Thermal Monitoring of Ground Engaging Teeth for Wear Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ground engaging products on earth working equipment, such as teeth and shrouds, often wear out or become separated during use, leading to decreased production, excessive wear on other equipment components, and potential hazards due to undetected missing parts, which can cause unscheduled downtime and damage to downstream equipment.
Innovation Solution
A monitoring system that measures temperature profiles of ground engaging products using thermal imaging cameras or infrared sensors, compares them to expected profiles, and indicates characteristics like wear or absence, using thermal inserts with different thermal properties to detect changes and alert operators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ground engaging products are used without monitoring, then equipment can operate continuously, but wear and loss go undetected leading to excessive damage and downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system performs preliminary detection of wear and loss conditions before they lead to catastrophic failure. By continuously measuring temperature profiles and comparing them against expected profiles, the system identifies degradation trends early, allowing operators to schedule maintenance during planned downtime rather than experiencing unscheduled stoppages
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop by continuously monitoring temperature profiles of ground engaging products, comparing measured values against expected profiles, and providing real-time alerts when deviations indicate wear or loss. This closed-loop monitoring enables timely intervention to maintain equipment reliability while minimizing downtime
2Measurement precision
If thermal monitoring system is implemented, then wear and loss can be detected early, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses thermal inserts as intermediaries that are embedded in ground engaging products to provide measurable thermal signatures. These inserts act as mediators between the wear condition and the monitoring system, enabling precise detection of wear and loss through temperature profile measurements without requiring complex direct measurement of the wear itself
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement systems with thermal field-based monitoring. Instead of using mechanical sensors that would require direct contact and complex installation, the system uses non-contact thermal imaging to measure temperature profiles, substituting mechanical complexity with optical/thermal measurement simplicity
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 effectively detects wear and loss of ground engaging products, preventing equipment damage, reducing downtime, and enhancing operational efficiency by providing timely alerts and monitoring capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
measure a temperature profile at a ground engaging product location
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for detecting a characteristic of a ground engaging product on earth working equipment are described. The apparatus is operable to: measure a temperature profile at a ground engaging product location; compare the measured temperature profile with an expected temperature profile for that ground engaging product; and indicate a characteristic of the ground engaging product based on the comparison. Thermal inserts for use with ground engaging products on earth working equipment are also described.