Excavator Virtual Wall Control for Attachment Collision Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing excavators do not adequately restrict the movement of their attachments, leading to potential collisions with unexpected obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A shovel equipped with a controller that sets a virtual wall based on the positional relationship between the shovel and its surroundings, restricting actuator movement to prevent collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the excavator stops the turning operation when detecting an approaching object, then collision risk is reduced, but operational flexibility and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different restriction levels to different spatial zones around the excavator. Virtual walls are configured at varying distances from the excavator body, creating zones with different degrees of movement restriction. This allows the excavator to operate freely in safe zones while implementing protective restrictions only in high-risk areas, thus maintaining productivity while preventing collisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual wall configuration is dynamically adjustable based on operational conditions. The controller can modify the position and orientation of virtual walls in real-time according to the excavator's working state, surrounding environment, and detected objects. This dynamic adaptation enables the system to balance collision prevention with operational flexibility, avoiding unnecessary restrictions on productive operations.
2Reliability
If virtual walls are configured close to the excavator body, then collision prevention is improved, but operational flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different virtual walls are positioned at different distances from the excavator body based on local risk assessment. High-risk areas receive virtual walls closer to the body, while low-risk areas allow greater operational freedom. This localized approach ensures collision prevention where needed without unnecessarily restricting operational flexibility in safe zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures virtual walls at optimal distances before operational conflicts arise. By analyzing the working environment in advance and setting appropriate virtual wall positions, the system prepares protective boundaries that prevent collisions while maintaining operational flexibility. The virtual walls are positioned to restrict movement only to the extent necessary for safety.
3Reliability
If multiple virtual walls are configured to restrict actuator movement, then collision prevention is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective system is segmented into multiple independent virtual walls, each serving a specific protective function for different aspects of excavator movement. This segmentation allows the complex restriction task to be divided into manageable components, where each virtual wall handles a specific direction or type of movement. The modular structure simplifies control logic compared to a single complex restriction system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements virtual walls at multiple distances, creating a layered protective structure. While this may seem excessive, it provides graduated levels of restriction that can be selectively applied. The multiple virtual walls allow the system to enforce restrictions only when and where necessary, rather than applying uniform complex control across all movements.
Data Source
AI summary
A shovel includes a lower traveling body, an upper turning body turnably mounted on the lower traveling body, an actuator mounted on the lower traveling body or the upper turning body, and a controller configured to restrict movement of the actuator. The controller sets a virtual wall, and restricts the movement of the actuator based on a positional relationship between the virtual wall and the shovel.