Excavator Force Feedback for Automated Trajectory Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing excavator and material handling equipment face challenges in automated operation due to the inability to account for forces acting during excavation or material handling processes, leading to potential deviations or damage from environmental influences.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for monitoring and controlling the movement of work devices like excavators by recording and comparing theoretical and actual torques on components, determining force vectors, and adjusting trajectories or issuing warnings based on these forces, using sensors and controllers to ensure smooth and safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated operation is implemented without force monitoring, then productivity increases, but reliability deteriorates due to inability to react to environmental influences
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors actual forces acting on the tool during excavation and feeds this information back to the controller. The controller compares measured forces with expected forces and automatically adjusts the excavation trajectory or operational parameters to maintain reliable operation. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables automated operation while ensuring the system can react to unexpected environmental conditions.
2Reliability
If manual operation is used, then reliability is maintained through operator judgment, but productivity decreases due to operator workload
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the excavator to monitor and adjust its own operation automatically. The controller uses force sensor data to self-correct the excavation trajectory and operational parameters without continuous operator intervention. This self-service capability transfers the monitoring and adjustment tasks from the operator to the automated system, reducing operator workload while maintaining or improving reliability through consistent automated monitoring.
3Reliability
If force monitoring is added to automated systems, then reliability improves through force-based trajectory adaptation, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it manages the excavation trajectory, processes sensor data from force sensors, compares measured forces with expected forces, and automatically adjusts operational parameters. By making the controller multi-functional, the system avoids adding separate dedicated hardware for each function, thereby improving reliability through comprehensive monitoring while limiting the increase in device complexity through functional integration.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for monitoring and/or carrying out a movement of a work device, in particular an excavator, wherein the work device comprises a movement device with a tool for picking up material, which includes at least two components, each of which can be moved via at least one actuator, and a control system by means of which the actuators of the movement device can be controlled and/or regulated.The method according to the invention comprises the steps: (i) acquiring state information concerning at least one current position and/or velocity and/or acceleration of at least two components of the motion device, (ii) calculating torques acting on components due to a current configuration of the working device, taking into account the aforementioned state information as well as component information, (iii) acquiring torques actually acting on components, (iv) comparing the calculated and the acquired torques and determining a force vector actually acting at a defined point of application of the working device based on the aforementioned comparison, and (v) executing an action depending on the calculated force vector. The invention further relates to a working device and a computer program for executing the method.