Controlling a digging operation of an industrial machine

• US 8,504,255 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joy Global Surface Mining Inc. (Mitsui & Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Harnischfeger Technologies Inc. (Mitsui & Company Limited)
• Inventors: Colwell, Joseph, Powers, William, Burant, John
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US13/222,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20120275893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701/49, 374/43, 37394-398, 373/48, 373/84, 374/44, 414/699, 414/694, 414/718, 414/726, 414/685, 414/5, 414/716, 702/174, 702/41, 702/44, 172/2, 700/65, 177/139, 177/147
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/304 with the dipper-arm slidably mounted on the boom E02F3/305 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/308 working outwardly
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/352 Buckets movable along a fixed guide
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/43 Control of dipper or bucket position; Control of sequence of drive operations
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/431 for bucket-arms, front-end loaders, dumpers or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/432 for keeping the bucket in a predetermined position or attitude
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/435 for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/46 with reciprocating digging or scraping elements moved by cables or hoisting ropes ; Drives or control devices therefor E02F3/205, E02F3/905 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/025 with scraper-buckets, dippers or shovels
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2025 Particular purposes of control systems not otherwise provided for E02F3/16, E02F3/26, sub-groups of E02F3/43, E02F3/651, sub-groups of E02F3/84, E02F3/907, E02F5/145 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2029 Controlling the position of implements in function of its load, e.g. modifying the attitude of implements in accordance to vehicle speed control for hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/2203, E02F9/2221 and E02F9/2253 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/265 with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)

Abstract

Systems, methods, devices, and computer readable media for controlling the operation of an industrial machine including one or more components. A method of controlling the industrial machine includes determining a position of at least one of the one or more components of the industrial machine during a digging operation, determining a hoist bail pull setting based on the position of the at least one of the one or more components and a relationship between component position and hoist bail pull, and setting a level of hoist bail pull to the hoist bail pull setting. The level of hoist bail pull early in the digging operation is greater than the level of hoist bail pull later in the digging operation.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a digging operation of an industrial machine, the industrial machine including a dipper and a hoist motor drive, the method comprising:

determining, using a processor, a first position of the dipper with respect to a digging envelope of the industrial machine;

determining a first hoist bail pull setting based on the first position of the dipper and a relationship between dipper position and hoist bail pull;

setting a first level of hoist bail pull for the hoist motor drive to the first hoist bail pull setting for driving a hoist motor, the hoist motor operable to apply a force based on the first level of hoist bail pull to one or more hoist ropes;

determining a second position of the dipper with respect to the digging envelope of the industrial machine;

determining a second hoist bail pull setting based on the second position of the dipper and the relationship between dipper position and hoist bail pull; and

setting a second level of hoist bail pull for the hoist motor drive to the second hoist bail pull setting for driving the hoist motor, the hoist motor operable to apply a force based on the second level of hoist bail pull to the one or more hoist ropes,

wherein the first position of the dipper corresponds to a lower position in the digging envelope of the industrial machine than the second position of the dipper, and

wherein the first level of hoist bail pull is greater than the second level of hoist bail pull.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first level of hoist bail pull exceeds a normal operating value for hoist bail pull.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the industrial machine is a rope shovel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the relationship corresponds to a function for calculating a hoist bail pull based on dipper position.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a center-of-gravity (“

CG”

) excursion of the industrial machine during the digging operation.

6. An industrial machine comprising:

a dipper connected to one or more hoist ropes;

a hoist motor drive configured to provide one or more drive signals to a hoist motor, the hoist motor operable to apply a force to the one or more hoist ropes as the dipper is moved through a digging operation; and

a controller connected to the hoist motor drive, the controller configured to

determine a first position of the dipper associated with the digging operation,

determine a first hoist bail pull setting based on a relationship between dipper position and hoist bail pull,

set a first level of hoist bail pull for the hoist motor drive to the first hoist bail pull setting,

determine a second position of the dipper associated with the digging operation,

determine a second hoist bail pull setting based on the relationship between dipper position and hoist bail pull, and

set a second level of hoist bail pull for the hoist motor drive to the second hoist bail pull setting,

wherein the first position of the dipper corresponds to an earlier position in the digging operation than the second position of the dipper, and

wherein the first level of hoist bail pull is greater than the second level of hoist bail pull.

7. The industrial machine of claim 6, wherein the industrial machine is a rope shovel.

8. The industrial machine of claim 6, wherein the second level of hoist bail pull corresponds to a normal operating value for hoist bail pull.

9. The industrial machine of claim 8, wherein a tipping moment of the industrial machine at the first position is approximately equal to the tipping moment of the industrial machine at the second position, and wherein the tipping moment is less than or approximately equal to a tipping moment of a second industrial machine for which the first level of hoist bail pull and the second level of hoist bail pull are each set to the normal operating value for hoist bail pull.

10. The industrial machine of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to monitor the tipping moment of the industrial machine during the digging operation.

11. A method of controlling the operation of an industrial machine, the industrial machine including one or more components, the method comprising:

determining a position of at least one of the one or more components of the industrial machine during a digging operation of the industrial machine;

determining, using a processor, a hoist bail pull setting based on the position of the at least one of the one or more components and a relationship between component position and hoist bail pull; and

setting a level of hoist bail pull to the hoist bail pull setting,

wherein the level of hoist bail pull early in the digging operation is greater than the level of hoist bail pull later in the digging operation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the one or more components is a dipper handle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the one or more components is a dipper.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the relationship corresponds to a function for calculating a hoist bail pull based on dipper position.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the function gradually reduces the level of hoist bail pull throughout the digging operation.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the digging operation includes a digging envelope.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the digging envelope is divided into two or more sections corresponding to different levels of hoist bail pull.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising monitoring a tipping moment of the industrial machine during the digging operation.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the level of hoist bail pull early in the digging operation exceeds a normal operating value for hoist bail pull.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the industrial machine is a rope shovel.