Excavator Bucket Research Articles

Development of a new bucket design for a single-bucket hydraulic excavator

The single-bucket hydraulic excavator is used in the mining industry, construction, utilities and other sectors of the economy. The performance of these machines depends on a number of factors, the main one of which is the volume of the bucket. Due to the impossibility of overcoming digging resistance forces, it is impossible to install a larger bucket on an excavator of a certain category. The work examines the design of an excavator bucket, the shape and mechanics of which reduce digging resistance, which will allow the installation of larger-capacity buckets. Sketches of the proposed buckets with a volume of 0.25 m³ were considered. A search was carried out for the optimal parameters of the bucket parts for the possibility of installing it on a serial excavator and implementing the digging process. The rationale for the parameters of the ladle parts is given. To check the functionality, a strength calculation of the designed bucket structure was carried out. This will improve the performance of the excavator and expand its functionality. As a result of the study, changes were proposed in the design of the serial bucket, which will make it possible to install buckets of increased volume on the excavator without losing the strength and reliability of the structure. The strength calculation showed a structural safety factor of 3.3, which indicates the operability of the designed structure of the proposed bucket.

The Influence of Grain Size on the Abrasive Wear Resistance of Hardox 500 Steel

High-strength martensitic steels with boron are among the leading materials widely recognized for their exceptional resistance to abrasive wear. These steels exhibit some of the highest strength indices among bulk steels, a result of their specific chemical composition, thermomechanical rolling processes at the steel mill, and the use of pure, high-quality ores. With hardness values ranging from 400 to 650 HBW, they are ideal for demanding applications such as excavator buckets, plow blades, shafts, wear-resistant bars, and container liners. One critical microstructural property contributing to their high mechanical performance is the prior austenite grain size (PAG). A finer grain structure is associated with enhanced plasticity, and plastic deformation plays a significant role in abrasive wear mechanisms. However, this relationship between grain size and wear resistance is not well-documented in the literature, with few studies providing specific quantitative data. To address this gap, the authors conducted a study to examine the effect of prior austenite grain size on wear resistance when exposed to loose abrasive electrofused alumina no. 90. The findings indicate that applying targeted heat treatment can increase hardness by 58 Brinell units compared to the as-delivered condition. Moreover, as grain size increases from 18 µm to 130 µm, the relative abrasive wear resistance coefficient Kb decreases from 1.00 (for Hardox 500 steel in its as-delivered state) to 0.80 for austenitized material treated at 1200 °C.

Viscosity Reduction and Drag Reduction Performance Analysis of Bionic Excavator Buckets Based on Discrete Element Method.

With the aiming of solving problems with the existing ordinary excavator buckets used in the process of operations (such as heavy digging resistance, ease of adhesion, and others), seven types of bionic buckets and a prototype bucket were designed, based on the contractile-state curve of the earthworm head and the contour curve of the pangolin claw toe. The digging processes of the buckets were simulated using the discrete element method. The results show that, compared with the prototype buckets, all seven types of bionic buckets have significant drag reduction effects at the same digging depth, and the drag reduction effects increase with the decrease of digging speed. Among them, the composite bionic bucket-3 has the highest drag reduction rate, of 14.469% when the digging speed is 2 rad/s. At the same digging speed, different buckets disturb the soil particles to different degrees, and the bionic buckets disturb the soil more significantly compared with the prototype buckets. By conducting contact force field analysis for the buckets, it was shown that the bionic corrugated structure brings the bucket surface into incomplete contact with the soil particles, where the contact is on small areas or even on points, so that the relative velocity between the soil and the shovel body increases under the same driving force, which reduces the excavation resistance. This study provides a theoretical and design basis.

Identification of material excavation difficulty and uncertainty analysis based on Bayesian deep learning

Accurately assessing the difficulty of material excavation is crucial for reducing excavator energy consumption, ensuring operational safety, and optimizing excavator efficiency. Addressing the challenges of uncertain and difficult-to-judge excavation conditions for underground materials, this paper proposes a Bayesian deep learning-based method that integrates excavation process data to identify excavation difficulty. Firstly, we constructed a deep learning model based on Bayesian theory and decomposed the uncertainty of the identification results into aleatory uncertainty and epistemic uncertainty. Next, through a mechanistic analysis of the interaction between materials and the excavator bucket during excavation, we identified the input features for the model. Finally, we validated the effectiveness of the method through experiments. The results show that the proposed method not only accurately identifies the excavation difficulty of the material but also quantifies and decomposes the uncertainty of the identification results, demonstrating both theoretical significance and practical application value.

