Patent Application
20130033087
Embodiments of the present invention relate to automated operation of mining machines, such as hard rock continuous mining machines.
Traditionally, hard rock excavation is performed using explosive excavation or mechanical excavation. Explosive excavation involves drilling a pattern of small holes into the rock being excavated and loading the holes with explosives. The explosives are then detonated in a sequence designed to fragment the required volume of rock. The fragmented rock is then removed by loading and transport equipment. The violent nature of the rock fragmentation prevents automation of the explosive process and, consequently, makes the process inefficient and unpredictable.
Mechanical excavation eliminates the use of explosives and uses rolling-edge disc cutter technology to fragment rock for excavation. Rolling-edge disc cutters, however, require the application of very large forces to crush and fragment the rock under excavation. For example, the average force required per cutter is about 50 tons and typical peak forces experienced by each cutter are often more than 100 tons. Given these force requirements, it is common to arrange multiple cutters (e.g., 50 cutters) in an array that transverses the rock in closely-spaced, parallel paths. These arrays of cutters can weigh up to 800 tons or more and often require electrical power in the order of thousands of kilowatts. As such, this machinery can only be economically employed on large projects, such as water and power supply tunnels.
Oscillating disc mining machines (often referred to as hard rock continuous miners) overcome many of the issues related to rolling-edge disc cutters. Oscillating disc mining machines use eccentrically-driven disc cutters to cut material. Due to the oscillating nature of the disc cutters, oscillating disc mining machines require less force to fragment material than rolling-edge disc cutters. Accordingly, oscillating disc mining machines are more efficient to operate than rolling-edge disc cutters. Oscillating disc mining machines, however, still suffer from issues related to operator safety and inefficient operation. In particular, to manually operate the machine often requires that an operator be located close to the machine to observe its operation.
Embodiments of the invention therefore provide a method for automatically operating a continuous mining machine. The method includes accessing at least one coordinate of a cutting face stored in a computer-readable medium, automatically operating at least one actuator to position a platform a predetermined starting distance from the at least one coordinate, the platform supporting a cutterhead, and automatically operating the at least one actuator to advance the platform toward the cutting face and beyond the at least one coordinate by a predetermined depth-of-cut to perform a cut of the cutting face with the cutterhead.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a system for automatically operating a continuous mining machine. The system includes a platform supporting a cutterhead, at least one actuator configured to move the platform linearly, and a control system configured to perform an automated cutting operation without manual interaction. The control system performs the automated cutting operation by (i) accessing at least one coordinate of a cutting face stored in a computer-readable medium, (ii) operating the at least one actuator to position the platform a predetermined distance from the at least one coordinate, and (iii) operating the at least one actuator to advance the platform toward the cutting face and beyond the at least one coordinate by a predetermined depth-of-cut to cut the cutting face with the cutterhead.
Yet another embodiment of the invention provides a system for automatically operating a continuous mining machine. The system includes a platform, an arm coupled to the platform and including a cutterhead, a first actuator configured to move the platform linearly, a second actuator configured to swing the arm horizontally, and a third actuator configured to tilt the arm vertically. The system also includes a control system configured to (i) access a first coordinate of the cutting face and a second coordinate of the cutting face stored in a computer-readable medium, (ii) automatically operate the first actuator to position the platform a predetermined starting distance from the first coordinate, (iii) automatically operate the second actuator to position the arm at a predetermined cutting position, and (iv) automatically operate the third actuator to position the arm based on the second coordinate. The control system is also configured to (v) automatically operate the first actuator to advance the platform toward the cutting face and beyond the first coordinate by a predetermined depth-of-cut, (vi) automatically operate the second actuator to swing the arm to a maximum swing angle to cut the cutting face with the cutterhead, and (vii) automatically update the first coordinate based on the predetermined depth-of-cut.
a-c schematically illustrate at least one controller of the control system of
a-b are flow charts illustrating an automated pre-tramming operation performed by the control system of
a-c are flow charts illustrating an automated find-face operation performed by the control system of
a-g are flow charts illustrating an automated cutting operation performed by the control system of
a-b are flow charts illustrating an automated shutdown operation performed by the control system of
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, the methods, operations, and sequences described herein can be performed in various orders. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, no required order is to be implied from the order in which elements, steps, or limitations are presented in the detailed description or claims of the present application. Also unless otherwise indicated herein, the method and process steps described herein can be combined into fewer steps or separated into additional steps.
In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limited. The use of “including,” “comprising” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The terms “mounted,” “connected” and “coupled” are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mounting, connecting and coupling. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings, and can include electrical connections or couplings, whether direct or indirect. Also, electronic communications and notifications may be performed using any known means including direct connections, wireless connections, etc.
