Track Roller Wear Measurement via Rotational Speed

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Solution Overview

Problem

Undercarriage track systems in mining and construction machinery experience wear issues due to high stresses at contact surfaces between track links and rollers, making it difficult to predict and schedule maintenance effectively.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a sensed feature on the roller that is detectable by a sensor to track revolutions, allowing for the determination of rotational speed and comparison with translational speed to assess wear, thereby predicting further wear and scheduling maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a sensor system is added to monitor roller wear, then maintenance prediction capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance prediction capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical wear measurement systems with a simpler sensor-based detection system. A sensor detects rotational speed of the roller, and an electronic control system processes this data to determine wear based on the relationship between rotational speed and machine travel speed, eliminating the need for direct mechanical measurement of wear dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary electronic control system that mediates between the simple sensor input and the complex wear analysis. The control system uses the detected rotational speed as an intermediary parameter to infer wear conditions, avoiding direct complex measurement of the wear itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If roller wear is monitored continuously, then maintenance timing precision is improved, but information processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance timing precisionVSAvoidinformation processing requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback system where the sensor continuously monitors rotational speed and feeds this information to the electronic control system. The control system compares the actual rotational speed with the expected speed based on machine travel rate, providing feedback that indicates wear progression over time, enabling precise maintenance timing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary detection of wear conditions by continuously monitoring rotational speed before significant wear occurs. This allows maintenance to be scheduled in advance based on predicted wear trends, rather than waiting for visible wear or machine failure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3212489B1Track roller assembly with a wear measurement system

Publication Date: 2019.10.09 CATERPILLAR INC

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AI summary

A roller (130) of an undercarriage track system (100) for a machine (50) is disclosed. The roller (130) includes a body (133) and a sensed feature (135). The body (133) is a solid of revolution formed about a roller axis (123). The body (133) includes a bore surface (136) and a roller contact surface (129). The bore surface (136) defines a bore (128) extending through the body (133). The bore surface (136) is a radially inner surface of the body (133). The roller contact surface (129) is located outward from the bore surface (136). The sensed feature (135) is located at the body (133). The sensed feature (135) is configured to rotate with the body (133) and to be detectable by a sensor (150).