Digital Prototyping on the Example of Selected Self-Propelled Mining Machines

Abstract

Abstract The changing requirements and needs of users as well as the demand for new mining machinery solutions pose a challenge for designers. Time spent on the design phase of a new machine is often reduced to a minimum. Small lot production and sometimes single piece production entails the necessity to frequently design and manufacture commercial copies, which are also prototypes. The only effective solution is to apply available CAD and CAE programs enabling digital prototyping. Their use allows for making a complete machine in a virtual environment. The virtual model is subjected to tests aimed at eliminating collisions, optimizing the construction as well as obtaining a lot of information concerning the load, kinematics, dynamics, stability and power demand. Digital prototyping enables avoiding the majority of errors whose detection and elimination in a real object is time-consuming and expensive. The article presents examples of the application of broadly understood computer aided designing of self-propelled mining machines, produced by Mine Master. The effects of applying the modelling, FEM strength analysis, static and dynamic simulations, modelling of drive systems have been demonstrated. The methods used to validate computer models and verify the parameters of finished machines have also been discussed.