It should also be noted that a plurality of hardware and software based devices, as well as a plurality of different structural components may be used to implement the invention. In addition, it should be understood that embodiments of the invention may include hardware, software, and electronic components or modules that, for purposes of discussion, may be illustrated and described as if the majority of the components were implemented solely in hardware. However, one of ordinary skill in the art, and based on a reading of this detailed description, would recognize that, in at least one embodiment, the electronic based aspects of the invention may be implemented in software (e.g., stored on non-transitory computer-readable medium) executable by one or more processors. As such, it should be noted that a plurality of hardware and software based devices, as well as a plurality of different structural components may be utilized to implement the invention. Furthermore, and as described in subsequent paragraphs, the specific mechanical configurations illustrated in the drawings are intended to exemplify embodiments of the invention and that other alternative mechanical configurations are possible. For example, “controllers” described in the specification can include standard processing components, such as one or more processors, one or more computer-readable medium modules, one or more input/output interfaces, and various connections (e.g., a system bus) connecting the components.
As shown in
The cutterhead 26 includes a flange 54 and three openings 58 (see
As shown in
As shown in
The disc cutter assemblies 66 are driven to move in an eccentric manner by cutter motors. This is accomplished, for instance, by driving the disc cutter assemblies 66 using a drive shaft (not shown) having a first portion defining a first axis of rotation and a second portion defining a second axis of rotation that is radially offset from the first axis of rotation. The magnitude of eccentric movement is proportional to the amount of radial offset between the axis of rotation of each portion of the shaft. In one embodiment, the amount of offset is a few millimeters, and the disc cutter assembly 66 is driven eccentrically through a relatively small amplitude at a high frequency, such as approximately 3000 RPM.
The eccentric movement of the disc cutter assemblies 66 creates a jackhammer-like action against the material, causing tensile failure of the rock so that chips of rock are displaced from the rock surface. In particular, action of the disc cutter assemblies 66 against the face is similar to that of a chisel in developing tensile stresses in a brittle material, such as rock, which is caused effectively to fail in tension. The force required to produce tensile failure in the rock is an order of magnitude less than that required by conventional rolling-edge disc cutters to remove the same amount of rock. In some embodiments, the disc cutter assemblies 66 could also nutate such that the axis of rotation 70 moves in a sinusoidal manner as the disc cutter assembly 66 oscillates. This could be accomplished by making the axis about which the disc cutter drive shaft rotates angularly offset from a disc cutter housing. As illustrated in
The mining machine 10 is operated by advancing the arm 30 toward the material (i.e., toward a cutting face) and swinging the arm 30 to cut the material. During operation, the lower disc cutter assembly 66b is the first to contact the material when the arm 30 is swung in a clockwise direction (as viewed from the top of the arm 30 in
In some embodiments, a material handling system can be used with the mining machine 10. The material handling system can include scrappers, a vacuum system, a breaker or crusher to break oversized material, and a conveyor system 145 (see
As illustrated in
The arm 30 swings horizontally side-to-side on the pivoting axis 44 to drive the disc cutter assemblies 66 into the material. In particular, the arm 30 is mounted to the advance platform 168 at the pivoting axis 44 using a pivot assembly 132. The pivot assembly 132 includes a pivot 133 that allows the arm 30 to swing horizontally. The arm 30 swings side-to-side using one or more actuators (“swing actuators 160 and 164”), which are connected between the arm 30 and the advance platform 168. The swing actuators 160 and 164 can be configured to swing the arm 30 through a maximum arc of approximately 150 degrees. In some embodiments, the machine 10 also includes a rotary actuator that rotates the arm 30, which increases a degree of arm rotation and improves positioning of the cutting mechanism 22.
The arm 30 also moves vertically top-to-bottom (i.e., changes the elevation of the arm 30). For example, as illustrated in
To move the arm 30 vertically top-to-bottom (i.e., tilt the cutting mechanism 22), a lever 234 is attached to the lower spherical bearing housing 224 (see
Therefore, in some embodiments, the mining machine 10 includes multiple actuators for positioning and moving the arm 30. In particular, the swing actuators 160 and 164 are used for arm 30 slew or swing, the advance actuators 171 and 172 are used for arm 30 extension and retraction, and the tilt actuator 237 is used for arm 30 tilt or elevation. In should be understood that additional or fewer actuators may be used to perform particular movement of the arm 30. When the actuators include one or more hydraulic actuators, each hydraulic actuator can be equipped with linear variable differential transducers (“LVDT”) or other sensors that provide actuator stroke position signals and pressure transmitters. Each hydraulic actuator can also be equipped with either proportional valves or a load holding valve to lock the actuator in position when not actuated. When other types of actuators are used besides hydraulic actuators, the actuators can include sensors and mechanisms for providing similar information about the state of the actuator and for locking the actuator in a particular position.
