constructionequipmentmag.com
06
'24
Written on Modified on
Hitachi Construction Machinery News
HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY DEVELOPS OPERATOR ASSIST SYSTEM FOR ULTRA-LARGE HYDRAULIC EXCAVATORS
The Operator Assist System reduces operator burden, improves mine site safety, increases productivity and lowers fuel consumption.
EX3600-7 ultra-large hydraulic backhoe excavator
Hitachi Construction Machinery has developed an Operator Assist System aimed at supporting the digging and loading operations of ultra-large hydraulic excavators for improved operational performance and will conduct a verification test at one of Rio Tinto’s mine sites in Australia from late March 2024.
Through the application of the Operator Assist System, mine sites will benefit from reduced operator burden, improved mine site safety, increased productivity and reduced fuel consumption. The conducting of testing on a site operated by the mining giant will demonstrate the practical application of the Operator Assist System and will help to improve the accuracy of the system going forward.
The verification test will be performed at one of Rio Tinto’s iron ore mines in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Sensors, monitors and other equipment will be attached to a backhoe EX3600-7 ultra-large hydraulic excavator (operating weight of 360 tons) to conduct a performance verification of digging and loading tasks by the Operator Assist System and verification of the usability of the monitor display installed in the operator cab.
Based on the verification at the mining site and through insights gained via collaboration with customers, such as through this partnership with Rio Tinto, Hitachi Construction Machinery aims to achieve practical application of the Operator Assist System in stages from 2025.
All of the functions of the Operator Assist System enable retrofitting support for the EX-7 series of ultra-large hydraulic excavator models EX2000-7 through to EX8000-7 (operation weight of 200 to 800 tons), backhoe front specification machines to provide added value to customers for machines that they already own.
Operator Assist System to be verified in the verification test:
1. Digging Assist function
The Digging Assist function assesses the situation from the load on the hydraulic cylinder and the operation of the front attachment, detected by sensors to automatically improve control of the hydraulic excavator operation according to the situation. To efficiently excavate material, the amount excavated by each operation must be as optimal as possible.
Example of the assist display on the dedicated monitor
At the same time, when the bucket load during digging becomes excessive, the hydraulic circuit protection function activates to curtail additional digging force and intermittently redirect the operation of the front attachment. In this case, the load on the engine and the hydraulic system continues to be at the maximum level, which leads to decreased productivity due to lost work time and increased fuel consumption.
While experienced operators are able to judge the situation based on the movement of the front attachment and the sounds and vibrations emitted by the hydraulic circuit to reduce the cylinder load, inexperienced operators may be unable to skillfully achieve the same results. This function can automatically perform operations which reduce the cylinder load regardless of the operator's level of experience.
2. Loading Assist function
The Loading Assist function automatically controls the front attachment when loading material excavated by an ultra-large hydraulic excavator onto the dump truck to help avoid collisions. Typically, the operator recognizes the position, orientation and height of the dump truck body to turn the excavator upper structure and perform the loading work while operating the front attachment.
To avoid contact and collisions with the dump truck and surrounding structures during the loading work, the operator must combine the operation to raise the front attachment of the hydraulic excavator with the operation to swing the upper structure. This combined operation poses a high degree of difficulty for inexperienced operators and even experienced operators require a high level of concentration.
Since this function automatically performs the operation to raise the front attachment, the operator can concentrate on just the swing operation, which reduces mental load on the operator. In addition, the dedicated monitor installed in the operator cab of the ultra-large hydraulic excavator displays information such as the bucket payload and the hydraulic cylinder load of the front attachment, which helps the operator maneuver and assess the status of the machine.
www.hitachicm.com
Hitachi Construction Machinery has developed an Operator Assist System aimed at supporting the digging and loading operations of ultra-large hydraulic excavators for improved operational performance and will conduct a verification test at one of Rio Tinto’s mine sites in Australia from late March 2024.
Through the application of the Operator Assist System, mine sites will benefit from reduced operator burden, improved mine site safety, increased productivity and reduced fuel consumption. The conducting of testing on a site operated by the mining giant will demonstrate the practical application of the Operator Assist System and will help to improve the accuracy of the system going forward.
The verification test will be performed at one of Rio Tinto’s iron ore mines in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Sensors, monitors and other equipment will be attached to a backhoe EX3600-7 ultra-large hydraulic excavator (operating weight of 360 tons) to conduct a performance verification of digging and loading tasks by the Operator Assist System and verification of the usability of the monitor display installed in the operator cab.
Based on the verification at the mining site and through insights gained via collaboration with customers, such as through this partnership with Rio Tinto, Hitachi Construction Machinery aims to achieve practical application of the Operator Assist System in stages from 2025.
All of the functions of the Operator Assist System enable retrofitting support for the EX-7 series of ultra-large hydraulic excavator models EX2000-7 through to EX8000-7 (operation weight of 200 to 800 tons), backhoe front specification machines to provide added value to customers for machines that they already own.
Operator Assist System to be verified in the verification test:
1. Digging Assist function
The Digging Assist function assesses the situation from the load on the hydraulic cylinder and the operation of the front attachment, detected by sensors to automatically improve control of the hydraulic excavator operation according to the situation. To efficiently excavate material, the amount excavated by each operation must be as optimal as possible.
Example of the assist display on the dedicated monitor
At the same time, when the bucket load during digging becomes excessive, the hydraulic circuit protection function activates to curtail additional digging force and intermittently redirect the operation of the front attachment. In this case, the load on the engine and the hydraulic system continues to be at the maximum level, which leads to decreased productivity due to lost work time and increased fuel consumption.
While experienced operators are able to judge the situation based on the movement of the front attachment and the sounds and vibrations emitted by the hydraulic circuit to reduce the cylinder load, inexperienced operators may be unable to skillfully achieve the same results. This function can automatically perform operations which reduce the cylinder load regardless of the operator's level of experience.
2. Loading Assist function
The Loading Assist function automatically controls the front attachment when loading material excavated by an ultra-large hydraulic excavator onto the dump truck to help avoid collisions. Typically, the operator recognizes the position, orientation and height of the dump truck body to turn the excavator upper structure and perform the loading work while operating the front attachment.
To avoid contact and collisions with the dump truck and surrounding structures during the loading work, the operator must combine the operation to raise the front attachment of the hydraulic excavator with the operation to swing the upper structure. This combined operation poses a high degree of difficulty for inexperienced operators and even experienced operators require a high level of concentration.
Since this function automatically performs the operation to raise the front attachment, the operator can concentrate on just the swing operation, which reduces mental load on the operator. In addition, the dedicated monitor installed in the operator cab of the ultra-large hydraulic excavator displays information such as the bucket payload and the hydraulic cylinder load of the front attachment, which helps the operator maneuver and assess the status of the machine.
