Remote Wear Assembly Handling for Hazardous Part Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The removal and installation of wear parts on earth working equipment, such as excavators, are hazardous and inefficient due to the need for manual handling in challenging environments, with risks of injury from heavy components and unpredictable conditions, and existing methods are cumbersome and often require mobile welding or complex rigging arrangements.
Innovation Solution
A tool system that includes a manipulator and controller for remote operation, enabling safe and efficient installation and removal of wear parts using auxiliary tools, such as gripping members and cartridges, which can be semi-automated or fully automated, and equipped with sensors and data input systems to accommodate various equipment types and environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual handling methods are used for wear part removal and installation, then operators can directly manipulate components, but operator safety is compromised due to proximity to heavy components and unpredictable environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated manipulator system as an intermediary between the operator and the wear parts. The manipulator, controlled remotely via radio frequency communication, performs all operations involving heavy components while the operator remains at a safe distance. This mediator eliminates direct exposure to hazards while maintaining operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling with an automated robotic manipulator system. The manipulator uses mechanical arms and grippers to handle wear parts, replacing the operator's direct manual manipulation. This substitution allows precise control through electronic interfaces while eliminating the need for operators to physically contact heavy or hazardous components.
2Weight of moving object
If complex rigging arrangements are used to secure wear parts, then lifting capability is improved, but device complexity and potential for rigging failure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the lifting function from complex rigging arrangements and integrates it directly into the manipulator system. The manipulator incorporates built-in lifting mechanisms that can directly hoist wear parts without requiring external chains, straps, or rigging equipment. This integration simplifies the overall system while maintaining full lifting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the manipulator and lifting functions into a single integrated system. Rather than using separate rigging equipment in addition to the manipulator, the lifting capability is combined with the manipulator's gripping and positioning functions. This consolidation eliminates the complexity and failure points associated with multiple separate rigging components.
3Loss of time
If wear parts are removed and installed in remote field locations, then equipment downtime is reduced, but environmental challenges and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the manipulator system to perform wear part replacement operations autonomously in remote locations without requiring extensive manual intervention. The system can locate, grasp, remove, and install wear parts independently, reducing the need for operators to work directly in challenging environmental conditions while maintaining rapid replacement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The manipulator acts as an intermediary that allows operators to perform maintenance in remote locations without direct exposure to environmental hazards. By controlling the manipulator from a protected location via radio frequency communication, operators can rapidly replace wear parts in the field while the manipulator handles all interactions with the equipment in the harsh environment.
4Device complexity
If traditional manual methods are used for wear part installation, then equipment and tools are simple, but productivity and efficiency are reduced due to manual handling time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous automated operation of the manipulator system during wear part replacement. The manipulator can perform a sequence of actions—locating, grasping, removing, transporting, and installing wear parts—without interruption or manual repositioning. This continuous automated operation significantly increases productivity compared to manual methods that require repeated positioning and handling adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces slow manual handling operations with fast automated manipulator operations. The electronic control system enables the manipulator to perform multiple operations per minute, dramatically increasing the speed of wear part replacement. This substitution of manual mechanical operations with automated robotic operations maintains relative equipment simplicity while achieving high productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A process and tool for installing and removing various kinds of wear parts used with earth working equipment. The process and tool allows the operator to remove and install the wear parts at a safe distance so that the operator is physically remote from the potential risks of the removal and installation process. The tool may be manually operated via an operator or the tool may be a semi-automated or fully automated.