Causes of accelerated failure of excavator bucket teeth crowns when operating in Arctic regions

Causes of accelerated failure of excavator bucket teeth crowns when operating in Arctic regions

The effect of manganese and carbon on the mechanical properties of the welded layer of the bucket teeth of the Hadfield steel excavator

The paper investigates the effect of the surfacing composition’s chemical structure (the manganese and carbon concentrations’ ratio) on the mechanical properties of the surfacing layer on Hadfield steel for increasing the durability of the products made from it, namely the excavator bucket’s teeth. Two criteria, namely the impact toughness and wear resistance of the coating, were chosen as optimization parameters. The assessment of the impact strength of the deposited coating was carried out on the Sharpie samples on the pendulum copra, and the wear test was carried out according to the Brinly-Haworth scheme in the conditions of samples’ abrasion with quartz sand. Wear resistance of Hadfield steel, containing 1.1% C and 13% Mn, was taken as a unit of wear resistance in these experiments. To determine the optimal coating modes, the active experiment with the application of mathematical planning methods was conducted. The obtained response surfaces and graphs of equal output lines make it possible to establish the level of studied factors’ influence on the optimization parameter. In order to analyze the influence of given factors on the optimization criteria, scatter plots with histograms were constructed, which make it possible to determine the rational values ​​of the selected optimization criteria graphically - impact toughness and wear resistance of the coating

Design Optimization and Analysis of Trenching Excavator Bucket

This research centers on the design optimization and analysis of a trenching excavator bucket using ANSYS engineering simulation software. The study explores modifications, such as decreasing bucket height by 35mm and increasing side plate width to 12mm compared to the stock configuration1. The analysis primarily focuses on evaluating Equivalent Elastic Strain and Total Deformation using ANSYS to ensure improved digging performance and structural integrity. Excavator buckets are vital components in earth-moving operations, and their efficiency directly affects productivity and operational costs. By leveraging ANSY advanced capabilities, this study aims to propose an optimized bucket design that enhances trenching efficiency and durability. The findings provide valuable insights for manufacturers and engineers seeking to elevate excavator bucket technology and improve construction and mining operations through enhanced performance and cost-effectiveness.

Finite element analysis & topology optimization of excavator bucket teeth for optimal performance

In the realm of heavy-duty machinery, excavators hold pivotal roles in construction, mining, and various large-scale projects. The excavator's efficacy relies significantly on its bucket teeth, crafted from robust materials like steel, crucial for soil and rock excavation. However, inadequacies in tooth shape and composition can lead to wear which in turn leads to diminished productivity. Employing finite element analysis, the present research delves into the influence of cantilever profile on TATA Hitachi Ex70 and JCB JS81 bucket teeth, using AISI 4340 and AISI 4140 materials, respectively. Analysing von Mises stress and deformation through Altair HyperMesh, subsequent Altair OptiStruct facilitates topology optimisation aims to reduce tooth mass. It appears that Tooth I (TATA Hitachi Ex70) experienced a decrease in mass, yet an elevation in von Mises stress compared to its initial mass of 2.81 kg and stress level of 1.74 E + 02 MPa. Similarly, Tooth II (JCB JS81) showcased a reduction in mass and a rise in von Mises stress from its original mass of 2.03 kg and stress of 1.038 E + 02 MPa. Validation of optimised designs through the graphs depicting the Factor of Safety (FOS) for both teeth ensures compliance with specified requirements, confirming that optimised excavator bucket teeth designs are safe.