The mining machine 10 also includes a control system that controls operation of the mining machine 10. As described in more details below, the control system performs some operations of the mining machine 10 automatically without requiring manual interaction. In general, the control system can initiate an automated sequence automatically or in response to a manual command (e.g., from a remote control unit operated by an operator). After the automated operation is initiated, the control system performs the automated sequence without requiring manual interaction.
In some embodiments, the first controller 252a controls tramming of the machine 10 using the tracks 24 and controls the stabilization system 25. The first controller 252a can also control communication with a remote control unit. In addition, in some embodiments, the first controller 252a controls one or more pumps that drive at least some of the actuators and/or motors included in the mining machine 10. The second controller 252b can control the disc cutter assemblies 66 (e.g., cutter motors) and the movement of the arm 30 (e.g., the swing actuators 160 and 164, the advance actuators 171 and 172, and the tilt actuator 237). The second controller 252b can also control indicators located on or off of the machine 10 that provide information (e.g., visually, audibly, etc.) to operators and other personnel. In addition, the second controller 252b can control the vacuum system and can communicate with the remote control unit and other external systems and devices. In some embodiments, the third controller 252c controls communication between the mining machine 10 and external devices and systems (e.g., machine input/output extension). It should be understood that the functionality performed by the controllers 252 can be combined in a single controller or distributed among additional controllers. Similarly, the control system 250 can include additional controllers 252 located external to the mining machine 10. The three controllers 252 illustrated in
The controllers 252 communicate over a system bus 254. As illustrated in
Motors 256 that drive the disc cutter assemblies 66 (i.e., “cutter motors”) and/or the tracks 24 are also connected to the bus 254 and communicate with the controllers 252. In addition, a pump unit 257 is connected to the bus 254 and communicates with the controllers 252. As described in more detail below, the pump unit 257 provides oil to at least some of the actuators and motors in the mining machine 10. In particular, the pump unit 257 can include a triple main pump unit that controls the motors and actuators associated with moving the tracks 24 and the arm 30 (e.g., the swing actuators 160 and 164, the advance actuators 171 and 172, and the tilt actuator 237). In some embodiments, the pump unit 257 also controls a water pump and supplies hydrostatic bearing oil to the disc cutter assemblies 66. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the pump unit 257 controls various actuators and actuators included in the stabilization system 25.
The controllers 252 can also communicate with various machine indicators 258, such as lights, audible alarms, and associated displays, included in the mining machine 10. The indicators 258 are used to convey information to operators and personnel. The mining machine 10 can also include a transceiver 260 that allows the mining machine 10 to send and receive data (e.g., commands, records, operating parameters, etc.) to and from components external to the mining machine 10. For example, the controllers 252 can use the receiver 260 to communicate with a remote control unit 261 (e.g., a hand-held remote control) and other external monitoring or control systems, such as a supervisory control and data acquisition (“SCADA”) system. In particular, in some embodiments, an operator can issue commands to the mining machine 10 using the remote control unit 261. The remote control unit 261 can include a radio transmitter, an umbilical cable connector, or both. The remote control unit 261 allows an operator to initiate various operations of the mining machine 10, such as turning the machine 10 on and off, stopping the machine 10, starting and stopping various components and systems of the machine 10, stabilizing the machine 10, initiating automated operations, initiating manual operations, and shutting down the machine 10. The controllers 252 can also use the transceiver 260 to communicate with a material handling system 262 that includes a vacuum system 264 and the conveyor system 145.
As illustrated in
In addition, the controllers 252 can communicate with other systems, sensors, and components of the mining machine 10 for monitoring purposes and/or control purposes. For example, as illustrated in
a-c schematically illustrate the controllers 252. As illustrated in
The processor 270 retrieves and executes instructions stored in the computer-readable media 272. The processor 270 also stores data to the computer-readable media 272. The computer-readable media 272 includes non-transitory computer readable medium and includes volatile memory, non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory), or a combination thereof. The input/output interface 274 receives information from outside the controller 252 (e.g., from the bus 254) and outputs information outside the controller 252 (e.g., to the bus 254). In some embodiments, the input/output interface 274 also stores data received from outside the controller 252 to the computer-readable media 272 and, similarly, retrieves data from the computer-readable media 272 to output outside the controller 252.
