Earthmoving Machine Pass Depth Adjustment for Bump Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing earthmoving machine control systems fail to account for bumps above the expected height of a work surface, leading to excessive material volume calculations that can cause the machine to stall or become stuck, as they do not adjust pass depth accordingly.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a positioning system to determine the topography of the work surface, identify bumps, and adjust the target depth of passes by applying a discount factor based on operational and topographical conditions to prevent overloading and ensure efficient material handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the initial pass depth is calculated based on expected surface height without accounting for bumps, then the machine can maintain consistent productivity, but the machine may enter stall conditions when encountering excess materials
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs preliminary detection of bumps using positioning signals before executing the pass. By identifying excess materials above the expected height in advance, the system adjusts the pass depth calculation to account for the additional volume, preventing stall conditions before they occur while maintaining productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses positioning signals to detect actual surface conditions and feeds this information back to adjust the pass depth calculation. This closed-loop approach allows the machine to adapt to real-time terrain variations, ensuring reliable operation without sacrificing productivity
2Productivity
If the pass depth is increased to clear bumps, then the volume of materials to be pushed increases, but the machine becomes overloaded and cannot handle the excessive volume
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates the volume of excess materials and compares it to the machine's handling capacity. When the volume exceeds capacity, the system applies a discount factor to reduce the pass depth to a manageable level, performing partial action that prevents overload while still making progress
3Reliability
If the cut depth is set near bumps to account for excess materials, then the machine avoids getting stuck, but the pass depth becomes too shallow to efficiently move materials
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the pass depth parameter based on detected bump characteristics. By changing the depth parameter to account for excess materials while considering machine capacity, the system achieves both reliable operation and maintained productivity through optimized parameter selection
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling an earthmoving machine and a work implement associated with the earth moving machine is disclosed. The method includes receiving positioning signals from a positioning system associated with the earthmoving machine, the positioning signals indicative of a topography of the work surface. The method further includes determining a profile of the work surface based on the positioning signals and determining if the profile of the work surface includes a bump, the bump having a bump height which is greater than an expected surface height. The method further includes determining a depth adjustment based on the bump height and adjusting the target depth based on the depth adjustment, if the profile of the work surface includes the bump.