Підвищення тріщиностійкості чавунів з кулястим графітом та їх термічна обробка при виготовленні зносостійких виробів

Methods of achieving the maximum values of crack resistance of Spheroidal graphite cast irons (SGCI) due to the combination of strength of bainite with high plasticity of residual austenite (in the amount of 30-35%) are considered. The results of such studies are suitable for use, in particular, in the manufacture of teeth or crowns of buckets of excavators and other working bodies of mining, earthmoving or earth-moving machinery, as well as parts that function in extreme conditions. These data are comparable to the known results of work on increasing the wear resistance of SGCI for variable parts of agricultural machinery and transport. In addition to crack and wear resistance, the long-term performance and efficiency of the working organs depends on maintaining their pointed part or blade in a sharp condition. The creation of functional-gradient materials, which are characterized by the effect of self-sharpening during their operation and wear, is considered. This effect is proposed to be implemented through the use of gradient heat dissipation in the material of the sand mold, increasing these values by introducing a refrigerant near a specific surface of the casting to accelerate its cooling. For this, casting molds made of loose sand were used in the Lost Foam casting (LFC) process. The method of manufacturing metal working bodies is described on the example of casting by the LFC method of an excavator bucket tooth, it is proposed to obtain its gradient structure according to the regime of heat treatment of castings in a foundry mold due to intensive cooling of its given surface to increase its hardness. At the same time, such conditions were used for the construction and formation of the pattern cluster in the sand, which cause the cooling of the opposite surface to slow down with its lower hardness, which corresponds to the conditions of self-sharpening of the tooth under its operating conditions. Keywords: Spheroidal graphite cast iron, austempering, heat treatment, castings, austenite, Lost Foam casting, bainite.

DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF THE KOMATSU PC400 EXCAVATOR'S TOOTH BUCKET THICKNESS USING THE FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

Bucket teeth are an important component of an excavator that functions as a material penetrator or digger. This part is prone to failure because it is in direct contact with the ground. This study aims to determine the value of stress, strain, deformation, and safety factors that occur in the Komatsu PC400 excavator bucket teeth against thickness variations of 2.5 mm, 5 mm, 7.5 mm, and 10 mm. This study uses a computer with specifications: processor: Intel (R) Celeron (R) N4000 CPU @ 1.10 GHz, memory: 8 GB. Windows 10 Home Single Language 64-bit Operating System. This computer is equipped with Autodesk Inventor Professional 2023 and ANSYS Workbench R1 2023 software. The method used in this research is a testing method using ANSYS software with a finite element method approach, namely static structural. The simulation results of bucket teeth show the maximum deformation values are 0.16382 mm, 0.13832 mm, 0.1249 mm, and 0.11619 mm, respectively. Furthermore, the maximum equivalent stress values are 108.6 Mpa, 79.712 Mpa, 80.338 Mpa, and 79.992 Mpa, respectively. For the equivalent elastic strain maximum, 0.00052993, 0.00038899, 0.000392, and 0.00039029 were obtained. Then the safety factor value is obtained 3.8214, 5.2062, 5.1657, and 5.188. This shows that the thicker the thickness variation, the better the strength value.

A speed decoupling control method for multi-channel pressure-flow coupling system

Abstract The main engine of construction machinery often involves the compound action of multi-action, such as excavator bucket rod, shovel bucket, and moving arm. Due to the matching relationship between the constant pressure differential valve and main valve, constant power limitation of a pump, load change, and other factors, it will cause the load with low pressure to move first and the load with high pressure to move later. To solve this problem, the existing speed control (or flow control) in the industry generally adopts pre-valve or post-valve compensation load-sensitive systems, positive flow control, negative flow control, constant power control, and so on. The speed control method can solve the coarse flow distribution under multi-load conditions, but is not suitable for working conditions with high precision of flow control or flow distribution, such as speed tracking, trajectory control, etc., and cannot meet the accurate control of flow or speed. In this paper, a speed decoupling control method based on hydraulic factors (such as pressure drop, flow rate, oil temperature, hydraulic pump speed, system pressure, etc.) is proposed. Through accurate modeling and simulation technology, the accuracy of compound action flow control is improved, and the anti-interference energy of the compound action system is enhanced, which lays a foundation for hydraulic speed tracking, displacement tracking, and so on.

