Automatic control system for walking dragline excavator digging

This paper presents the results of the development of automatic control systems for walking dragline excavator digging process. The process enables operational productivity to be enhanced through optimizing digging process. This also prevents extreme loads on machinery and hoist cable deflection. The paper also describes mathematical models of the electric drives of the main excavator machinery which form the bucket motion and the model of cable length change. Further the study will analyse the tructure of the control system and the automatic digging algorithm. Computer modeling findings are also described to confirm the operability of the automatic digging algorithm. Computer simulation of the processes in electric drives of main machinery of a walking dragline in digging operations was performed by means of SimInTech software. The automatic control system optimizes digging trajectory with very fast penetration with permissible overregulation following digging at a constant cut depth. The integrated system of dragline operation process control is practically independent due to the following factors: the automatic digging control system in combination with automatic systems for transporting the loaded bucket to dump and the empty bucket to the face; the automatic main machinery overload protection systems; and the system of control over safe bucket movement in the dragline working space