BELT SLIP MEASURING SYSTEM

Abstract

A control system for a cold milling machine (10) comprises a speed sensor (46) and a controller (32). The speed sensor (46) is operatively connected to a conveyor belt (40) of the cold milling machine (10). The conveyor belt (40) is configured to be driven by a motor (38). The controller (32) is communicatively coupled to the speed sensor (46) and the motor (38). The controller (32) is configured to receive an indication of a speed of the motor (38) and to receive an indication of a speed of the conveyor belt (40) from the speed sensor (46). The controller (32) is further configured to determine an amount of belt slip of the conveyor belt (40) based on the received indication of the speed of the motor (38) and the received indication of the speed of the conveyor belt (40). The controller (32) is further configured to calculate a mass throughput of material on the conveyor belt (40) based on the amount of belt slip of the conveyor belt (40).

Description

Technical FieldThis disclosure relates generally to measurement systems for conveyors. This disclosure particularly relates to a system configured to measure belt slippage of a conveyor belt of a conveyor system used with heavy machinery such as a cold planer or other paving machine.Prior ArtAsphalted roads often allow a high volume of traffic. When roads are exposed to loads from automotive traffic as well as weather conditions such as temperature variations, humidity and other elements, they wear or get in a bad condition. Therefore, the asphalted road surfaces must be renewed at regular intervals. The worn road surface must be removed before it can be renewed. A cold planer, also called an asphalt planer, is used to break up and remove layers of asphalt on a roadway to prepare the roadway for repatting.Cold planers often include a frame supported by a plurality of chain or wheel members driven by an engine. The cold planer further includes a milling aggregate including one or more milling rollers that rotate below the frame to engage and break (e.g., mill) the roadway surface with cutting tools. Broken-off pieces of the roadway surface are conveyed away from the cold planer via a series of conveying arrangements. A first conveyor assembly transfers the crushed material from the bottom of the cold planer to a second conveyor assembly, and the second conveyor assembly conveys the material away from the cold planer, for example, onto a cargo area of a truck. The truck moves the crushed material from the roadway to another location, such as a rendering plant, where the crushed material may be reused or otherwise recycled as an aggregate for new asphalt. After the material is deposited on the bed of a first truck, generally a second truck is placed under the second conveyor assembly to receive additional material. This process is repeated until substantially all of the broken material is removed from the roadway.In order to use trucks efficiently, it may be desirable to avoid under-filling the truck bed, as this would require more truck loads to remove the broken material. On the other hand, it may be desirable to avoid overfilling of trucks, as trucks with overweight loads may cause significant cost penalty. To ensure that the trucks are neither overfilled nor overfilled, it is necessary to monitor an amount (e.g., a mass) of material conveyed into a cargo area by the cold planer. Accurately measuring a mass flow rate of material conveyed from the cold planer to the bed is difficult because the mass flow rate varies with a change in tension of the conveyor, conveyor slip, and / or changes in environmental parameters (e.g., temperature or humidity). Without reliable mass throughput measurements, operators may resort to underfilling the trucks to reduce the risk of financial penalty, resulting in suboptimal usage of trucks transporting broken roadway material.SummaryOne aspect of the present disclosure relates to a control system for a cold planer. The control system includes a speed sensor and a controller. The speed sensor is operatively connected to a conveyor belt of the cold planer. The conveyor belt is configured to be driven by a motor. The controller is communicatively coupled to the speed sensor and the engine. The controller is configured to receive an indication of a speed of the engine and receive an indication of a speed of the conveyor belt from the speed sensor. The controller is further configured to determine an amount of belt slippage of the conveyor based on the received indication of the speed of the engine and the received indication of the speed of the conveyor belt. The controller is further configured to calculate a mass flow rate of material on the conveyor based on the amount of belt slippage of the conveyor.Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a cold planer. The cold planer includes a conveyor system, a speed sensor, and a controller. The conveying system comprises a conveyor belt configured to be driven by a motor. The speed sensor is operatively connected to the conveyor belt. The controller is communicatively coupled to the speed sensor and the engine. The controller is configured to receive an indication of a speed of the engine and receive an indication of a speed of the conveyor belt from the speed sensor. The controller is further configured to determine an amount of belt slippage of the conveyor based on the received indication of the speed of the engine and the received indication of the speed of the conveyor belt. Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method. The method includes receiving, from an engine of a conveyor system of the cold planer, an indication of a speed of the engine and receiving, from a speed sensor operatively connected to a conveyor belt of the conveyor system, an indication of a speed of the conveyor belt. The method further comprises determining, based on the received indication of the speed of the engine and the received indication of the conveyor speed, an amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt; and calculating, based on the amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt, a mass flow rate of material on the conveyor belt.Brief Description of the DrawingsFIG. 1 is a side view of a machine with a conveyor system according to an example embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of the conveyor system of the machine of FIG. 1, according to an example embodiment. FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a roller of the conveyor system of FIG. 2 with the conveyor belt removed, according to an example embodiment. FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a roller and speed sensor of the conveyor system of FIG. 2 with the conveyor belt removed, according to an example embodiment. FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a roller and speed sensor of the conveyor system of FIG. 2 with the conveyor belt removed, according to an example embodiment. FIG. 6 is a side view of the conveyor belt of the conveyor system of FIG. 2, according to an example embodiment. FIG. 7 is a side view of a roller of the conveyor system of FIG. 2, according to an example embodiment. FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a controller of the machine of FIG. 1, according to an example embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a method for determining belt slippage of the conveyor belt of the conveyor system of FIG. 2, according to an example embodiment.