Concrete Mixer Drum Rotation Cycles for Adaptive Delivery Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Concrete mixers have manual drum speed controls that are low fidelity, leading to inconsistent drum speed during journeys, which can result in incorrect concrete mix delivery, energy inefficiency, and safety hazards due to high rotation speeds.
Innovation Solution
Implementing machine-learned models to process sensor data from a concrete mixer vehicle to generate drum rotation cycle data, optimizing drum speed based on current vehicle state and delivery requirements, including energy use, safety, spillage, and slump, using neural networks, reinforcement learning, and other machine-learning techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual drum speed controls are used, then the operator can set drum speed using levers, but the drum speed varies during the journey and does not allow continuous control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical lever control system with an automated electronic control system using a processor that receives sensor inputs and outputs control signals to the drum motor, enabling continuous and precise drum speed control throughout the journey
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using sensors to continuously monitor drum speed, vehicle speed, and route information, then processing this data to automatically adjust drum speed and maintain it within target ranges throughout the delivery journey
2Loss of substance
If high forward drum speed is set to avoid spillage, then spillage is reduced, but vehicle safety is compromised due to increased risk of drum separation or overturning
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts drum speed based on real-time vehicle state (acceleration, braking, cornering) and route conditions, optimizing the balance between preventing spillage and maintaining vehicle safety by varying drum speed throughout the journey rather than using a fixed high speed
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the drum speed parameter continuously based on processed sensor data and route information, adjusting it to optimal values that prevent both spillage and safety hazards rather than maintaining a constant high speed
3Productivity
If high drum rotation speed is used, then concrete mix is moved forward continuously, but energy efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes the drum speed parameter throughout the journey based on route characteristics and vehicle state, using higher speeds when needed for productivity and lower speeds when possible to conserve energy, rather than maintaining consistently high speed
4Device complexity
If manual drum speed control is used, then the system is simple, but the delivered concrete mix may not meet task requirements such as correct slump
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces simple manual mechanical control with an automated electronic control system that processes multiple sensor inputs and route data to precisely control drum speed, ensuring concrete mix quality requirements are met
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from sensors monitoring drum speed, vehicle conditions, and route information to automatically adjust control parameters and maintain concrete mix quality within specified tolerances throughout the delivery
Data Source
AI summary
This specification relates to systems (100), methods and apparatus for intelligently controlling the drum rotation of a concrete mixer (104). According to a first aspect of this specification, there is described a method for controlling a concrete mixing drum (104) on a concrete mixer vehicle (102), the method comprising, for each of a plurality of time-steps: inputting, into one or more machine-learned models (210), input data comprising a current state of the concrete mixer vehicle and one or more delivery requirements for a concrete mix in the concrete mixing drum; processing, using the one or more machine-learned models, the input data to generate a drum rotation cycle data (c) for the concrete mixing drum; outputting, from the one or more machine-learned models, the drum rotation cycle data; and controlling the concrete mixing drum based on the generated drum rotation cycle data.