The instructions stored in the computer-readable media 272 of each controller 252 perform particular functionality when executed by the processor 270. For example, as described in more detail below, the controllers 252 execute instructions to perform various automated operations of the mining machine. In particular, as described in more detail below, the controllers 252 can control the mining machine to automatically (i.e., without requiring manual interaction from an operator) perform pre-tramming operations, find-face operations, cutting operations, stop-cutting operations, and shutdown operations. As part of these operations, the controllers 252 automatically operate the actuators 255, the motors 256, the pump unit 257, the transceiver 260, the indicators 258, and other components and systems associated with the mining machine 10. The controllers 252 can also communicate with the material handing system 262, a water supply system, and an electrical system associated with the mining machine 10 during these automated operations.
Machine Operation
To start the machine 10, an operator switches on a power supply breaker. The operator or engineer then checks various operational parameters of the machine 10 (e.g., using the SCADA system). The operational parameters can include a tilt speed, advance and retract speeds, a swing speed, a depth of the cut, a maximum arm swing angle, a tilt incremental adjustment, automatic cutting parameters, and cutting and swinging positions. After checking the parameters, the operator can activate the remote control unit 261 and initiate a command with the remote control unit 261 to start the pump unit 257. In some embodiments, an alarm is sounded for approximately 10 seconds before the pump 257 is started to alert personnel that the machine 10 is being started. In some embodiments, the control system 250 also verifies that circuit interlocks associated with the pump unit 257 are operational before the pump 257 is started. If circuit interlocks are operational, the control system 250 starts the motor associated with the pump unit 257. With the pump unit 257 running, the operator can tram, tilt, and swing the machine 10 to a desired position using the remote control unit 261.
Pre-Tramming
After the machine 10 is started but before the machine 10 is trammed, the arm 30 is positioned at a predetermined tramming position to safely tram the machine 10. This operation is commonly referred to as “pre-tramming.” The control system 250 can automatically perform pre-tramming. In particular, as noted above with respect to
The automated pre-tramming operation can be initiated manually or automatically. To manually initiate the operation, the operator can select a pre-tramming function or button from the remote control unit 261, and the remote control unit 261 can send an “initiate” command to the control system 250. As described below, the control system 250 can also automatically initiate the automated pre-tramming operation during an automated cutting operation (see
After the automated pre-tramming operation is initiated (at 299), the control system 250 performs the automated operation without requiring manual interaction. In particular, as illustrated in
Find-Face
The control system 250 can perform an automated find-face operation. In particular, as noted above with respect to
After the automated find-face operation is initiated (at 301), the control system 250 performs the operation without requiring manual interaction. In particular, as illustrated in
In particular, as illustrated in
When the arm 30 reaches the tilt starting position and while the interlocks remain okay (at 302 and 308), the control system 250 automatically operates the advance actuators 171 and 172 to move the advance platform 168 to the advance starting position (at 310). In some embodiments, the advance starting position is a minimum stroke or extension of the advance actuators 171 and 172 at which cutting can occur (e.g., 1100 millimeters). The advance starting position can be the same as an advance cutting position described below with respect to the automated cutting operation (see
When the platform 168 is within range of the advance starting position (e.g., extended from approximately 1097 millimeters to approximately 1103 millimeters) (at 312) and while the interlocks remain okay (at 308 and 314, see
When the arm 30 is within range of the swing starting position (e.g., within approximately 1 degree of the swing starting position) (at 318) and while the interlocks remain okay (at 314 and 320), the control system 250 finds the cutting face relative to the predetermined starting position. In particular, the control system 250 automatically operates the advance actuators 171 and 172 to advance the platform 168 (e.g., at a set speed) until one of the disc cutter assemblies 66 touches (i.e., “finds”) the cutting face (at 322). In particular, the control system 250 operates the advance actuators 171 and 172 to advance the cutterhead 26 toward the cutting face until the center disc cutter assembly 66a makes contact with the cutting face. The control system 250 also continues to advance the platform 168 (and subsequently the cutterhead 26) toward the cutting face until a physical force between the cutterhead 26 and the cutting face exceeds a predetermined threshold. When the physical force reaches or exceeds the predetermined threshold, the cutterhead 26 is properly positioned against the cutting face to determine at least one coordinate of the cutting face based on the positions of the arm 30 and/or the platform 168.