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONReferring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a machine 10 is shown as a cold planer 10, among other things. The cold planer 10 includes a frame 11 supported by one or more tension members 12, shown as sprockets 12. The cold planer 10 further includes an engine 14 mounted to the frame 11 and a milling unit 16 supported on a bottom of the frame 11. The milling assembly 16 comprises at least one milling drum which is configured to rotate when driven by the motor 14. The rotation of the milling drum causes at least one cutting element extending from the milling drum to cut (e.g., cut, break) a surface 13 of a roadway. Each of the sprockets 12 is coupled to the frame 11 via an actuator 18. The actuators 18 are configured to extend or retract to raise and lower the frame 11 with respect to the surface 13. As the actuators 18 cause the frame 11 to descend relative to the surface 13, the cutting teeth of the milling aggregate 16 may cut the surface 13 at a greater (e.g., deeper) depth. As the actuators 18 cause the frame 11 to be raised with respect to the surface 13, the cutting teeth of the milling aggregate 16 may cut the surface at a lesser (e.g., shallower) depth. In some embodiments, the same actuators 18 or other actuators may be used to steer the cold planer 10 and / or adjust the travel speed of the sprockets 12.The cold planer 10 includes a first conveyor system 20 and a second conveyor system 22. the first conveyor system 20 includes a conveyor belt coupled to at least one rotatable roller and a motor. The motor is operatively connected to the conveyor belt (e.g., via a roller) to drive the conveyor belt around the roller. The movement of the conveyor belt is configured to transport material away from the milling unit 16. For example, the milling aggregate 16 may mill (e.g., cut, break open) the surface 13 to produce milling material (e.g., broken open asphalt material) that is conveyed away from the milling aggregate 16 via the first conveyor system 20. The amount of milling material conveyed by the milling unit 16 via the conveying system 20 depends at least partially on a depth at which the cutting teeth of the milling unit 16 cut into the surface 13. For example, if the actuators 18 are actuated to lower the frame 11 of the cold planer 10 toward the surface 13, the milling aggregate 16 is disposed correspondingly deeper such that the cutting teeth of the milling aggregate 16 cut the surface 13 deeper, resulting in a greater amount (e.g., a greater volume) of milling material being removed from the surface 13.The first conveying system 20 is configured to provide the milled material to the second conveying system 22. The conveyor system 22 includes a proximal end 24 disposed proximate a forward end of the cold planer 10 and a distal end 26 disposed remote from the forward end of the cold planer 10. The conveyor system 22 is pivotally connected to the frame 11 at a front end so that an angle of the conveyor system 22 with respect to the surface 13 or the frame 11 can be varied. For example, the distal end 26 of the conveyor system 22 may be raised or lowered with respect to the proximal end 24 to adjust the angle of the conveyor system 22 with respect to a surface 13 or to the frame 11. The cold planer 10 includes an angle sensor 41 coupled to the conveyor system 22 and configured to determine an angle of the conveyor system 22 relative to the frame 11 of the cold planer 10 or relative to the surface 13. For example, the angle sensor 41 could be an inclinometer, an optical sensor, a transducer, or another sensor configured to determine an angle of the conveying system 22. The conveyor system 22 includes a conveyor belt 40 driven by a motor 38 and configured to move in a conveying direction 28 about a plurality of rotatable rollers 42. The conveyor system 22 includes the motor 38 that drives the conveyor belt 40 along the rollers 42 from the distal end 26 of the conveyor system 22. In particular, the distal end 26 of the conveyor system 22 may include a roller 42 or drum driven by the motor 38 (e.g., a drive roller 42A) and the proximal end 24 may include a roller 42 that rotates as the motor 38 drives the conveyor belt 40. Accordingly, the conveyor system 22 includes the conveyor belt 40 that is driven at one location by the motor 38 and supported at several other locations by rollers 42.Milling material (e.g., broken up asphalt material) is conveyed in the conveying direction 28 by the drive of the conveyor belt 40 by the motor 38. As shown in FIG. 2, the motor 38 is coupled to, among other things, the conveyor belt 40 and is configured to drive the conveyor belt 40 along the rollers 42. The motor 38 is configured to drive the conveyor belt 40 at a conveyor speed such that milling material may be conveyed from the conveyor belt 40 and into the load bed 36 of the truck 34 at substantially the same conveyor speed. The motor 38 may rotate in a direction 39 to drive the conveyor belt 40 and cause the milling material to be conveyed in the conveying direction 28. In some examples, the motor 38 may be a hydraulic motor, an electric motor, or another motor. In various embodiments, the motor 38 may be driven by the motor 14 or another power source.The cold planer 10 may be deployed at a worksite (e.g., a roadway) to perform a roadway milling operation. In an example milling operation, the milling aggregate 16 of the cold planer 10 may be used to break (e.g., mill, cut) the surface 13 of the roadway. The conveyor belt of the first conveyor system 20 transports milling material from the milling assembly 16 and to the second conveyor system 22, and the motor 38 of the second conveyor system 22 rotates in the direction 39 to convey the milling material in the conveying direction 28. The milling material is conveyed from (e.g., away from) the distal end 26 of the conveying system 22 in the conveying direction 28 and into a loading surface 36 of a truck 34. The truck 34 may be a more off-road truck. The truck may be a truck, such as a dump truck (e.g., an articulated dump truck), or another truck having a cargo area, container, or other vessel configured to collect milling material. Milled material is deposited on the load surface 36 of the truck 34 via the conveying system 22. Once the load floor 36 of the truck 34 is filled to a desired level (e.g., with a desired mass of milling material), the truck 34 moves the milling material from the roadway to another location, such as a processing plant, where the broken up material may be reused or otherwise recycled as an aggregate for new asphalt. During the example milling operation, milling material may be further conveyed into the cargo area 36 of a second truck 34 that may be disposed proximate the distal end 26 of the conveyor system 22. This process is repeated until, for example, the milled material is removed from the surface 13 of the roadway.With continued reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cold planer 10 includes, among other things, an operator stand 30. the operator stand 30 includes at least one operator interface 31. the operator interface 31 is used to control the cold planer 10 or provide an indication to an operator of the cold planer 10. In some embodiments, the operator interface 31 may be configured to receive operator inputs for controlling or monitoring the cold planer 10. For example, the operator interface 31 may include a display screen and one or more input devices (e.g., switches, buttons, levers, joysticks, touch screen displays, or other input devices) to receive input from an operator for controlling the cold planer 10 or a cold planer parameter (e.g., a speed of the conveyor belt 40, a tension on the conveyor belt 40, or another parameter). In some embodiments, the operator interface 31 may be configured to provide an indication to an operator of the current state of the cold planer 10 or a component thereof.For example, the operator interface 31 may include a display screen (e.g., an LCD display, an LED display, or other display device), one or more lighting elements (e.g., LED lights, lamps, or other lighting devices), one or more acoustic elements (e.g., a speaker, siren, or other acoustic device), as well as other devices. In other embodiments, the operator interface 31 or operator stand 30 may be located outside of the cold planer 10 (e.g., at a remote location). For example, the operator interface 31 may be or include a remote controller, such as a portable controller or mobile device, with which an operator may control the cold planer 10 from a remote location (e.g., near the roadway or otherwise). The operator stand 30 or the operator interface 31 may be or include a software program and a user interface for a computer, and may include a combination of hardware and software. The cold planer 10 includes a controller 32. the controller 32, which is discussed in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8, is communicatively coupled to one or more components of the cold planer 10. Specifically, the controller 32 is communicatively coupled to the engine 38, the operator interface 31, and one or more sensors, as discussed below. The controller 32 is configured to receive data related to the operation or condition of the cold planer 10. The controller 32 is further configured to monitor or control operation of the cold planer 10. For example, in some embodiments, the controller 32 may determine a mass flow rate of milling material on the conveyor belt 40 of the conveyor system 22, as will be discussed in detail below. The controller 32 may be embodied on the cold planer 10 (e.g., as a physical component coupled to the cold planer 10), in the cloud (e.g., as a remote controller), or in a combination thereof. For example, cold planer 10 may include an in-vehicle controller 32 and a remote controller 32 that each perform separate functions or the same functions.As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the conveyor system 22 of the cold planer 10 includes, among other things, a frame 44 for rotatably supporting the rollers 42. the rollers 42 rotate with respect to the frame 44 via bearings or other friction reducing elements such that the rollers 42 are free to rotate with respect to the frame 44. In some examples, each of the rollers 42 rotates freely with respect to the frame 44 to allow movement of the conveyor 40 as the motor 38 drives the conveyor 40. In some embodiments, each of the rollers 42 defines a roller assembly that includes a plurality of rollers 42 disposed on the frame 44 in the same position. