Adaptive Dig Control for Excavation Tool Loading Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing excavation systems, such as load-haul-dump machines, face inefficiencies in loading material due to inadequate determination of tool engagement with the pile, particularly in varying material hardness or softness, leading to under-loading and excessive energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
An excavation system equipped with sensors to detect travel speed, loading, and acceleration, along with a controller that selects tilt control parameters to optimize tool engagement and withdraw when the target material amount is exceeded, ensuring efficient loading and unloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the machine attempts to increase loading of the tool by applying more force, then the loading amount may increase, but excessive energy and time are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors travel speed and acceleration to detect tool engagement with the pile. When engagement is detected, the controller adjusts the drive torque to maintain optimal loading force, preventing both under-loading and excessive energy consumption. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures energy-efficient operation while achieving adequate tool loading.
2Force
If the machine operates with increased drive torque to ensure adequate force on the material pile, then tool penetration improves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the machine's own operational parameters (travel speed and acceleration) as feedback signals to automatically adjust drive torque. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external sensors or complex control systems while achieving adequate force application on the material pile through intelligent utilization of existing operational data.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the machine operates remotely or autonomously, then operator safety improves, but the ability to determine tool engagement with the pile deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the operator's sensory judgment with automated detection using travel speed and acceleration sensors. The controller processes these mechanical parameters to automatically detect tool engagement with the pile, enabling remote or autonomous operation while maintaining accurate engagement detection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An excavation system is disclosed for a machine having a work tool. The excavation system may have a speed sensor to detect a travel speed of the machine and a load sensor to detect loading of the work tool. The excavation system may also have a controller configured to detect engagement of the work tool with a material pile based on at least one of the first signal and the second signal. The controller may also be configured to select at least one tilt control parameter value for the work tool and operate the work tool based on the selected tilt control parameter value to load the work tool with an amount of material. The controller may be configured to determine whether the amount of material exceeds a target amount and to cause the machine to withdraw from the material pile when the amount exceeds the target amount.