In some embodiments, the control system 250 indirectly measures the physical force between the cutterhead 26 and the cutting face. In particular, parameters of the advance actuators 171 and 172 can provide one or more indicators of the physical force between the cutterhead 26 and the cutting face. The control system 250 can determine if these indicators equal or exceed a predetermined value to indirectly determine if the physical force between the cutterhead 26 and the cutting face has reached the predetermined threshold. For example, if the advance actuators 171 and 172 include hydraulic cylinders, the control system 250 can use a pressure value of the actuators 171 and 172 as an indicator of the physical force between the cutterhead 26 and the cutting face. In particular, the control system 250 can advance the platform 168 toward the cutting face until the advance actuators 171 and 172 are pressurized to a predetermined pressure value (e.g., 120 bar). The control system 250 can use a similar pressure value as an indicator of the physical force between the cutterhead 26 and the cutting face when the actuators 171 and 172 include pneumatic actuators. In other embodiments, the control system 250 can use parameters of a current supplied to the actuators 171 and 172, a force value between components of the actuators 171 and 172, or a physical position of a component of the actuators 171 and 172 as the indicator of the physical force between the cutterhead 26 and the cutting face. Other components of the machine 10, such as the swing actuator 160 and 164, the tilt cylinder 237, and the sensors 267, can also provide one or more indicators of the physical force between the cutterhead 26 and the cutting face.
When the indicator of the physical force between the cutterhead 26 and the cutting face equals or exceeds the predetermined value (at 324), the control system 250 saves at least one coordinate of the cutting face based on the current positions of the tilt actuator 237, the advance actuators 171 and 172, and/or the swing actuators 160 and 164 (e.g., to a computer-readable medium of one of the controllers 252) (at 325). In some embodiments, the coordinates include an advance face position, a swing face position, and a tilt face position. The advance face position is based on a position of the advance platform 168, the swing face position is based on an angle of the arm 30, and the tilt face position is based on a tilt of the arm 30. In particular, the advance face position can be based on an extension or stroke of the advance actuators 171 and 172. Similarly, the swing face position can be based on an extension or stroke of the swing actuators 160 and 164, and the tilt face position can be based on an extension or stroke of the tilt actuator 237. Accordingly, the coordinates of the cutting face can be specified in terms of the stroke of the advance actuators 171 and 172, the angle of the arm 30, and the stroke of the tilt actuator 237 when the center disc cutter assembly 66a is touching the cutting face.
After saving the coordinates of the cutting face (at 325) and while the interlocks remain okay (at 326), the control system 250 automatically operates the advance actuators 171 and 172 to retract the advance platform 168 from the identified cutting face by a predetermined retract distance (e.g., to prevent the disc cutter assemblies 66 from dragging against the face when the arm 30 swings) (at 328). In some embodiments, the retract distance is from approximately 20 millimeters to approximately 35 millimeters. When the advance platform 168 is within range of the retract distance (e.g., within approximately 2 millimeters from the retract distance) (at 330) and while the interlocks remain okay (at 332), the control system 250 automatically operates the swing actuators 160 and 164 to swing the arm 30 to a predetermined swing cutting position (e.g., at a predetermined swing speed) (at 334). The swing cutting position can be an angle of the arm 30 at which all cuts performed by the mining machine 10 start. When the arm 30 is within range of the swing cutting position (e.g., within 1 degree of the swing cutting position) (at 336), the find-face operation ends.
After the coordinates of the cutting face are saved, the control system 250 (and/or other control systems included in or external to the mining machine 10) can access the coordinates from the computer-readable medium. For example, the control system 250 can access the coordinates when starting a new cut of the cutting face and when pre-tramming the machine 10. The control system 250 can also access the saved coordinates if they are lost (e.g., during a power failure occurring during a cut). As described below in more detail, after performing a cut, the control system 250 also updates the saved coordinates of the cutting face to account for the depth of the cut.
In some embodiments, the control system 250 can designate saved coordinates as either coordinates found manually or automatically. For example, the control system 250 can separately save manually-found coordinates and automatically-found coordinates. In addition, if a manual find-face operation is performed, the control system 250 can save the manually-found find-face coordinates and can reset the automatically-found coordinates (e.g., by setting the automatically-found coordinates to zero or another default or invalid value) and vice versa. Resetting the automatically-found coordinates when a manual find-face operation is performed and vice versa prevents the control system 250 from using invalid coordinates for the cutting face.
Returning to
When the advance platform 168 reaches the clearance distance (e.g., is within approximately 2 millimeters of the clearance distance) (at 354) and while the interlocks remain okay (at 350 and 356, see
When the arm 30 reaches the tramming position and the interlocks remain okay (at 356 and 362), the control system 250 automatically operates the advance actuators 171 and 172 to retract the advance platform 168 to a predetermined advance cutting position (at 364). In some embodiments, the advance cutting position is the minimum extension of the advance actuators 171 and 172 at which cutting can start (e.g., from approximately 1097 millimeters to approximately 1103 millimeters). When the advance platform 168 is within range of the advance cutting position (e.g., is at or exceeds the advance cutting position) (at 366), the automated pre-tramming operation ends.