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5, the plurality of rollers 42 may be coupled to the frame 44 at the same position along the frame 44 (e.g., at the same position between the proximal end 24 and the distal end 26). The outermost rollers 42 are angled with respect to a middle roller 42 such that the conveyor belt 40 carried by the rollers 42 includes a generally concave or similar form factor. More specifically, the outermost rollers 42 extend at an upward angle from the middle roller 42 to form angled sides of the conveyor 40 that serve to retain the milling material on the conveyor 40 (e.g., to prevent milling material from dropping off the conveyor 40).As mentioned above, the motor 38 drives the conveyor belt 40 as the motor 38 or an element of the motor 38 or an element operatively connected to the motor 38 (e.g., a roller, shaft, or other drive mechanism) rotates in the direction 39. The motor 38 generates a force (e.g., a torsion force) applied to the conveyor belt 40 to cause the conveyor belt 40 to move. The motor 38 transmits the force to the conveyor belt 40 via a frictional force. Specifically, the friction between the belt 40 and the motor 38 drives the conveyor belt 40 (and the milling material supported by the conveyor belt 40) when the motor 38 is operated. However, when the frictional force between the motor 38 and the conveyor belt 40 is overcome, the conveyor belt 40 may "slide" with respect to the motor 38. In cases where the conveyor belt 40 slips, the motor 38 operates to drive the conveyor belt 40 at a desired conveying speed, but the conveyor belt 40 moves at an actual conveying speed that is less than the desired conveying speed. The conveyor belt 40 may slip with respect to the motor 38, for example, when a bottom surface of the conveyor belt 40 is worn, when a temperature of the conveyor belt 40 varies as a speed of the motor 38 increases (e.g., when the torsion force temporarily exceeds the friction force), when the tension in the conveyor belt 40 decreases, or for other reasons.The rollers 42 support the conveyor belt 40 while the motor 38 drives the conveyor belt 40. The rollers 42 are freely rotatable as the conveyor belt 40 moves. That is, the rollers 42 do not drive the conveyor belt 40, but are driven via the movement of the conveyor belt 40. The conveyor belt 40 travels along the rollers 42 supported by the frame 44 of the conveyor system 22. As the conveyor belt 40 moves, a frictional force is applied to the rollers 42 by the conveyor belt 40 causing the rollers 42 to roll in direction 39 as the conveyor belt 40 moves. Friction between an outer surface of the roller 42 and a bottom surface of the conveyor belt 40 causes the rollers 42 to move.As shown in FIGS. 3-5, a speed sensor 46, among other things, is operatively connected to the conveyor system 22. The speed sensor 46 is configured to determine a speed of the roller 42, a speed of the conveyor belt 40, or a speed of another component or element that moves with the conveyor belt 40 (e.g., at the same speed). In some examples, speed sensor 46 may be a contactless encoder, such as a magnetic speed sensor, an optical speed sensor, a Hall effect speed sensor encoder, or another speed sensor. The speed sensor 46 is configured to measure the speed of an object operatively connected to the conveyor belt 40. As shown in FIG. 3, the speed sensor 46 is, for example, an optical, magnetic, or Hall effect sensor configured to measure the speed of the roller 42 on which the conveyor belt 40 runs. Based on the speed of the roller 42, the speed of the conveyor belt 40 may be deduced.As shown in FIG. 5, the speed sensor 46 is, among other things, a rotary encoder that includes a wheel 47. The wheel 47 rotates about an axis 50 and contacts the roller 42 or the conveyor belt 40. the axis 50 of the wheel 47 is parallel or substantially parallel (e.g., ±15° from parallel) to an axis 52 of the roller 42 about which the roller 42 rotates. Movement of the roller 42 about the axis 52 or the conveyor belt 40 causes the wheel 47 of the speed sensor 46 to rotate at a speed that corresponds to the speed of the roller 42 or the conveyor belt 40 with which the wheel 47 is in contact. The speed sensor 46 is configured to determine a speed of the wheel 47 that is indicative of the speed of the roller 42 or the speed of the conveyor belt 40.In embodiments where the speed sensor 46 is configured to measure the speed of the conveyor belt 40, such as when the speed sensor 46 is a rotary encoder having a wheel 47 running along the conveyor belt 40, the speed sensor 46 may receive a speed measurement from a tight side of the conveyor belt 40 rather than from a slack side of the conveyor belt 40. More specifically, the conveyor belt 40 forms an endless loop having a top side and a bottom side, with the rollers 42 and the motor 38 (or a drive component of the motor 38) being disposed between the top side and the bottom side. When the motor 38 drives the conveyor 40 around the rollers 42, either the top or bottom of the conveyor 40 is a tight side (e.g., one side that is under tension) while the other side is a slack side (e.g., a compressed side). For example, in the arrangement shown in Figure 2, where the motor 38 is located at the proximal end 24 of the conveyor system 22 and rotates in the direction 39, the tight side of the conveyor belt 40 is the bottom side and the slack side is the top side. In other embodiments (e.g., those where motor 38 is located at the distal end), the tight side of conveyor 40 is the top side. The tight side of the conveyor 40 moves faster than the slack side of the conveyor 40. To improve the accuracy of a resulting speed measurement, the speed sensor 46 is configured to measure the speed of the conveyor belt 40 on the tight side of the conveyor belt 40.As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the speed sensor 46 is configured to measure, among other things, the speed of the conveyor belt 40 at or near (e.g., within 12 inches) the roller 42. For example, the speed sensor 46 is configured to measure the speed of the conveyor belt 40 at one of the rollers 42 of the conveyor system 22. The roller 42 near which the speed sensor 46 receives the speed measurement may be an intermediate roller 42 (e.g., a roller disposed between the proximal end 24 and the distal end 26 of the conveyor system 22), a roller at the distal end 26 of the conveyor system 22, or another roller 42. As mentioned above, the speed sensor 46 may be configured to measure the speed of the conveyor belt 40 independent of a roller 42 in other embodiments.As shown in FIG. 4, the conveyor system 22 includes, among other things, a load cell 45. the load cell 45 is configured to measure a force exerted by the conveyor belt 40 (and the milling material carried by the conveyor belt 40) on the frame 44 of the conveyor system 22. As shown in FIG. 4, the load cell 45 is disposed between the roller 42 and the frame 44 and is configured to measure the force applied by the conveyor belt 40 to (e.g., below) the roller 42. The load cell 45 is arranged to measure the force exerted by the conveyor belt 40 on the same roller 42 in the vicinity of which the speed sensor 46 is arranged to measure the speed of the conveyor belt 40. For example, the speed sensor 46 is arranged to measure a speed of the roller 42 (which corresponds to the speed of the conveyor belt 40) and the load cell 45 is arranged to measure a force applied to the same roller by the conveyor belt 40. In some examples, the load cell 45 may be a single column load cell, a multi-column load cell, a doughnut / pancake load cell, an S-type load cell, or another type of force transducer.For example, the load cell 45 may be any type of load cell configured to measure a compressive force applied by the conveyor 40 to the frame 44 of the conveyor system 22. The load cell 45 is communicatively coupled to the controller 32 and is configured to transmit an indication to the controller 32 of a force exerted by the conveyor belt 40 (and the milling material carried by the conveyor belt 40). For example, the load cell 45 may transmit periodic or continuous signals to the controller 32.Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the conveyor belt 40 or the roller 42 includes a plurality of speed sensing elements 54 for use with a contactless speed sensor 46, such as, but not limited to, an optical speed sensor 46 or a magnetic speed sensor 46. As shown in FIG. 6, the conveyor belt 40 includes, but not limited to, a plurality of speed sensing elements 54. As shown in FIG. 7, the roller 42 includes, but not limited to, a plurality of speed sensing elements 54. the speed sensing elements 54 are coupled to a side or edge of the conveyor belt 40 or a side or edge of the roller 42. For example, the speed sensing elements 54 may be metallic elements that are cast into the conveyor belt 40 or coupled (e.g., bonded) to the conveyor belt 40 or the roller 42. The metallic speed sensing elements 54 are easily detected, for example, by a magnetic speed sensor 46. The speed sensing elements 54 may be colored, protruding, recessed, or otherwise distinctive markings on the conveyor belt 40 that are readily recognizable by, for example, an optical speed sensor 46. The speed sensing elements 54 are spaced a distance 56 from each other. The distance 56 between adjacent speed sensing elements 54 is substantially a uniform distance. As the conveyor belt 40 moves or the roller 42 rotates, the speed sensor 46 is configured to detect the movement of the speed sensing elements 54 to determine a speed of the conveyor belt 40 or the roller 42. For example, the magnetic speed sensor 46 may be mounted on the frame 44 of the conveyor system 22 and arranged to detect the plurality of speed sensing elements 54 passing the magnetic speed sensor 46 as the conveyor belt 40 or the roller 42 moves. In another example, the optical speed sensor 46 may be mounted to the frame 44 of the conveyor system 22 and arranged to observe the plurality of speed sensing elements 54 passing through the speed sensor 46 as the conveyor belt 40 or roller 42 moves. Because the distance 56 is a substantially uniform distance, the speed or speed at which the speed sensing elements 54 pass the speed sensor 46 may correspond to the speed of the conveyor belt 40 or the roller 42.Referring to FIG. 8, a schematic illustration of the controller 32 is shown, among other things. The controller 32 includes a communication interface 58 and a processing circuit 60. the processing circuit 60 includes a processor 62 and a memory 64. the memory 64 includes, among other circuits, a mass flow rate determination circuit 65 and a band slip determination circuit 66. in other embodiments, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 and the band slip determination circuit 66 are application specific circuits that are not stored in the memory 64. In still further embodiments, mass flow determination circuit 65 and band slip determination circuit 66 are computer executable code stored in one or more storage devices located at a location remote from controller 32 or cold planer 10. The controller 32 is configured to control and monitor various functions of the cold planer 10 (e.g., by receiving data from sensors), such as operation of the conveyor system 22, the engine 38 of the conveyor system 22, the operator interface 31, or other components coupled to or remote from the cold planer 10.The controller 32 is communicatively coupled to, among other things, the angle sensor 41, the operator interface 31, the load cell 45, the motor 38, and the speed sensor 46, as well as other components of the cold planer 10. The data recorded by the angle sensor 41, the load cell 45, or the speed sensor 46 is transmitted to and received by the controller 32 where such data may be stored, evaluated, or otherwise used. Similarly, the controller 32 is configured to receive data, commands, or other information transmitted from the operator interface 31.The communication interface 58 of the controller 32 is configured to enable the controller 32 to exchange information via a wired or wireless network. In some examples, communication interface 58 may include program logic that enables controller 32 to connect to a wireless communication network (e.g., a cellular network, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, radio, etc.). For example, communication interface 58 may support communication between controller 32 and other systems, such as a remote monitoring computer system (e.g., a cloud-based fleet management service or other remote computer system). In cases where the communication interface 58 is configured to communicate wirelessly, the communication interface 58 may include a cellular modem, a Bluetooth transceiver, a radio frequency identification (RFID) transceiver, and a near field communication (NFC) transmitter or other short-range wireless transceiver. In some embodiments, the communication interface 58 includes the hardware and machine readable media sufficient to support communication over multiple channels of the data communication simultaneously or separately.The communication interface 58 is configured to facilitate the transmission of data and commands between the controller 32 and various other systems or devices (e.g., the angle sensor 41, the operator interface 31, the load cell 45, the engine 38, and the speed sensor 46, or other system or device associated with the cold planer 10). In such embodiments, the communication interface 58 may communicate with other systems or devices via an internal communication network, such as a controller area network (CAN bus) or other vehicle electronic communication protocol. The angle sensor 41, operator interface 31, load cell 45, motor 38, and speed sensor 46 are operatively connected to the controller 32 via the communication interface 58 using a CAN bus network or similar protocol.The controller 32 includes the processing circuit 60 further including a processor 62 and a memory 64. The processor 62 is coupled to the memory 64. In some embodiments, processor 62 may be a general purpose or special purpose processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), a group of processing components, or other suitable processing components. The processor 62 may be configured to execute computer code or instructions stored in the memory 64 or received from other computer readable media (e.g., CD-ROM, network memory, a remote server, etc.).The memory 64 includes one or more devices (e.g., memory units, memory devices, storage devices, etc.) for storing data and / or computer code to complete and / or enable various processes. For example, the memory 64 may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), hard disk storage, temporary storage, non-volatile storage, flash memory, optical storage, or any other suitable memory for storing software objects and / or computer instructions. The memory 64 may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described in the present disclosure. The memory 64 is communicatively coupled to the processor 62 via the processing circuit 60. The memory 64 includes computer code for executing (e.g., by the processor 62) one or more of the processes associated with the cold planer 10. More specifically, the memory 64 includes computer code for executing one or more of the processes associated with determining a mass flow rate of milling material conveyed along the conveyor belt 40 via the mass flow rate determination circuit 65. the memory 64 further includes computer code for executing one or more processes associated with determining an amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt 40 via the belt slippage determination circuit 66.The mass flow rate determination circuit 65 of the controller 32 is configured to determine and control the mass flow rate of material (e.g., the speed of material transfer to the truck 34) among other parameters. The mass flow rate of milling material conveyed by the conveyor system 