Preemptive Load Weight Determination for Mining Excavators

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for measuring the net weight of material in mining excavation equipment buckets are inefficient, often requiring the equipment to dump excess material, increasing cycle time and costs due to inability to accurately determine load weight in real-time while the bucket is still in the excavation surface.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that uses sensors and pattern recognition algorithms to generate an excavation surface profile, select an optimal excavation plan, and measure drive signals such as hoist motor torque and acceleration to preemptively determine the load weight of material in the bucket, allowing for real-time weight calculation and adjustment during excavation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional net weight measurement systems are used, then the net weight can be determined, but the equipment must dump excess material causing increased cycle time and costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenet weight measurement accuracyVSAvoidexcavation cycle time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary weight estimation during the excavation process itself, before the bucket leaves the excavation surface. By measuring drive signals (torque, speed, acceleration) and calculating load weight in advance, the system determines whether to dump material before the excavation cycle completes, eliminating the need to wait for post-extraction measurement and avoiding unnecessary dumping operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical weight measurement systems with an electrical/sensor-based system. Instead of using physical scales or load cells that require the bucket to be lifted and positioned, the system uses sensors to measure drive signals from the hoist motor and calculates weight through computational algorithms, enabling weight determination during the excavation process itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of time

If the equipment waits to measure load weight after excavation, then measurement can be performed, but cycle time increases and costs rise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexcavation cycle timeVSAvoidmeasurement system implementation

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs weight measurement calculations during the excavation process itself, before the bucket leaves the excavation surface. By measuring drive signals (torque, speed, acceleration) and calculating load weight in advance, the system determines whether to dump material before the excavation cycle completes, eliminating the need to wait for post-extraction measurement and avoiding unnecessary dumping operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the equipment's own drive signals (from the hoist motor) to perform self-measurement of load weight. The sensors measure signals already present in the equipment's operational system, and the computational algorithm processes these signals to determine weight, eliminating the need for separate external measurement devices or complex additional hardware installations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If drive signals are measured to determine load weight, then real-time weight calculation is enabled, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time weight determination efficiencyVSAvoidmeasurement and calculation system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The drive signal measurement system serves multiple functions: it measures load weight, monitors equipment operation, and provides data for optimization decisions. The same sensors and computational algorithms used for weight determination can also be applied to other equipment monitoring and control functions, reducing the need for dedicated separate measurement systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8755977B2Method and system for preemptive load weight for mining excavating equipment

Publication Date: 2014.06.17 INNOMOTICS LLC

AI summary

Provided is a method and a system for preemptively determining a load weight for mining excavation equipment. Specifically, provided is a method in which an excavation surface is scanned to generate an excavation surface profile, an excavation plan is selected for the excavation surface profile, the excavation plan for the excavation surface profile is executed on the excavation surface utilizing a pre-emptive load weighing algorithm based on a plurality of drive signals of the mining excavation equipment, and a volume of a material to be excavated by the mining excavation equipment is determined based at least on the plurality of drive signals, the plurality of derivatives of drive signals, and the excavation surface profile.