Underground Drilling Rig Tramming Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In underground drilling operations, especially in narrow tunnels, accurately positioning and orienting drilling rigs is challenging due to the lack of satellite-based positioning data, making it difficult to achieve the correct pose for drilling units, which can lead to delays and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A mobile underground drilling rig with a control system that receives target pose information, detects carrier pose information, defines the orientation of the drilling unit, and generates tramming assistance information to help align the rig correctly during the tramming stage, using sensors and a control unit to compute necessary movements and provide real-time guidance to operators or enable autonomous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the drilling rig is trammed to a position in the tunnel for drilling, then the rig can be positioned near the tunnel face, but the rig may not be correctly positioned and oriented for drilling the target hole
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously receives actual position and orientation data from sensors during tramming, compares it with the target pose from the drilling plan, and provides real-time feedback to guide the operator or adjust autonomous movement. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables precise positioning despite the complexity of manual tramming operations in narrow tunnels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning with an automated control system that uses electronic sensors, processors, and actuators. The control unit autonomously calculates the deviation from target pose and generates commands to adjust the rig's position and orientation, substituting human judgment and manual mechanical adjustments with automated electronic control for higher precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If the rig needs to be driven back and forth to obtain appropriate pose, then the drilling unit can be correctly positioned, but this repositioning is substantially more difficult in narrow underground tunnels
Solution Approach 1:
The control system replaces manual back-and-forth repositioning operations with automated electronic control. Sensors continuously monitor the rig's pose, the control unit calculates the exact adjustments needed, and actuators automatically execute the repositioning commands, eliminating the need for difficult manual maneuvering in narrow tunnels.
Solution Approach 2:
The drilling rig performs its own positioning and repositioning operations autonomously through the control system. The rig self-corrects its position and orientation by automatically adjusting its pose based on real-time sensor data and target hole information, without requiring external assistance or complex manual intervention.
3Measurement precision
If satellite-based positioning data is used, then positioning can be achieved easily at surface work sites, but this positioning method is not available in underground tunnels
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed to work with multiple positioning methods and sensor types. It can adapt to different environments by accepting input from various sensors (e.g., inertial sensors, magnetic sensors, visual markers) and processing them through a unified control algorithm, making the system versatile for both surface and underground applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that processes positioning data from alternative sources in underground environments. Instead of directly using satellite data, the system uses intermediate sensors and reference systems (such as inertial measurement units or pre-installed tunnel markers) to derive position and orientation information, bridging the gap between unavailable satellite signals and the need for precise positioning.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method for controlling an underground drilling rig, comprising receiving target pose (200) information indicative of at the target pose for the drilling unit (4) in accordance with a drilling plan, detecting, during tramming/driving of the rig, information indicative of the orientation of the carrier (2), defining, during tramming/driving of the drilling rig, orientation of the drilling unit on basis of the detected carrier orientation information, and generating tramming/driving assistance information on basis of the target pose information and the defined orientation of the drilling unit.