22 and introduced into the load bed 36 of the truck 34 may be determined in various ways. In particular, the mass flow rate may be determined by: (1) a volume-based calculation method that takes into account the estimated volume of milling material removed from the milling aggregate 16 as the cold planer 10 traverses the surface 13; (2) a conveyor drive power calculation that takes into account the drive power of the conveyor system 22 (e.g., the drive power of the motor 38) over time; and / or (3) a force and belt speed calculation method that takes into account, among other parameters, a force applied to the conveyor belt 40 and a speed of the conveyor belt 40. In other embodiments, the mass flow determination circuit 65 may use other calculation methods.The mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to determine the mass flow rate of milling material according to the volume-based calculation method that takes into account an estimated volume of the milling material removed from the surface 13 by the milling aggregate.To implement this calculation method, the mass flow determination circuit 65 uses known parameters of the cold planer 10 and measured operating parameters of the cold planer 10. More specifically, the milling aggregate 16 cuts into the surface 13 to produce a volume of milling material, wherein the volume of milling material may be indicated as a function of, for example, (i) a depth of cut into the surface 13, (ii) a width of the milling drum of the milling aggregate 16 (e.g., a width of the milling drum having cutting teeth engaging the surface 13), and (iii) a distance traversed by the cold planer 10 along the surface 13 as the milling aggregate 16 cuts the surface 13 at the depth (i). The volume of the milling material can be varied as the depth at which the cutting teeth cut the surface 13 is varied. The mass flow rate determination circuit 65 may determine the mass flow rate of milling material by calculating the volume of material removed from the milling aggregate 16 using these parameters over a certain time interval. For example, the mass flow determination circuit 65 may determine a mass of removed milling material by multiplying the volume of the removed milling material by an estimated (e.g., known) or measured density of the material of the surface 13.Similarly, the mass flow determination circuit 65 may determine a flow rate of milling material removed from the milling aggregate 16 of the cold planer 10. The volumetric flow of the milling material may be specified as a function of (i) the depth of cut into the surface 13, (ii) the width of the milling drum of the milling assemblies 16 (e.g., a width of the milling drum having cutting teeth that engage the surface 13), and (iii) a speed at which the cold planer 10 crosses the surface 13 while the milling assembly 16 intersects the surface 13 at the depth (i). The mass flow rate determination circuit is configured to calculate the volume flow of milled material based on these parameters. The mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to determine the mass flow rate of milling material using the volume flow rate of milling material. For example, the volume flow may be multiplied by an estimated (e.g., known) or measured density of the milling material to determine a mass flow rate of milling material.The mass flow rate determination circuit 65 of the controller 32 is configured to determine the mass flow rate of milling material using the calculation method based on the driving power of the conveyor. In particular, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to determine the mass flow rate of milling material based on a drive power of the conveyor system 22 or on parameters related to the drive power of the conveyor system 22. More specifically, the mass flow determination circuit 65 may receive a signal indicative of a drive output of the motor 38, such as a hydraulic pressure associated with the motor 38 (e.g., in embodiments where the motor 38 is a hydraulic motor) and a hydraulic temperature (e.g., a temperature of the hydraulic oil associated with the motor 38). The mass flow determination circuit 65 is configured to receive a signal from the angle sensor 41 indicative of an angle of the conveyor system 22 with respect to the surface 13 or with respect to the frame 11 of the cold planer 10. In addition, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to receive a signal indicating the rotational speed of the conveyor belt 40 and a signal indicating a tension of the conveyor belt 40. Based on one or more of the hydraulic pressures associated with the motor 38, the temperature of the hydraulic fluid of the motor 38, the angle of the conveyor system 22, the speed of the conveyor belt 40, and the tension of the conveyor belt 40, the mass flow determination circuit 65 is configured to calculate the mass flow rate of milling material conveyed by the conveyor belt 40. For example, an increased hydraulic pressure of the motor 38 or an increased tension on the conveyor belt 40 could indicate the presence of a large mass on the conveyor belt 40 and thus a relatively large mass flow rate of milling material. In contrast, a reduced tension on the conveyor belt 40 or a reduced hydraulic pressure of the motor 38 could indicate a lower mass on the conveyor belt 40 and thus a relatively low mass flow rate of milling material. The mass flow rate determination circuit 65 of the controller 32 is configured to determine the mass flow rate of milling material being conveyed by the conveyor belt 40 of the conveyor system 22 using the force and belt speed based calculation method. In particular, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to determine the mass flow rate of milling material based on a force applied to the conveyor belt 40 and a rotational speed of the conveyor belt 40 or the motor 38. For example, the mass flow determination circuit 65 of the controller 32 is configured to receive a signal from the load cell 45 indicative of the magnitude of a force (e.g., a force FN senkrecht on an upper portion of the conveyor belt 40). The mass flow determination circuit 65 is further configured to receive a signal from the angle sensor 41 indicative of an angle of the conveyor system 22 with respect to the surface 13 or frame 11 of the cold planer 10. The mass flow determination circuit 65 calculates a force acting on the conveyor belt 40 based on the angle of the conveyor system 22 with respect to the surface 13 or frame 11 of the cold planer 10. In one example, the mass flow determination circuit 65 may determine the force acting on the conveyor belt 40 by dividing the force acting on the load cell 45 by the cosine of the angle of inclination of the conveyor system 22. The force acting on the conveyor 40 may be divided by the gravitational acceleration to determine a mass of the milling material on the conveyor 40 at a particular time. Finally, the mass flow determining circuit 65 of the controller 32 is configured to receive a signal indicative of a speed of the conveyor belt 40 or a speed of the motor 38. The mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to determine a mass flow rate of milling material conveyed by the conveyor system 22 by dividing the calculated mass of milling material on the conveyor belt 40 by the speed of the conveyor belt 40.In some examples, the mass flow determination circuit 65 of the controller 32 continuously determines the material mass flow of milling material on the conveyor belt 40. In other examples, the mass flow determination circuit 65 determines the material mass flow rate periodically (e.g., at regular intervals). The mass flow determination circuit 65 is further configured to determine the total weight of material introduced into the bed 36 of the truck 34 by the conveyor system 22. For example, the mass flow determination circuit 65 may be configured to multiply the mass flow of material over a period of time, such as a milling time (e.g., a time interval during which the milling aggregate 16 engages the surface 13) and by summing the sum over a conveying time (e.g., a time period during which the conveying system 22 actively conveys milling material into the loading surface 36 of the truck 34). The mass flow determining circuit 65 is configured to provide an indication of the mass flow of milling material on the conveyor belt 40 to the operator interface 31. For example, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 may display a numerical value of the mass flow rate on a