After the machine 10 has been pre-trammed, the machine 10 can be safely trammed (e.g., to a starting position for cutting). To tram the machine 10 forward or in reverse, an operator can press one or a combination of buttons and actuate a joystick on the remote control unit 261 in a desired direction (i.e., to issue a “tram-forward” or a “tram-reverse” command). When an operator issues a tram-forward or a tram-reverse command, the brakes for the tracks 24 are released and motors drive the tracks 24 in the commanded direction. The control system 250 matches the drive speed of the tracks 24 to prevent unintended slewing of the machine 10 and to accurately direct the machine 10. In some embodiments, if the speed difference between the two tracks 24 is greater than a predetermined value for a predetermined time, the control system 250 automatically disables tramming.
In some embodiments, the machine 10 can be equipped with a laser displacement sensor configured to measure how far the cutterhead 26 is from the cutting face. If the machine 10 is trammed too close to the cutting face, the control system 250 automatically disables horizontal swinging of the arm 30 to prevent damage to the disc cutter assemblies 66. Also, in some embodiments, when an operator is tramming the machine 10 toward the cutting face, the control system 250 can automatically disable tramming if the machine 10 (e.g., the cutterhead 26) comes within a predetermined minimum distance of the cutting face.
In some embodiments, the control system 250 is also configured to perform automated tramming (i.e., “auto-tram” or “auto-tramming”) and an operator can enable or disable the auto-tramming functionality. In some embodiments, an operator enables auto-tramming to allow the control system 250 to automatically tram the machine 10 when the advance actuators 171 and 172 reach a predetermined maximum extension during an automated cutting operation. When the auto-tramming functionality is activated, the control system 250 trams the machine 10 forward at a predetermined tramming speed for a predetermined tramming distance and then automatically stops. In some embodiments, after auto-tramming, the machine 10 is stabilized (e.g., manually or automatically) before cutting is resumed.
Cutting
After the machine 10 has been trammed (e.g., to a starting position), the control system 250 can perform an automated cutting operation (i.e., “auto-cutting”). In particular, as noted above with respect to
To manually initiate the automated cutting operation, the operator can select a start-cutting function or button from the remote control unit 261, and the remote control unit 261 can send an “initiate” command to the control system 250. In some embodiments, when the operator selects the start-cutting function, the data acquisition system 266 automatically starts (e.g., based on a command from the remote control unit 261 and/or the control system 250) to monitor and record the cutting operation. In some embodiments, the control system 250 can also automatically initiate the automated cutting operation (e.g., after automatically tramming the machine 10 to reposition the machine 10 for a new cutting sequence).
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
In some embodiments, the control system 250 immediately stops the cutter motors, the water jets 99, and the pump unit 257 when stopping the automated cutting operation. However, in some embodiments, the control system delays shutdown of the vacuum system 264 and other components of the material handling system 262 to allow material in the vacuum and conveyor lines to clear. After stopping these components associated with the machine 10 and performing the automated stop-cutting operation (if necessary), the automated cutting operation ends.
Returning to
If the interlocks are okay (at 401, see
To position the platform 168 and the arm 30 at the cutting starting position, the control system 250 (e.g., controller 2) accesses the stored cutting face coordinates and automatically operates the advance actuators 171 and 172 to advance or retract the advance platform 168 to the advance cutting position (at 414). In some embodiments, the advance cutting position is approximately 35 millimeters from the cutting face (i.e., from the advance face position included in the saved coordinates of the cutting face), which prevents the disc cutter assemblies 66 from dragging on the face when the arm 30 swings while still keeping the machine 10 close enough to the cutting face to prevent unnecessary tramming before and after cutting. Therefore, if the advance platform 168 is positioned approximately 32 millimeters or closer to the cutting face (i.e., from the advance face position), the control system 270 retracts the advance platform 168 to create ample room between the platform 168 and the cutting face to allow the arm 30 to swing. Alternatively, if the advance platform is approximately 38 millimeters or farther from the cutting face (i.e., from the advance face position), the control system 270 advances the advance platform 168 to position the platform 168 a proper (e.g., a minimum) distance from the cutting face.