Image-Recognition-Based Embedded System for Excavator Bucket Tracking in Construction Sites

Image-Recognition-Based Embedded System for Excavator Bucket Tracking in Construction Sites

MODELLING AND 3D PRINTING OF JCB ARM

The Hydraulic excavator machines are heavy duty earth movers consisting of a boom, arm and bucket. It works on principle of hydraulic fluid with hydraulic cylinder and hydraulic motors. The Hydraulic excavator arm operation require coordinated movement of boom, arm and bucket. The important criteria for the design to be safe is that, the digging forces developed by actuators must be greater than that of the resistive forces offered by the surface to be excavated. The main objective of this paper is to perform design and analysis Excavator Arm for the calculated Force. The CATIA software is used for making the 3D model of the excavator arm linkage. By using ANSYS workbench software analysis of the excavator arm is done at existing digging force and lifting force. Excavator bucket is very crucial element of hydraulic excavator. The whole loads of excavated materials have been carried out by this element. As the present mechanism used in excavator arm is subjected to deformation and bending stresses during lifting and digging operation respectively, because of which failure occurs frequently at the bucket end of the arm. Keywords: Excavator arm, Digging force, CATIA, ANSYS 16.0.

INVESTIGATION OF HYPERSURFACES THAT DETERMINE THE DIGGING FORCE OF SOIL WITH AN EXCAVATOR BUCKET ON THE MAXIMUM LOADS IN HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS

The problem of determining the forces acting on the rods of hydraulic cylinders when performing the operation of digging the soil with an excavator bucket with different depths and orientations of the output link when it moves along a horizontal trajectory is solved. For this purpose various excavator configurations are constructed according to the velocity vector and the generalized coordinates and forces acting on the hydraulic cylinder rods are recorded in the database. Based on the known digging resistance force, the forces acting in the direction of the hydraulic cylinder rods are calculated. Using the data obtained, an image of the hypersurface was made on the Radishchev drawing, reflecting the influence of the force value on the bucket hydraulic cylinder rod from the values of generalized coordinates for a given bucket orientation angle and a resistance force. An algorithm has been developed for calculating the values of forces on the rods of hydraulic cylinders for various positions of the excavator manipulator mechanism using the given nodal points of hypersurfaces based on point calculus. Analytical dependences are determined, which are used to check the possibility of ensuring the movement of the bucket with given conditions.

Mining Trajectory Planning of Unmanned Excavator Based on Machine Learning

Trajectory planning plays a crucial role in achieving unmanned excavator operations. The quality of trajectory planning results heavily relies on the level of rules extracted from objects such as scenes and optimization objectives, using traditional theoretical methods. To address this issue, this study focuses on professional operators and employs machine learning methods for job trajectory planning, thereby obtaining planned trajectories which exhibit excellent characteristics similar to those of professional operators. Under typical working conditions, data collection and analysis are conducted on the job trajectories of professional operators, with key points being extracted. Machine learning is then utilized to train models under different parameters in order to obtain the optimal model. To ensure sufficient samples for machine learning training, the bootstrap method is employed to adequately expand the sample size. Compared with the traditional spline curve method, the trajectories generated by machine learning models reduce the maximum speeds of excavator boom arm, dipper stick, bucket, and swing joint by 8.64 deg/s, 10.24 deg/s, 18.33 deg/s, and 1.6 deg/s, respectively; moreover, the error does not exceed 2.99 deg when compared with curves drawn by professional operators; and, finally, the trajectories generated by this model are continuously differentiable without position or velocity discontinuities, and their overall performance surpasses that of those generated by the traditional spline curve method. This paper proposes a trajectory generation method that combines excellent operators with machine learning and establishes a machine learning-based trajectory-planning model that eliminates the need for manually establishing complex rules. It is applicable to motion path planning in various working conditions of unmanned excavators.

A REVIEW PAPER ON MODELLING AND 3D PRINTING OF JCB ARM

The Hydraulic excavator machines are heavy duty earth movers consisting of a boom, arm and bucket. It works on principle of hydraulic fluid with hydraulic cylinder and hydraulic motors. The Hydraulic excavator arm operation require coordinated movement of boom, arm and bucket. The important criteria for the design to be safe is that, the digging forces developed by actuators must be greater than that of the resistive forces offered by the surface to be excavated. The main objective of this paper is to perform design and analysis Excavator Arm for the calculated Force. The CATIA software is used for making the 3D model of the excavator arm linkage. By using ANSYS workbench software analysis of the excavator arm is done at existing digging force and lifting force. Excavator bucket is very crucial element of hydraulic excavator. The whole loads of excavated materials have been carried out by this element. As the present mechanism used in excavator arm is subjected to deformation and bending stresses during lifting and digging operation respectively, because of which failure occurs frequently at the bucket end of the arm. Keywords: Excavator arm, Digging force, CATIA, ANSYS 16.0.