display screen of the operator interface 31. In other examples, the mass flow determination circuit 65 may provide the operator of the cold planer 10 with an audible indication or other visual indication of mass flow, such as illuminating an LED indicating that the mass flow rate of milling material has been determined to be within a particular range. Similarly, the mass flow determination circuit 65 is configured to provide an indication to the operator of the cold planer 10 (or an operator of the truck 34) of the total weight of the milling material deposited on the bed 36 of the truck 34.In one example, the mass flow determination circuit 65 of the controller 32 is configured to determine a mass flow of the milling material conveyed by the conveyor system 22 based on one or more of the calculation methods discussed above, namely a volume-based calculation method, a calculation method based on the drive power of the conveyor, or a calculation method based on force and belt speed. The mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to selectively calculate the mass flow rate of milling material conveyed on the conveying system 22 using a first calculation method under a set of circumstances and selectively calculate the mass flow rate using a second calculation method under a second set of circumstances. For example, the mass flow determination circuit 65 may receive an indication that a parameter is unreliable, such that mass flow calculations taking into account this parameter are also unreliable. In such cases, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to use another mass flow rate calculation method to achieve more reliable mass flow rate calculation. For example, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 may use a volume-based mass flow rate calculation method based on a determination that the conveyor belt 40 slips. The mass flow determination circuit 65 may further adjust or modify a mass flow calculation based on a signal or an indication that a parameter is unreliable, is within a certain range, or is in another state. For example, the mass flow determination circuit 65 may determine that the conveyor belt 40 slips and take into account an amount (e.g., a percentage) of the belt slip in the mass flow calculation to increase the accuracy of the mass flow calculation.The controller 32 includes a belt slip determination circuit 66. the belt slip determination circuit 66 is configured to determine an actual conveying speed of the conveyor belt 40 that takes into account any slippage of the conveyor belt 40. As mentioned above, when the frictional force between the motor 38 and the conveyor belt 40 is overcome, such as by the torque of the motor 38, the conveyor belt 40 may "slip" with respect to the motor 38. The conveyor belt 40 may slip with respect to the motor 38, for example, when a bottom surface of the conveyor belt 40 is worn, when a temperature of the conveyor belt 40 varies as a speed of the motor 38 increases (e.g., when the torsion force temporarily exceeds the friction force), when the tension in the conveyor belt 40 decreases, or for other reasons.The band slip determination circuit 66 is configured to receive a signal from the engine 38 indicative of an operating speed of the engine 38. The operating speed of the motor 38 may be a measure of the revolutions per minute (U / min) of the motor 38, a target delivery speed based on the U / min of the motor 38 and a diameter of a roller driven by the motor 38, or another value. For example, the band slip determination circuit 66 may determine a speed of the engine 38 based on the speed of a head belt shaft or a speed ring gear of the engine 38. The belt slip determination circuit 66 is further configured to receive a signal from the speed sensor 46 indicative of the actual speed of the conveyor belt 40. The speed sensor 46, whether embodied as a rotary encoder, an optical encoder, a magnetic encoder, or another encoder, may measure the actual speed of the conveyor belt 40 as it passes over a roller 42. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the speed sensor 46 includes the wheel 47 that rides on and rotates with the roller 42 to measure the speed of the roller 42. The belt slip determination circuit 66 compares the actual speed of the conveyor belt 40 measured by the speed sensor 46 with the speed of the motor 38 to determine an amount of belt slip of the conveyor belt 40. In one example, the actual speed of the conveyor belt 40 measured by the speed sensor 46 may be subtracted from the operating speed of the engine 38 and then divided by the operating speed of the engine 38 to determine an amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt 40 expressed in percent. In other examples, the belt slip of the conveyor belt 40 may be calculated by subtracting the actual speed of the conveyor belt 40 from the operating speed of the engine 38. In yet other examples, the belt slip of the conveyor belt 40 may be calculated in another manner.The mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to determine the mass flow rate of milling material based at least in part on the belt slip of the conveyor belt 40 determined by the belt slip determination circuit 66. For example, the band slip determination circuit 66 is communicatively coupled to the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 such that the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 may receive data, signals, or other information from the band slip determination circuit 66. The mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to determine that the band slip (e.g., a band slip percentage) is above a threshold value, and based on this determination, calculate the mass flow rate of milling material using a first calculation method (e.g., a volume-based calculation method) instead of a second calculation method (e.g., a conveyor drive power-based calculation method), because the first calculation method is more accurate in cases where the conveyor belt 40 slips. Similarly, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to determine that the belt slip is within a certain range so that the second calculation method (e.g., the calculation method based on the driving power of the conveyor) provides an accurate mass flow rate calculation.With reference to FIG. 9, a method 67 is shown, among other things. The method 67 is a method of determining an amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt 40 and calculating a mass flow rate of milling material conveyed along the conveyor belt 40 based on the determined amount of belt slippage. Although shown as six step processes, process 67 may also include fewer or more than six steps. It is further understood that the method 67 may be performed in an order other than that illustrated in FIG. 9. Steps 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, and 78 may be performed by one or more controllers 32, whether physically located on the cold planer 10 or remotely located (e.g., off-machine) with respect to the cold planer 10.In step 68, method 67 includes receiving an indication of the speed of motor 38. the speed of motor 38 is a speed at which motor 38 is configured to drive conveyor belt 40 of conveyor system 22. In some examples, the indication of the speed of the motor 38 may be a rotational speed of a component of the motor 38 (e.g., a drive wheel, a shaft, a transmission, or another component). In other examples, the indication of the speed of the motor 38 may be a hydraulic pressure of the motor 38 (e.g., when the motor 38 is a hydraulic motor) or a current of the motor 38 (e.g., when the motor 38 is an electric motor). The indication of the speed of the engine 38 may be provided to the controller 32 by the engine 38, by a speed sensor (e.g., a sensor) coupled to the engine 38, or by another component or device operatively connected to both the engine 38 and the controller 32.In step 70, the method 67 includes receiving an indication of the speed of the conveyor belt 40. the speed of the conveyor belt 40 is a speed of the conveyor belt 40 driven by the motor 38 of the cold planer 10. The speed of the conveyor belt 40 is determined by the speed sensor 46. As discussed above, the speed sensor 46 may be a rotary encoder, a contactless encoder (e.g., an optical encoder, a magnetic encoder, a Hall effect sensor), or another speed sensor configured to determine a speed of the conveyor belt 40 or a speed of a roller 42 about which the conveyor belt 40 moves. For example, the speed sensor 46 may