Milling Cut Depth Scanning for Accurate Removed Volume Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining the volume of material removed by milling machines, such as cold planers, are inaccurate, leading to issues with over- or underpayment of contractors and inefficiencies in road weight limits.
Innovation Solution
A system incorporating at least two scanners positioned at the front and rear of the milling assembly to generate cut depth curves, followed by integration operations to calculate the area worked, allowing for determination of physical operational parameters like volume and weight of material removed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional measurement methods are used to determine milled volume, then the settlement process can proceed, but the measurement accuracy is insufficient leading to over- or underpayment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical measurement systems with laser-based optical scanning systems. The laser scanner projects laser lines onto the road surface and captures the reflected light to create precise 3D point clouds, substituting mechanical contact measurement with non-contact optical measurement to achieve higher accuracy in determining milled volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the measurement approach by changing from direct physical measurement to optical parameter measurement. By capturing laser reflection parameters (intensity, position, angle) and converting them into spatial coordinates, the system achieves precise volume calculation through parameter transformation rather than traditional mechanical measurement.
2Productivity
If vehicles are overloaded to maximize efficiency, then productivity increases, but road weight limits are exceeded resulting in fines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the measured milled volume and calculated material weight are provided back to the loading system. This feedback allows the system to adjust loading quantities to match actual milled amounts, ensuring vehicles are loaded to optimal capacity without exceeding road weight limits, thus resolving the conflict between productivity and regulatory compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary measurement and calculation of the exact milled volume before the material is loaded onto vehicles. By knowing the precise amount of material to be transported in advance, the system can plan optimal loading configurations that maximize vehicle utilization while staying within weight limits, preventing overloading before it occurs.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If vehicles are underloaded to stay within weight limits, then compliance is maintained, but transport efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system provides feedback on the exact milled volume, allowing the loading system to optimize vehicle loading to the maximum safe capacity. This eliminates the need for conservative underloading by providing accurate information that enables precise loading planning, thus maintaining compliance while maximizing transport efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from estimating and conservatively underloading to precisely measuring and optimally loading. By transforming the loading decision from a conservative estimate to a data-driven optimization based on actual milled volume, the system achieves both compliance and efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus of a work machine can include a sensor to provide information regarding a surface worked by a work machine. The apparatus can also include processing circuitry coupled to the sensor. The processing circuitry can generate a cut depth curve that represents cut depth subsequent to performing work on the surface, based on measurements provided by the set of sensors. The processing circuitry can perform an integration operation based on the cut depth curve to generate a measure of area worked by the work machine. The processing circuitry can determine at least one physical operational parameter of the work machine based on the measure of area worked by the work machine. Other systems and methods are described.