Milling Machine Conveyor Control for Precise Truck Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automotive milling machines face challenges in coordinating the unloading of milled material with transport vehicles, particularly due to operator distraction from simultaneously managing the milling process, slewing angles, elevation angles, and conveying speeds, which can lead to collisions or uneven loading.
Innovation Solution
A detection and control system that continuously locates the position of the transport vehicle's loading surface and slewable transport conveyor relative to the milling machine, automatically controlling the point of impact of the milled material via slewing angle, elevation angle, and conveying speed to ensure precise and safe unloading, even during cornering or changes in vehicle movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the operator manually coordinates the milling operation with transport vehicle positioning and conveyor control, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but operator distraction increases and collision risk arises
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic coordination where the control unit autonomously manages the synchronization between milling operation, transport vehicle positioning, and conveyor control without requiring continuous operator intervention. The detection system continuously monitors vehicle position and the control unit automatically adjusts conveyor parameters to maintain safe coordination
Solution Approach 2:
The detection system continuously provides feedback on the transport vehicle's position and movement status to the control unit. This real-time feedback enables the control unit to dynamically adjust conveyor slewing angle, elevation angle, and conveying speed to maintain proper coordination and prevent collisions
2Productivity
If the operator focuses solely on the milling operation, then milling efficiency improves, but coordination with transport vehicle deteriorates leading to potential collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic coordination system performs the safety coordination function independently without requiring operator attention. The detection system monitors vehicle position and the control unit automatically manages conveyor parameters, allowing the operator to focus exclusively on the milling operation while maintaining safe coordination
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary between the milling operation and transport vehicle coordination. It receives detection data about vehicle position and automatically adjusts conveyor parameters to maintain safe coordination, serving as an automated mediator that frees the operator from dual-task management
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual adjustment of slewing angle and conveying speed is used to adapt to vehicle movement, then adaptability is maintained, but response time decreases and loading uniformity suffers
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system continuously monitors transport vehicle position and provides real-time feedback to the control unit. This enables the control unit to automatically and rapidly adjust slewing angle and conveying speed in response to vehicle movement, maintaining adaptability with instantaneous response time and achieving uniform loading across the loading surface
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical adjustment with an automated control system that uses detection data to electronically control the conveyor's slewing and elevation mechanisms. This substitution of manual operation with automated control enables faster response times and more precise adaptation to vehicle movement changes
Data Source
AI summary
In an automotive milling machine, with a height-adjustable machine frame, with a controller for the travelling and milling operation, with a working drum, with a slewable transport conveyor device arranged in front of or behind the working drum as seen in the direction of travel of the milling machine, where the last or single transport conveyor of the transport conveyor device as seen in the direction of transport is slewable sideways, relative to the machine frame, about an essentially vertical axis under a slewing angle, and about an axis orthogonal to the axis under an elevation angle, and where the transport conveyor discharges the milled material at a specified conveying speed onto a point of impingement on a loading surface of a transport vehicle, it is provided for the following features to be achieved: the controller comprises a detection and control system which continuously locates the alterable position of the loading surface of the transport vehicle and of the transport conveyor relative to the machine frame, or the alterable position of the loading surface of the transport vehicle relative to the transport conveyor, and continuously controls positioning of the point of impingement of the milled material automatically via the slewing angle and/or the elevation angle and/or the conveying speed of the transport conveyor in such a way that the discharged milled material impinges within the loading surface.