include the wheel 47 running on the roller 42 or the tight side of the conveyor belt 40 to obtain a measurement of the speed of the conveyor belt 40. The indication of the speed of the conveyor belt 40 may be provided to the controller 32 via the speed sensor 46 or by another component or device operatively connected to the speed sensor 46 and the controller 32. In step 72, method 67 includes determining the amount of band slip. The amount of belt slippage is the amount that the conveyor belt 40 is currently slipping with respect to the speed of the engine 38. As discussed above, the conveyor belt 40 may occasionally slip with respect to the motor 38 so that the conveyor belt 40 moves at a speed lower than the speed of the motor 38. In one example, the belt slip determination circuit 66 compares a speed of the engine 38 as represented by the received indication of the speed of the engine 38 with an actual speed of the conveyor belt 40 as represented by the received indication of the speed of the conveyor belt 40. A difference in speed between the conveyor belt 40 and the motor 38 is due to an amount of belt slippage.In step 74, the method includes providing an indication of the amount of band slip. The controller 32 is communicatively coupled to the operator interface 31 of the cold planer 10. For example, the indication of the amount of band slip can be an optical, acoustic or other indication for the operator of the cold planer 10. The indication may indicate that the conveyor belt 40 slips an amount that is above a certain threshold amount. The indication may indicate that the conveyor belt 40 slips within a certain tolerance range. The indication may indicate that the conveyor belt 40 is not slipping or is slipping only an insignificant amount. The controller 32 may provide periodic or continuous indications of the amount of band slip. For example, the belt slip determination circuit 66 may continuously determine the amount of belt slip of the conveyor belt 40 and provide a dynamic indication of the current amount of belt slip in real time. In some examples, the controller 32 is communicatively coupled to the truck 34 or a remote monitoring device (e.g., a fleet management computer system). In such cases, the controller 32 may provide the indication of the amount of band slippage to one or more devices other than the operator interface 31 of the cold planer 10.In step 76, the method 67 includes determining a mass flow rate of milling material conveyed on the conveyor belt 40 of the cold planer 10. More specifically, the method 67 includes determining the mass flow rate of milling material based at least in part on the determined amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt 40. As discussed above, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 of the conveyor belt 40 is configured to determine the mass flow rate of milling material using a determined calculation method to increase the accuracy of the mass flow rate calculation depending on whether and to what extent the conveyor belt 40 slips. For example, a first mass flow calculation method (e.g., a force and speed calculation method) may be more accurate if the conveyor belt 40 is not slipping or slipping only a lesser amount than a threshold amount. Under such circumstances, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to calculate the mass flow rate of the milling material according to the first mass flow rate calculation method. In other circumstances where the conveyor belt 40 slips beyond a certain threshold amount, the mass flow determination circuit 65 is configured to calculate the mass flow rate of milling material according to a second mass flow rate calculation method (e.g., a volume-based calculation method) that provides a more accurate mass flow rate calculation under these circumstances. The mass flow determination circuit 65 is further configured to take into account (e.g., adjust the calculation) the determined amount of band slip to further improve the accuracy of the mass flow calculation.In step 78, the method 67 includes providing an indication of the determined mass flow rate of milling material. As in step 74, the indication of the determined mass flow rate is provided at the operator interface 31 of the cold planer 10 as a visual, audible, or other indication. The indication may indicate, among other things, an instantaneous value, an average value, or a desired mass flow rate. For example, the indication may indicate that the mass flow rate of milling material is within or outside a certain tolerance range. The indication may indicate which mass flow rate calculation method is used by the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 to calculate the mass flow rate. For example, the operator's indication could visually represent that the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 of the controller 32 uses a band balance calculation method to determine the mass flow rate of milling material. The mass flow rate determination circuit 65 may provide periodic or continuous indications of the mass flow rate of milling material. For example, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 may continuously determine the mass flow rate of milling material on the conveyor 40 and provide a dynamic indication of a current mass flow rate in real time. In some examples, the controller 32 is communicatively coupled to the truck 34 or a remote monitoring device (e.g., a fleet management computer system). In such cases, the controller 32 may provide the indication of mass flow rate to one or more devices other than the operator interface 31 of the cold planer 10.Industrial applicabilityThe disclosed solutions include several commercial applications. Generally, the controller 32 of the cold planer 10 includes the belt slip determination circuit 66 to determine when and to what extent the conveyor belt 40 of the conveyor system 22 slips. The controller 32 further includes the mass flow rate determination circuit 65, which is configured to calculate the mass flow rate of milling material on the conveyor belt 40 based on an indication of the belt slip determination circuit 66. The mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to implement a specific mass flow rate calculation method (e.g., one of a volume-based calculation method, a conveyor drive power calculation method, or a force and belt speed calculation method) based at least in part on information regarding the slip of the conveyor belt 40 as determined by the belt slip determination circuit 66. Specifically, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to implement a specific mass flow rate calculation method based on the amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt 40 determined by the belt slippage determination circuit 66. Similarly, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 is configured to take into account the amount of belt slippage experienced by the conveyor belt 40 in the mass flow rate calculation.The disclosed solutions provide more accurate mass throughput calculations, which in turn provide an operator (e.g., an operator of cold planer 10 or an operator of truck 34) with greater certainty as to the weight of milling material deposited on truck bed 36 of truck 34. In particular, because the controller 32 includes the mass flow determination circuit 65 configured to calculate the mass flow rate of the milling material based at least in part on the amount of belt slippage of the conveyor 40, the mass flow determination circuit 65 may avoid inaccurate mass flow rate calculation methods being used when the conveyor 40 slips by an undesired amount, for example. When the conveyor belt 40 slips beyond a certain threshold amount, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 may calculate the mass flow rate of milling material using a first mass flow rate calculation method that is most accurate given the belt slip experienced by the conveyor belt. However, when the conveyor belt 40 does not experience a belt slip or an amount of belt slip within a certain tolerance range, the mass flow rate determination circuit 65 may use a second mass flow rate calculation method that is even more accurate than the first mass flow rate calculation method under such circumstances. Additionally, the mass flow determination circuit 65 may take into account (e.g., assess) the belt slip of the conveyor belt 40 as measured by the belt slip determination circuit 66 to further increase the accuracy of the mass flow calculation.The controller 32 is