When the advance platform 168 is positioned to allow the arm 30 to clear the cutting face (e.g., is within approximately 33 millimeters to 37 millimeters from the cutting face) (at 416), the control system 20 determines if the current swing angle of the arm 30 is outside of an acceptable range of the swing cutting position (at 418). In particular, the control system 250 determines if the current swing angle of the arm 30 is more than 2 degrees from the swing cutting position. The swing cutting position can be a predetermined angle of the arm 30 where all cuts start from, such as approximately 12 degrees. As illustrated in
When the arm 30 is position at the swing cutting position (e.g., within approximately 1 degree from the swing cutting position) (at 424), the control system 250 determines if the arm 30 is at the tilt cutting position (at 426, see
When the advance platform 168 is positioned at the advance cutting position and the arm 30 is positioned at the swing cutting position and the tilt cutting position (or within acceptable ranges of each), the arm 30 and the advance platform 168 are positioned at the cutting starting position and cutting can start. In particular, as illustrated in
With the cutter motors running, the control system 250 automatically operates the advance actuators 171 and 172 to advance the platform 168 toward the cutting face until it exceeds the saved advance face position included in the coordinates of the cutting face by a predetermined depth value called the “depth-of-cut” (i.e., the maximum depth the reef will be cut as the cutterhead 26 swings clockwise) (at 446). In some embodiments, the control system 250 automatically controls the speed and position of the advance actuators 171 and 172 to ensure the speed and position of the actuators 171 and 172 are matched (e.g., to within approximately 0.1% error) to prevent unintended skewing of the advance platform 168 and, subsequently, the arm 30.
When the advance platform 168 reaches the depth-of-cut and with the cutter motors running, the control system 22 starts the water jets 99 to clear cut material from the faces of the disc cutter assemblies 66 (at 448). In some embodiments, the control system 250 initially runs the water jets 99 at a pressure of approximately 100 bar. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The control system 250 swings the arm 30 until the cutterhead 26 reaches a predetermined maximum swing angle (at 460). When the current angle of the arm 30 reaches the maximum swing angle (or is within approximately 1 degree of the maximum swing angle), the control system 250 reduces the pressure of the water jets 99 (e.g., 100 bar) (at 470, see
In addition, if the advance actuators 171 and 172 have not reached a maximum extension (which requires tramming of the machine 10 to re-position the machine 10 within range of the cutting face) (at 474) and while the interlocks remain okay (at 476), the control system 250 operates the advance actuators 171 and 172 to retract the advance platform 168 from the cutting face by the predetermined clearance distance (e.g., approximately 25 to approximately 35 millimeters) (at 480) to prevent the disc cutter assemblies 66 from dragging against the face as the arm 30 swings to the swing cutting position. When the platform 168 is positioned at the clearance distance (at 482) (e.g., the platform 168 is positioned at least approximately 25 millimeters from the updated cutting face), the control system 250 swings the arm 30 (e.g., counterclockwise) to the swing cutting position (at 422, see
When the advance actuators 171 and 172 reach maximum extension (at 474), the machine 10 must be trammed to position the machine 10 at a new cutting starting position where the arm 30 can again be advanced into the cutting face. In some embodiments, when the actuators 171 and 172 reach maximum extension, the control system 250 activates the automated pre-tramming operation described above with respect to
Stop-Cutting
As noted above, during the automated cutting operation, an operator can interrupt the current cutting cycle by pressing any button on the remote control unit 261 or by moving the joystick on the remote control unit 261, and the remote control unit 261 can send an “initiate” command to the control system 250. The control system 250 can also automatically interrupt a current automated cutting cycle if particular operating parameters exceed predetermined thresholds during the automated cutting cycle (e.g., if one or more machine interlocks are set or triggered). In some embodiments, when cutting is stopped (either manually or automatically), the control system 250 stops the cutter motors and aborts the automated cutting operation. The control system 250 can also perform an automated stop-cutting operation. In particular, as noted above with respect to
In some embodiments, if an operator manually stops a current cutting cycle, an automated stop cutting operation is initiated. In addition, if certain operating parameters are exceeded during an automated stop cutting operation, the control system 250 automatically aborts the automated cutting operation and initiates the automated stop-cutting operation. For example, in some embodiments, control system 250 automatically stops the automated cutting operation when the advance platform 168 reaches a maximum extension during the automated cutting operation so that the machine can be repositioned for additional cutting sequences. The control system 250 can also automatically initiate the automated stop-cutting operation when particular non-emergency failures occur during the automated cutting operation. For example, the control system 250 can initiate the automated stop-cutting operation when (i) cutter motors currents or winding temperatures exceed predetermined values, (ii) cutter motor protection relay communication fails, (iii) any portion of the automated cutting operation fails to execute, (iv) oil is contaminated with water to a certain magnitude, (v) the cutter's hydrostatic bearing oil or water flow or pressure fails or is excessive, or (vi) the cutter's hydrostatic bearing oil temperature exceeds predetermined values. In some embodiments, the control system 250 uses information from the sensors 267 to determine if one or more of these conditions are occurring that trigger the automated stop-cutting operation.
