Processing Device Feed Control Through Predicted Vehicle Arrival

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for controlling material processing devices and load-carrying vehicles at construction sites are inefficient, leading to equipment underutilization and waiting times, as they fail to accurately predict material levels and optimize vehicle arrival times to prevent device emptiness or overfilling.

Innovation Solution

A method that calculates the current material level in the processing device based on dump and processing rates, predicts critical time points for material depletion, and adjusts vehicle speed to ensure timely arrival within a desired time frame, preventing equipment from running out of material or becoming too full, thereby optimizing production and reducing fuel consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If vehicles transport material to the processing device without coordinated speed control, then material supply to the device is maintained, but vehicles experience waiting time at the device and production efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidvehicle waiting time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calculation of the current material level in the processing device and predicts future material levels based on expected processing rates. This advance knowledge allows the system to establish a desired time-of-arrival period for vehicles before they actually arrive, enabling speed adaptation that prevents waiting time while ensuring continuous material supply.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the material level in the processing device by calculating the difference between dumped material and processed material. This feedback information is used to dynamically adjust vehicle speeds, creating a closed-loop control system that optimizes both production efficiency and vehicle utilization without requiring complex communication infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If vehicles increase speed to reduce waiting time, then vehicle utilization improves, but fuel consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle utilizationVSAvoidfuel consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts vehicle speed based on the predicted material level in the processing device and the established desired time-of-arrival period. Instead of using fixed high speeds that increase fuel consumption, the system calculates optimal speed profiles that vary according to real-time conditions, allowing vehicles to maintain high utilization while minimizing energy consumption through intelligent speed modulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If material is continuously supplied to the processing device, then production efficiency increases, but the device may become overfilled exceeding the upper limit

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoiddevice operation reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary prediction of the material level in the processing device based on the current level, dumped material amount, processed material amount, and expected future processing rate. This advance prediction allows the system to establish a desired time-of-arrival period that ensures material is supplied continuously for high productivity while preventing the device from becoming overfilled, thus maintaining operational reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Device complexity

If the processing device operates without accurate material level monitoring, then system complexity is reduced, but the device may run out of material causing production interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidproduction continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the processing device's own operational data (dumped material amount and processed material amount) to calculate and monitor the current material level. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex external sensing infrastructure while ensuring continuous production by enabling accurate material level monitoring and prediction using only information already available from the device's normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11782412B2Method for controlling a material, processing device and a load-carrying vehicle

Publication Date: 2023.10.10 VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AB

AI summary

A method including determining a total amount of unprocessed material that has been dumped into the material processing device during a first time period determining a total amount of unprocessed material that has been processed during the first time period; determining a reference level of unprocessed material at the first point in time; predicting, based on the current level of unprocessed material contained in the material processing device and on an expected future processing rate of the material processing device at least one of an earlier and a later point in time at which the level of unprocessed material is expected to fall below a lower or upper limit; establishing a desired time-of-arrival period extending between a start point and an end point corresponding to the earlier and later points in time respectively; and adapting a speed of the first load-carrying vehicle.