further configured to provide an indication to the operator of the cold planer 10 or another operator (e.g., a remote monitoring service operator, a truck operator 34, or otherwise) to alert the operator of various parameters or conditions, enabling the operator greater control over the cold planer 10 and associated operation. More specifically, the controller 32 may provide an indication of mass flow rate (e.g., a current mass flow rate, an average mass flow rate, or other value), an amount of belt slippage of the conveyor 40, a weight of milling material transferred to the truck 34, or another value to the operator interface 31 of the cold planer 10. Such indicia may allow the operator to quickly identify and timely remedy problems (e.g., a worn conveyor belt 40). Additionally, reliable real-time indications of mass throughput and weight of the milling material loaded onto the truck bed 36 of the truck 34 may provide a more efficient road milling operation by allowing the truck bed 36 of the truck 34 to be substantially filled to capacity (e.g., greater than 90%) without the risk of the truck being accidentally overfilled and thereby potentially causing financial losses.As used herein with reference to numerical ranges, the terms "about," "about," "substantially," and similar terms generally mean + / - 10% of the disclosed values, unless otherwise indicated. As used herein with respect to structural features (e.g., to describe shape, size, orientation, direction, relative position, etc.), the terms "about," "about," "substantially," and similar terms are intended to cover minor variations in structure that may result from, for example, the manufacturing or assembly process, and are intended to have broad meaning consistent with common and accepted terminology by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. Accordingly, these terms are to be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the described and claimed subject matter are to be considered within the scope of the disclosure as recited in the appended claims. It should be understood that the term "exemplary" and variations thereof, as used herein to describe various embodiments, are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, or representations of possible embodiments (and that such terms are not intended to mean that such embodiments are necessarily exceptional or superlative examples).The term "coupled" and variations thereof, as used herein, means the direct or indirect connection of two elements to each other. Such a connection may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or movable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such connection may be achieved by a direct coupling of the two elements to each other, by a coupling of the two elements using a separate intermediate element and any additional intermediate elements coupled to each other, or by a coupling of the two elements using an intermediate element forming a unit with one of the two elements. When "coupled" or variations thereof are modified (e.g., directly coupled) by an additional term, the general definition of "coupled" provided above is modified by the unique meaning of the additional term (e.g., "directly coupled" means the connection of two elements without a separate intermediate element), resulting in a narrower definition than the general definition of "coupled" provided above. Such a coupling may be mechanical, electrical or fluidic.References to the positions of elements (e.g., "top," "bottom," "above," "below") are used herein merely to describe the orientation of the various elements in the figures. It should be appreciated that the orientation of various elements may be different according to other exemplary embodiments and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.It is important to note that the structure and arrangement of the cold planer 10 and its components as illustrated in the various exemplary embodiments are merely exemplary. In addition, any element disclosed in one embodiment may be integrated with or used with any other embodiment disclosed herein.

Claims

A control system for a cold planer (10), comprising: a speed sensor (46) operatively connected to a conveyor belt (40) of the cold planer (10), the conveyor belt (40) configured to be driven by an engine (38); and a controller (32) communicatively coupled to the speed sensor (46) and the engine (38), the controller (32) configured to: receive an indication of a speed of the engine (38); receive an indication of a speed of the conveyor belt (40) from the speed sensor (46); determine, based on the received indication of the speed of the engine (38) and the received indication of the speed of the conveyor belt (40), an amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt (40); and calculate, based on the amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt (40), a mass flow rate of material on the conveyor belt (40).The control system of claim 1, comprising: the speed sensor (46) comprising a wheel (47), the wheel (47) configured to rotate with movement of the conveyor belt (40), wherein rotation of the wheel (47) corresponds to the speed of the conveyor belt (40).The control system of any of claims 1 and 2, comprising: the speed sensor (46) comprising a wheel (47), the wheel (47) configured to contact a tight side of the conveyor belt (40) and rotate with movement of the conveyor belt (40), wherein rotation of the wheel (47) corresponds to the speed of the conveyor belt (40).The control system of any of claims 1 to 3, comprising: the speed sensor (46) comprising a wheel (47), the wheel (47) configured to contact a roller (42) of the cold planer (10) and rotate with movement of the conveyor belt (40), the conveyor belt (40) operatively connected to the roller (42), wherein rotation of the wheel (47) and rotation of the roller (42) correspond to the speed of the conveyor belt (40).The control system of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the controller (32) is further configured to select a mass flow rate calculation method (67) from a plurality of mass flow rate calculation methods based on the determined amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt (40), wherein the mass flow rate of material on the conveyor belt (40) is calculated using the selected mass flow rate calculation method (67).The control system of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein determining the amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt (40) comprises comparing the received indication of the speed of the engine (38) to the received indication of the speed of the conveyor belt (40).A cold planer (10) comprising: a conveyor system (22) comprising a conveyor belt (40) configured to be driven by a motor (38); a speed sensor (46) operatively connected to the conveyor belt (40); and a controller (32) communicatively coupled to the speed sensor (46) and the motor (38), the controller (32) configured to: receive an indication of a speed of the motor (38); receive an indication of a speed of the conveyor belt (40) from the speed sensor (46); and determine an amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt (40) based on the received indication of the speed of the motor (38) and the received indication of the speed of the conveyor belt (40).The cold planer (10) of claim 7, comprising: the speed sensor (46) comprising a wheel (47), the wheel (47) configured to contact a tight side of the conveyor belt (40) and rotate with movement of the conveyor belt (40), wherein rotation of the wheel (47) corresponds to the speed of the conveyor belt (40).The cold planer (10) of any of claims 7 and 8, comprising: the conveyor system (22) including an intermediate roller (42) disposed between a distal end (26) of the conveyor system (22) and a proximal end (24) of the conveyor system (22), the conveyor belt (40) operatively connected to the intermediate roller (42); and the speed sensor (46) disposed to measure the speed of the conveyor belt (40) proximate the intermediate roller (42).The cold planer (10) of any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the controller (32) is further configured to: select, based on the determined amount of belt slippage of the conveyor belt (40), a mass flow rate calculation method (67) from a plurality of mass flow rate calculation methods; and calculate a mass flow rate of material on the conveyor belt (40) using the selected mass flow rate calculation method (67).

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