Adaptive Utilization of Pressure Sensor Data in Excavation

Abstract The assessment of soil parameters in construction holds significant importance for refining building information modeling (BIM). Our study aimed to investigate the adaptive utilization of pressure sensor data as a dynamic and computationally efficient tool for this purpose. The results reveal a significant correlation between the pressure sensor readings of the hydraulic cylinder in the excavator bucket and the total load during static-dynamic penetration tests conducted in both homogeneous and heterogeneous soil. This correlation holds true across a 100% range of torque, with values recorded at 0.60 and 0.93, respectively. A key strength of this methodology lies in that it enables near real-time detection of verified boundary levels. This feature streamlines the adoption and development of BIM-based excavation methods that seamlessly align with current practical conditions. Keywords: Soil boundary, detection, hydraulic pressure, static-dynamic penetration test, correlation, model-based design, ground investigation.

ПАРАМЕТРЫ ТЕХНОЛОГИИ РАЗРАБОТКИ ПОЛУСКАЛЬНЫХ ВСКРЫШНЫХ ПОРОД ЭКСКАВАТОРНО-АВТОМОБИЛЬНЫМИ КОМПЛЕКСАМИ В УСЛОВИЯХ УГОЛЬНЫХ РАЗРЕЗОВ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОГО КУЗБАССА

The article presents the results of studies of the parameters of the technology of rock mining by excavator-automobile complexes using mechanical shovels in the conditions of coal quarries of central Kuzbass. The dependence of the change in unit costs for the main processes during the development of of overburden rocks of category III and IV with mechanical shovels with an excavator bucket capacity from 6.3 to 55.8 m3 on the weighted average size of pieces of blasted rock is determined. The presented method makes it possible to optimize the parameters of excavator-automobile complexes using mechanical shovels, by establishing a rational value of the weighted average size of a piece of blasted rock, which corresponds to the minimum value of total costs and determines the corresponding parameters of all processes of the rock development technology for all types of modern excavators when used in various mining conditions of quarries. The results of the research can be useful to the technical services of quarries and designers at the decision-making stage to determine the type and quantity of mining transport and auxiliary equipment for the conditions of a particular section of the section in accordance with the established requirements for ensuring the planned volume of work.

Trajectory planning and control of large robotic excavators based on inclination-displacement mapping

This paper proposes a trajectory planning and control method for heavy-duty manipulators based on inclination-displacement mapping. In this method, inclination sensors are employed to detect the excavator's orientation. By establishing a mapping relationship between joint inclination and cylinder displacement, the cylinder displacement is indirectly derived. Subsequently, considering the typical excavation operation process, the spatial trajectory of the excavator bucket is planned. The displacement of the driving cylinder is determined using kinematic inverse solutions and cubic polynomials. The cylinder displacement is then controlled using a position-velocity (PV) strategy. This method is tested on a 95-ton large excavator, and the results demonstrate several advantages, including easy installation, low maintenance requirements, smooth trajectory planning, and high tracking accuracy. These qualities make it suitable for the demands of intelligent operations in large excavators. Thus, this paper offers valuable insights for the intelligent transformation of heavy excavators.

Numerical simulation of operations of hydraulic excavators for polydisperse bulk materials and different configurated buckets

Excavators have been used in construction for a century, and simulation-based performance prediction is cost-effective for equipment design. In practice, particle size varies, and it is of interest to investigate how excavators perform differently when handling polydisperse bulk materials using different configurated buckets. This work simulates three ternary-sized material stockpiles and evaluates the performance of excavators with different bucket configurations (including width, depth, and number of tooth stations) on the basis of co-simulation of multibody dynamics and discrete element method. The results show how excavator performance indicators such as bucket payload and hydraulic power consumption relate to particle size distribution and bucket configuration. This work demonstrates the usefulness and potential of co-simulation in optimising equipment design and operation. Further research directions should be focused on the prediction of excavator performance and bucket wear in more complex working environments and the improvement of operating strategies.