Hoist Bail Pull Control for Electric Rope Shovel Fatigue

Solution Overview

Problem

Industrial machines like electric rope shovels experience structural fatigue and increased tipping moments during digging operations due to excessive forward tipping, which reduces their operational life and productivity.

Innovation Solution

A controller dynamically adjusts the hoist bail pull force during digging operations, increasing it initially within the digging envelope and gradually reducing it to standard operational levels, thereby maintaining structural fatigue at acceptable levels and enhancing productivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If hoist bail pull is increased during digging operation, then productivity and payload capacity are improved, but forward tipping moment and structural fatigue increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedigging cycle timeVSAvoidstructural fatigue

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The hoist bail pull is dynamically adjusted based on the dipper's position within the digging envelope. The controller continuously monitors dipper position and modulates the hoist bail pull force accordingly, transitioning from higher forces during initial penetration to lower forces during extraction, thereby optimizing productivity while controlling structural loading throughout the cycle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameters of the hoist bail pull force based on the phase of the digging operation. By varying the force level according to dipper position (initial penetration phase vs. extraction phase), the system achieves higher payload capacity when needed while limiting fatigue during critical structural moments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If hoist bail pull is increased to increase payload, then productivity improves, but forward tipping increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepayload capacityVSAvoidforward tipping

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The hoist bail pull is dynamically adjusted based on the dipper's position within the digging envelope. The controller continuously monitors dipper position and modulates the hoist bail pull force accordingly, transitioning from higher forces during initial penetration to lower forces during extraction, thereby optimizing productivity while controlling structural loading throughout the cycle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The controller applies higher hoist bail pull forces during the initial phase of the digging operation when the dipper is entering the material, before the full payload is lifted. This preliminary high-force application enables increased payload capacity while the machine's stability is maintained through controlled force application timing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9957690B2Controlling a digging operation of an industrial machine

Publication Date: 2018.05.01 JOY GLOBAL SURFACE MINING INC

AI summary

Systems, methods, devices, and computer readable media for controlling the operation of an industrial machine including one or more components. A method of controlling the industrial machine includes determining a position of at least one of the one or more components of the industrial machine during a digging operation, determining a hoist bail pull setting based on the position of the at least one of the one or more components and a relationship between component position and hoist bail pull, and setting a level of hoist bail pull to the hoist bail pull setting. The level of hoist bail pull early in the digging operation is greater than the level of hoist bail pull later in the digging operation.