Mine Face Drilling Control Using LiDAR and Marker-Based Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual drilling in mining and excavation leads to imprecise hole directions and uneven rock faces due to operator judgment, resulting in slower and less accurate drilling processes.
Innovation Solution
An automated drilling system equipped with sensors, including LiDAR units, to detect markers and topography, determining a survey vector and face plane for precise drilling patterns, and a controller to manage drilling vectors and prevent collisions, ensuring consistent and accurate hole placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual drilling is used with operator judgment, then the drilling process is flexible and easy to operate, but the hole direction precision and rock face uniformity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical drilling operations with an automated drilling system that uses sensors (optical, LiDAR, ultrasonic, or microwave) to detect rock face characteristics and automatically controls the drilling machine. This substitution eliminates operator judgment variability while maintaining operational capability through automated control algorithms that process sensor data to determine optimal drilling parameters and hole directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The drilling system performs self-measurement and self-control by using onboard sensors to automatically detect rock face topography, composition, and stress characteristics. The system processes this data through a control algorithm that autonomously determines drilling parameters, hole directions, and depths without requiring external manual intervention, thereby achieving both precision and operational simplicity.
2Productivity
If manual drilling is used, then the equipment is simple to operate, but the drilling speed and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual drilling operations with an automated system that uses sensors to detect rock face characteristics and automatically controls drilling parameters. This substitution significantly increases drilling speed by eliminating manual measurement and adjustment time, while the automated control system handles the complexity of real-time decision-making, maintaining ease of operation through centralized automated management.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated drilling system enables continuous drilling operations by eliminating the intermittent manual interventions required in traditional drilling. The sensor-based system continuously monitors rock face characteristics and adjusts drilling parameters in real-time without stopping, thereby maximizing productivity while the automated control maintains operational simplicity through uninterrupted automated execution.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual drilling is used, then the setup is simple, but the rock face uniformity and blasting quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual drilling with an automated system that uses sensors (optical, LiDAR, ultrasonic, or microwave) to precisely measure rock face topography and characteristics. The control algorithm processes this data to automatically adjust drilling parameters and hole directions, ensuring uniform rock face blasting quality. The system's automated control compensates for its own complexity by integrating sensor data processing and real-time parameter adjustment into a unified control framework.
4Measurement precision
If sensors and automated control are added to improve precision, then the drilling accuracy improves, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multi-functional sensors that can detect multiple rock face characteristics (topography, composition, stress) simultaneously using a single integrated sensing system. The control algorithm processes diverse sensor inputs through a unified control framework that manages drilling parameters, hole directions, and depths. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity compared to using separate specialized devices for each measurement function.
Solution Approach 2:
The control algorithm serves as an intermediary that integrates sensor data processing with drilling machine control. Rather than requiring direct complex connections between multiple sensors and the drilling mechanism, the control algorithm mediates by processing sensor inputs and generating appropriate control commands, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining high drilling accuracy through coordinated automated control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enhances drilling accuracy and speed by enabling consistent and reliable hole placement, reducing loose rock and improving the smoothness of blasted rock faces.
Implementation Method 1
The second sensor may comprise a LiDAR unit
Data Source
AI summary
A system for drilling one or more boreholes in a face of a mine passage including markers attached to the mine passage. A drilling machine includes one or more drills for drilling the one or more boreholes, and a first sensor for sensing a position of the markers. Based on the sensed position of the at least two markers, a computer determines: (i) a survey vector generally parallel to the line; and (ii) a face plane generally orthogonal to the survey vector and coincident with a location where the survey vector intersects the face. A controller may be provided for automatically controlling the feeding of the drill(s) based on the location of the face plane and the back plane to form the boreholes in the face. A back plane may also be determined to ensure that all boreholes are drilled to a corresponding depth. Related methods are also disclosed.