designed to measure the angle and driver’s applied torque.

The data are processed by the DPS electronic control unit (ECU) to calculate the perfect steering response based not only on the tractor speed signal and the front wheels’ position, but also on the type of implements and driver’s personal setting.

Ognibene Power explained that, thanks to the above features and to a system specifically designed to reach an Agricultural Performance Level D (ISO 25119), DPS introduces new smart functionality on the steering (available also for use on public roads) to increase safety, controllability, stability, and accuracy at high speed and both comfort and agility at low speed.

The vehicle is equipped with DPS from the factory, therefore it is a fully homologated steering system for on-road and off-road use. The driver has always the possibility to override the system and keeps full control of the vehicle through the steering wheel, in any situation.

Specifically, the key features and main benefits of the DPS system are:

• Active steering wheel return also in reverse (recentering);
• Speed dependent steering assistance;
• GPS guidance integration;
• Free programmable steering rules (synthetic boost curve);
• Active haptic feedback on the steering wheel;
• Steering with personal settings;
• Steering joystick or mini-wheel easy integration.

Recently, Ognibene Power implemented an evolution to the traditional DPS system: the DPS6.

With a redundant six-phase motor architecture (two independent three-phase windings), the DPS6 presents the same features of DPS; however, in case of failure of one channel, it is possible to steer the vehicle for a few minutes even with no driver onboard, using the remaining channel.

This architecture is an enabling technology for autonomous driving thanks to the integrated redundancy.