Operator Seats for Agricultural Equipment

Larry F. Stikeleather

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Operator Seats for Agricultural Equipment

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  Operator Seats for Agricultural Equipment. ASAE Distinguished Lecture No. 7, pp. 1-34. Winter Meeting of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 15 December 1981, Chicago, Illinois 903C2681.(doi:)
Authors:   Larry F. Stikeleather
Keywords:   Static Compatibility of Operator/Seat/Machine, The Operating Task Analysis, Locating the Operator in the Seat, Locating the Seat Relative to the Controls, Dimensioning the Seat, Cushion Functional Requirements, The Human Back, The Back Cushion, The Human Buttocks, The Buttock Cushion, Dynamic Compatibility of Operator/Seat/Machine, Ride Vibration, Operator: Ride Vibration Response Theory, Operator: Ride Vibration Response Prediction, Operator: Ride Vibration Response Measurement, Ride Dynamics, Agricultural Machines: Ride Dynamics Theory, Agricultural Machines: Ride Dynamics Prediction, Agricultural Machines: Ride Dynamics Measurement, Ride Performance, Seat: Ride Performance Theory, Seat: Ride, Performance Prediction, Seat: Ride Performance Measurement, Other Seating Considerations, Future Developments, The Seat Reference Point (SRP) Dilemma, Technical Data Sheets, Instrumentation Specification Sheet, Seat Vibration Test Report Sheet, Tractor Seat Regulation Summary

1.0 Introduction

The seat is perhaps more closely linked to operator comfort and feeling of well-being than any other machine component. This is because a good operator seat performs the following basic functions (Koutsky, 1978):

Provides the operator with a comfortable and controlled seated posture.

Reduces mechanical shock and vibration transmitted to the operator.

Positions the operator, relative to the machine, to provide adequate vision allowing him to safely and efficiently perform all his work functions.

Positions the operator, to provide easy and non-fatiguing access to machine controls.

Restrains the operator within a safety zone in the event of collision or roll-over of the machine.

Therefore, the interfacing of the human operator to a machine - the biological to the mechanical - requires special considerations involving many aspects of human factors engineering and machine design in general. The subject is much too broad to be covered in detail in this paper. I shall attempt to outline some of the important considerations in seat design and evaluation, and reference other sources of more detailed information which should be helpful, especially to the engineer starting to work in this area for the first time.

2.0 Historical Brief

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