Autonomous Pile Driving QC for Pile Location and Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manual operation of heavy equipment vehicles for pile driving is costly, labor-intensive, and prone to human error, with insufficient skilled labor and limited operational hours contributing to project delays and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
The development of autonomous off-road vehicles (AOVs) capable of accessing pile plan maps, generating obstacle maps, and autonomously navigating, loading, and driving piles into the ground, with integrated quality control and obstacle mapping functionalities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual operators are used to operate heavy equipment vehicles for pile driving, then the operation can be performed with current technology and procedures, but the operation costs increase, labor availability decreases, and human error risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous off-road vehicle performs pile driving operations independently without human intervention. The vehicle autonomously navigates to pile locations, positions itself, drives piles into the ground, and returns to storage areas, eliminating the need for manual operators and reducing human error while maintaining operational reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual operation with an autonomous control system that uses sensors, processors, and automated mechanisms. The autonomous vehicle uses GPS receivers for location tracking, obstacle detection sensors for navigation, and automated pile driving mechanisms, substituting human mechanical operation with electronic and automated systems
2Productivity
If manual operators are required during entire earthwork operations, then operational control can be maintained, but labor costs increase and skilled labor shortage becomes a limiting factor
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous off-road vehicle independently performs all pile driving tasks including navigation, pile selection, pile driving, and return to storage. The vehicle's control system autonomously makes decisions about which piles to drive next and navigates without human input, significantly improving productivity by eliminating the need for skilled manual operators
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous off-road vehicle is designed to perform multiple functions: it can navigate autonomously, detect obstacles, load and transport piles, drive piles into the ground, and return to storage areas. This multi-functionality allows a single autonomous vehicle to replace multiple manual operations, improving overall productivity
3Duration of action of moving object
If operations are limited to daytime hours due to manual operation requirements, then safety can be maintained with human operators, but project duration increases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous off-road vehicle can operate continuously without human intervention, enabling nighttime and extended operational hours. The vehicle autonomously navigates, performs pile driving, and returns to storage without requiring human operators, thereby extending operational duration beyond daytime hours and reducing overall project duration
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous vehicle enables continuous operation without the breaks, shifts, and limitations associated with manual operation. The vehicle can work continuously during daytime and nighttime, maintaining useful action throughout extended periods, thereby reducing total project duration and associated costs
4Manufacturing precision
If manual operators are used for pile driving, then operational flexibility can be maintained, but human error increases and work quality decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an autonomous control system that uses sensors, GPS, and automated mechanisms. The autonomous vehicle precisely positions itself using GPS coordinates, detects obstacles using sensors, and drives piles with consistent precision, eliminating human error and improving manufacturing precision in pile driving operations
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous off-road vehicle uses obstacle detection sensors and GPS receivers to continuously monitor its position and environment. The control system processes this feedback information to make real-time adjustments to navigation and pile driving operations, ensuring precise pile placement and maintaining high work quality without human intervention
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous off-road vehicle (AOV) autonomously performs a pile driving operation by driving a pile into the ground at a location identified by a pile plan map. The AOV detects one or more attributes of the pile using one or more sensors during or after the pile driving operation. The AOV determines whether the one or more attributes of the pile exceed respective tolerance thresholds. The AOV performs a quality control action in response to determining that the one or more attributes of the pile exceed the respective tolerance thresholds. The one or more attributes include one or more of a location and an orientation of the pile, and the quality control action is performed in response to determining that the location or the orientation of the pile exceeds the respective tolerance threshold.