Drill Cable Stinger Control to Prevent Chip Pile Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
The issue of drill trail cables dragging across chip piles and causing chips to fall back into drill holes, leading to drilling stops and manual repositioning, which increases downtime and operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A cable management system using a stinger with actuators and sensors to guide the cable position, controlled by a computer system and classification machine learning model to prevent cable interference with chip piles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual cable repositioning is used, then cable management is simple, but drilling downtime increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable management system performs self-service through automated detection and adjustment. Sensors detect cable position and chip pile locations, the control system processes this information, and actuators automatically reposition the cable without manual intervention, enabling the system to manage itself and eliminate downtime
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback through sensors that monitor cable position relative to chip piles. This real-time information is fed back to the control system, which adjusts actuator commands to maintain optimal cable positioning, creating a closed-loop control system that prevents chip ingress proactively
2Productivity
If automated cable management system is implemented, then drilling productivity improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system serves multiple functions: it processes sensor data, determines cable position, identifies chip pile locations, calculates actuator commands, and monitors system status. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional control unit, the system achieves high productivity without proportionally increasing overall complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary between the sensors and actuators. It translates sensor measurements into actuator commands, mediating the interaction between detection and execution components. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall system architecture by providing a centralized intelligence point that coordinates all cable management operations
3Device complexity
If cable reel is removed completely, then device complexity decreases, but cable management capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cable management function from the traditional cable reel assembly. Instead of relying on the reel's mechanical spooling action, the system separates cable storage (reel) from cable positioning (stinger with actuators). This extraction allows independent optimization of each component, maintaining reliability while potentially simplifying the overall system architecture
Data Source
AI summary
A system including a platform, a drill connected to the platform, a power source, a cable connected to a cable reel and the drill, and a stinger. The stinger is configured to guide a position of the cable, relative to the platform, as the cable moves relative to the platform and relative to the stinger. An actuator is connected to the stinger and operable to move the stinger relative to the platform. A sensor is disposed to sense a physical parameter of at least one of the platform, the drill, the power source, the cable, and the stinger. A computer system is programmed to convert the physical parameter into a vector data structure and input the vector data structure to a classification machine learning model, which outputs a classification for the physical parameter. A control system is configured to control the actuator to move the stinger based on the classification.