Application Stories

Joystick Improves Windrowing

[picture of RMQ Titan joystick] Thanks to a new four-way joystick, recently introduced into Moeller’s RMQ Titan range, engineers at Jones Engineering near Doncaster have significantly improved the control of their agricultural machine.

Supplied by local distributor Scattergood and Johnson, the RMQ joystick has made the application – the lifting of onion beds – both safer and more reliable than before.

The need for a joystick more suited to the application had always been high on the list of requirements from Jones Engineering, but, having scoured suppliers for a suitable alternative, its engineers realised that there were none available. So, when Scattergood and Johnson told them about Moeller's new RMQ Titan range – which included a joystick – the engineers realised that they could get what they had been looking for.

Previously the joystick being used by Jones Engineering had contacts in all directions open at all times – even when in the neutral position. In this hostile environment, the joystick registered movement caused by inevitable vibrations that had the potential to interfere with the operation of the windrower.

Crucially Moeller's RMQ joystick assigns each of the four directions the joystick can move to a different contact element – but the greatest advantage is that it has no contacts at all in the neutral position. This robust design ensures that the potential problem of signals caused by vibrations are completely removed. Now the windrower operator can keep a constant eye on the beds confident that the joystick won't register spurious movement.

Jones Engineering found that the installation of the joystick was simple and trouble-free, as RMQ Titan is a snap fitting, modular system making it quick and easy to install. The joystick's appearance complements the ergonomic design of the other Moeller RMQ pushbuttons used, further improving the appearance of the windrower. Engineers and operators alike are very happy with how the new equipment works, as it addressed the shortcomings of the previous joysticks in a simple yet effective way.

This page last updated: 15 April 2005