Dynamics of Large Mining Excavators

Watmough, James (1999) Dynamics of Large Mining Excavators. Canadian Industrial Problem Solving Workshops > 3rd IPSW [Victoria 31/5/1999 - 4/5/1999].

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Abstract/Summary

In this report, parametric and non-parametric regression models and their suitability to determining the mass in the bucket of large mining excavators are compared. Although the problem of determining the force on the bucket teeth could be modelled in a similar fashion, it is not clear that there is a single force acting on the teeth and not a more complex contact between the bucket and the ground, so the report focuses on the problem of determining the payload mass.

The parametric model is found to be the better approach, because although a detailed model of each type of machine must be developed, an exact measurement of the model parameters is not required, and the model requires far less data for training that the non-parametric one.

Problem Statement

The boom and bucket of large mining excavators are driven by large hydraulic cylinders operating at upto 30Mpa (4350psi). Operators of these large machines would benefit from real-time knowledge of 1) the payload in the bucket, and 2) the digging force at the bucket teeth.

The company is interested to know of an approach to this problem which can produce the required performance without the need to develop a detailed dynamical model, since this has been found to be impractical in the past.

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