Autonomous Pile Driving With Map-Guided Navigation and Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pile driving operations rely on manual operators for heavy equipment, leading to high costs, limited daytime operation, and increased risk of human error due to labor shortages and dependency on skilled labor.
Innovation Solution
The development of autonomous off-road vehicles (AOVs) that can access pile plan maps, generate obstacle maps, and autonomously navigate, load, and drive piles into the ground, reducing the need for manual labor and enhancing operational efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual operators are used to operate heavy equipment for pile driving, then the operation can be performed with simple equipment, but the labor cost increases and the operation is limited to daytime only
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy equipment vehicle is equipped with autonomous operation capabilities including sensors, processors, and control systems that enable the vehicle to perform pile driving operations without human intervention. The system autonomously navigates to pile locations, operates the pile driver, and monitors operational parameters, thereby eliminating the need for manual operators and enabling continuous 24/7 operation.
2Reliability
If manual operators are required for heavy equipment operation, then the equipment design remains simple, but the risk of human error increases and work quality decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The manual control system is replaced with an autonomous control system that uses sensors, processors, and automated actuators to operate the heavy equipment. The system includes GPS receivers for location tracking, LIDAR or camera systems for obstacle detection, and automated control algorithms that eliminate human error in operation while maintaining precise control over the pile driving process.
3Duration of action of moving object
If skilled labor is depended upon for operating heavy equipment, then the operational flexibility is maintained, but the project duration extends due to labor availability constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous heavy equipment vehicle operates continuously without interruption by eliminating the need for operator shifts, breaks, or downtime. The vehicle can perform pile driving operations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, thereby significantly reducing project duration while maintaining consistent operational quality through automated control systems that do not suffer from human fatigue or availability constraints.
Data Source
AI summary
A autonomous off-road vehicle (AOV) accesses a pile plan map indicating a plurality of locations in a geographic area at which piles are to be installed. The AOV selects a first location and a second location from the plurality of locations using the pile plan map. The AOV autonomously navigates to the first location. The AOV autonomously loads a first pile onto a driving tool of the AOV. The AOV autonomously drives the first pile into the ground at the first location using the driving tool. The AOV autonomously navigates to the second location. the AOV autonomously loads a second pile onto the driving tool. And the AOV autonomously drives the second pile into the ground at the second location using the driving tool.