Autonomous Earthmoving Controller for Layer Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of moving material, such as overburden, from one location to another at a work site is inefficient due to uneven layer creation, leading to unsteady movement and reduced productivity in autonomous or semi-autonomous machine operations, particularly in mining and earthmoving activities.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a controller with sensors to determine operation cut locations and adjust machine movement based on terrain changes, employing tip head dumping to fill voids efficiently and backstacking to minimize uphill pushing, ensuring consistent and optimized material movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If material is moved as a plurality of layers with each layer being stacked upon the previously formed layer, then the material moving operation can be performed systematically, but the layer creation becomes inefficient and uneven layers result leading to unsteady movement
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary mapping of the work area to identify voids and low walls before material moving operations begin. This advance knowledge allows the controller to plan dump locations that pre-fill voids and create uniform layers, preventing the inefficiencies of reactive layer stacking and ensuring steady machine movement from the outset.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect changes in terrain and machine position during operation, feeding this information back to the controller. The controller adjusts dump locations in real-time based on this feedback, ensuring that layers are deposited uniformly and voids are filled appropriately, thereby maintaining both layer quality and operational efficiency.
2Productivity
If the machine operates autonomously to perform material moving tasks, then consistent productivity is maintained without human operator limitations, but the system requires complex sensor integration and terrain analysis capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it maps the work area using sensor data, identifies voids and low walls, determines optimal dump locations, controls machine propulsion, and adjusts operations in real-time. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems, achieving autonomous consistent productivity without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect terrain elevation changes and machine position, creating a level playing field for decision-making. By continuously monitoring and compensating for terrain variations, the controller maintains optimal operating conditions regardless of ground irregularities, enabling consistent autonomous productivity.
3Productivity
If tip head dumping is used to fill voids, then gravity is utilized to improve material moving efficiency, but the machine must precisely identify and navigate to void locations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary mapping of the work area to identify voids, low walls, and other terrain features before material moving operations begin. This advance identification allows the controller to plan precise navigation routes to void locations and determine optimal dump locations that maximize gravity-assisted material movement while ensuring accurate machine positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors machine position and terrain changes using sensors during operation. This real-time feedback allows the controller to adjust navigation and dumping operations to maintain precise void location targeting, ensuring that gravity-assisted tip head dumping occurs at the intended locations for maximum efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances material moving efficiency by utilizing gravity for tip head dumping and reducing the distance machines need to push material uphill, resulting in improved productivity and uniform layer formation.
Implementation Method 1
a change in terrain sensor for generating change in terrain signals indicative of the change in terrain generally adjacent the machine
Data Source
AI summary
A system for moving material from a first work area to a second work area includes a change in terrain sensor, a machine position sensor, and a controller. The controller performs first material moving operations including tip head operations until the void at the second work area is filled to a predetermined extent. The controller performs second material moving operation including backstacking operations until a predetermined amount of material has been moved from the first work area.