Automating the stop cutting cycle ensures that cutting is efficiently and safely stopped and allows the machine 10 to safely recover from certain system failures that occur during the automated cutting operation (e.g., failures that do not require an emergency or non-emergency shut-down). In addition, in some embodiments, the automated stop-cutting operation also repositions the arm 30 and the advance platform 168 at a position that allows maintenance and other operational personnel to easily access the machine 10 and the components associated with the arm 30 (e.g., the disc cutter assemblies 66) to perform any desired maintenance. Furthermore, performing the automated stop-cutting operation also allows for speedy transition from one set of cuts to the next. In particular, the automated stop-cutting operation automatically positions the machine 10 in the tramming position, which prepares the machine 10 for subsequent cutting.
When the automated stop-cutting operation is initiated (at 500), the control system 250 performs the automated stop-cutting operation without requiring manual interaction. In particular, as shown in
When the advance platform 168 reaches the maintenance distance (e.g., is positioned within approximately 3 millimeters from the maintenance distance) (at 506) and while the interlocks remain okay (at 508), the control system 250 automatically operates the swing actuators 160 and 164 to swing the arm 30 to the tramming position (at 510). When the arm 30 is at the tramming position (e.g., within approximately 1 degree of the tramming position) (at 512), the automated stop-cutting operation ends.
Shutdown
Shutdown of the machine 10 can also be performed as an automated operation. In particular, as noted above with respect to
In some embodiments, to initiate the automated shut-down operation, the operator presses and holds a shutdown button on the remote control unit 261 (e.g., for at least two seconds) when the pump unit 257 is running. The control system 250 can also automatically initiate the automated shut-down operation (e.g., based on a machine failure occurring during an automated cutting operation). After the automated shut-down operation is initiated (at 600), the control system 250 performs the automated shut-down operation without requiring manual interaction. In particular, as illustrated in
When the platform 168 reaches the advance cutting position (e.g., is within approximately 2 millimeters of the advance cutting position) (at 604), the control system 250 determines if the arm 30 is positioned at the swing cutting position (at 606). If the arm 30 is at the swing cutting position (e.g., the current angle of the arm 30 is within approximately 2 degrees of the swing cutting position), the automated shutdown operation ends. If the arm 30 is not at the swing cutting position (e.g., the current angle of the arm 30 is not within approximately 2 degrees of the swing cutting position) and while the interlocks remain okay (at 607, see
After the machine 10 is shutdown, an operator can power down the machine 10. When the machine 10 is isolated, all control power will be in the off state, but the controllers 252 may remain energized until batteries included in the machine discharge to predetermined minimum voltage. In addition, when the machine 10 is isolated, the controllers 252 can remain in the energized state but the outputs of the controllers 252 can be disabled to prevent the controllers 252 from performing any control functions. Furthermore, if the machine 10 is idle for a predetermined idle time, the control system 250 may automatically shut down the motor for the pump unit 257 as a safety precaution and to preserve energy.
In some embodiments, an emergency stop can also be performed. To initiate an emergency stop, an operator can press an emergency stop button located on the machine 10 or the remote control unit 261 or another external system or device (e.g., the SCADA). Pressing an emergency stop button constitutes an uncontrolled shutdown and the control system 250 immediately stops the pump unit 257.
It should be understood that, in some embodiments, during any of the automated operations described above, an operator can cancel the automated operation by pressing a particular or any button or mechanism (e.g., the joystick) on the remote control unit 261 or on another external system or device (e.g., the SCADA). In addition, parameters used during the automated operations described above can vary based on the mining environment, the material, and other parameters of the mining machine 10 and/or other machinery used with the machine 10. In some embodiments, the parameters can be manually set by an operator through the SCADA or another system or interface for obtaining machine parameters and providing the parameters to the control system 250.
Therefore, as described above, operations of a mining machine can be performed automatically. When performed automatically, a remote control unit 261 can be used to initiate an automated operation. Various checks and tests can be performed before, during, and after an automated operation to ensure that the operation is performed correctly and safely. By automating operations, the mining machine can be used more efficiently and under safer operating conditions.
Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/514,542 filed Aug. 3, 2011, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/514,543 filed Aug. 3, 2011, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/514,566 filed Aug. 3, 2011, the entire contents of which are each hereby incorporated by reference. The present application also incorporates by reference the entire contents of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 13/566,462, filed Aug. 3, 2012 and titled “MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM FOR MINING MACHINE” (Attorney Docket No. 051077-9193-US01) and U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 13/566,150, filed Aug. 3, 2012 and titled “STABILIZATION SYSTEM FOR A MINING MACHINE” (Attorney Docket No. 051077-9239-US00).
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61514542 | Aug 2011 | US | |
| 61514543 | Aug 2011 | US | |
| 61514566 | Aug 2011 | US |
