Suitability of a Three-Axis Inclinometer to the Automated Blade Control System of Excavator

Abstract

-Partly automated blade control of excavator has been studied. Main focus of the study were to find means to control one of the excavator's work cylinders automatically while machine operator controls the rest of non-automated work cylinders.This article concentrates on the suitability of a certain inclinometer sensor for partly automated blade control of excavator. Test device was built where inclinometers output data controlled hydraulic cylinder and the statical and dynamical properties of the cylinder and the controlling sensor were studied. In statical tests the inclinometer was attached to the milling tools distributing board along with the reference sensor. The positioning accuracy and the positioning repeatability were studied with the statical tests. In dynamical tests the inclinometer was attached to the pendulum and the dynamical properties of the inclinometer were researched with the pendulum oscillation experiments. Test device contained angular potentiometer which purpose was to function as inclinometers reference sensor. The LVDT displacement transducer was attached to the side of the cylinder which functioned as cylinders integrated displacement sensors (VRVT) reference sensor. In dynamical tests the inclinometers and reference sensors data responses were measured with different pendulum rod lengths and attachment setups. Centripetal accelerations and angular frequencies were calculated from the measured data and their effects for angular error are introduced.Results indicate that cylinders positioning accuracy was ± 1.5 millimetres and the inclinometers angle accuracy was ± 0.3 angle of degrees with delay of 600 ms. Accuracies are sufficient but the delay is too long for partly automated blade control.

Earthmoving Construction Automation with Military Applications: Past, Present and Future

“…The impedance control was also discussed later in [37] for a tele-operated excavator. Recently, partial automated blade control has been studied in [38] to control one of the excavator's work cylinders while the machine operator controls the rest of non-automated work cylinders. A time-delay control with switching action (TDCSA) using an integral sliding surface was proposed for the control of a 21-tonne robotic excavator [39], whereby analysis and experiments showed that using an integral sliding surface for the switching action of TDCSA was better than using a PD-type sliding surface.…”

Development and experimental investigation of an automatic control system for an excavator

“…Mohammed and Athraa 8 examined nonlinear modelling of a fuzzy control design for a 4-DOF (degree of freedom) robotic backhoe excavator. Furthermore, Immonen et al 9 studied the applicability of a threeaxis tiltmeter in an automatic control system of an excavator. Mohammad Shahidul Hasan 10 investigated modelling and issues with the remote control of an industry excavator.…”