Realised projects, references
A goal-oriented project of the State Committee for Scientific Research, nr 10T12 018 2000C/5181, entitled: “A heavy-duty WKPL 35/50 dump truck with a hydrostatic, four-wheel drive system”
The project was implemented by a consortium of companies such as ZANAM, Poltegor and Rexroth, with co-financing by the State Committee for Scientific Research under the project number 10T12 018 2000C / 5181. As a result, a shuttle car was designed and built, which at the time of its creation was the largest Polish vehicle for work in the mines of the Copper Mining and Metallurgical Plant. Due to its size, it could only be mined in the Rudna mine – which was the only mine with sufficiently high workings. It was given the designation WKPL-35/40. The truck had a load capacity of 40 tons. The total weight of the machine was 70 tons and its length was equal to 11 meters. The engine mounted in the dump truck had a power of 364 kW.
In this project, Department of Off-Road Machine and Vehicle Engineering was responsible for:
- at the design stage, identification of dynamic loads that will affect the critical nodes of the vehicle during its subsequent operation
- strength calculations for the entire vehicle superstructure.
In order to identify dynamic loads, a simulation model of the machine was built in the DADS program. With its help, it was possible to virtually drive the designed vehicle over various types of terrain unevenness and record the loads necessary for subsequent strength calculations.
For this innovative solution, the authors received awards such as Copper Basin Master of Technology and the Lower Silesian Master of Technology in 2002.
Process-Optimized System Functionality of Mobile Working Machines (PROSYMA)
In 2014-2016 our Department took its part in a research project, financed by the European Commission. Project “Process-Optimized System Functionality of Mobile Working Machines” was conducted in an international consortium, which consisted of the following companies:
- Lehnhoff Hartstahl GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
- Gunderson & Løken AS (Norway)
- Sensors and Synergy SA (Belgium)
and universities:
- Cologne University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
- Wrocław University of Science and Technology
The overall budget of the project was € 1 456 761,80 , with around € 500 000 subsidy for our university.
The goal of this project was to create a modular guidance and measurement system that can be retroactively fitted to any excavator.
A measurement system was adapted for the quick coupler (force-torque sensor) of the mobile excavator. The developed force-torque sensor is a completely innovative solution, not present on the market up to date. It allows measurement of all six force and torque components of load acting on the tool. Further, positioning system was developed as an independent sub-system. It allows positioning of the tooltip relative to the excavator’s undercarriage. Thanks to a new mathematical model of excavator’s kinematics, the positioning sub-system can be applied to any structure of an excavator’s manipulator, including joints rotating in any direction and translational joints.
One of the most innovative features of the system is the ability to determine excavator’s static and dynamic tip-over stability. It calculates instantaneous substitute Center of Gravity of the machine based on:
- geometrical and mass parameters of each excavator link
- precise position of each link
- excavator body rotational speed
- ground slope in two planes
- mass of the material in the bucket.
The substitute Center of Gravity is then assessed with respect to excavator’s tipping lines. Based on this data, the operator is informed about the actual stability of the excavator and warned if the system detects the possibility of tipping over.
In addition, an integrated tool recognition system provides all relevant parameters of the tool in use, such as the kind of tool, style, hydraulic parameters (if applicable) and operating life, to the processing unit of the measurement system.
Another feature of the system is a sensor integrated in the quick-coupler, which checks and informs the operator if the tool has been properly attached (locked hydraulically in the quick-coupler). This feature meets the demand of excavator users who have reported accidents happening as a result of not complete locking of the tool-locking mechanism.
The system has been calibrated and tested in real operating conditions at a few test sites. These tests have led to further improvements of mechanical parts of the system as well as the software. At present stage, the system is a first prototype which has proved appropriate, however need further developments in order to become introduced on the market.
The system concept has been presented during a few scientific and technical conferences as well as during the biggest construction and earth-moving machinery trade fair in the world – Bauma 2016.
Real-time Earth-observation Constellation – REC
Our Department is a part of a research team focused on development of an innovative technology for Earth observation using a constellation of high resolution nanosatellites.
More information about the project can be found at https://satrevolution.com/products/rec/.
An investigation of vibration and noise generation in a steering gear
Fig. 1 shows a CAD drawing of an electric power steering gear. It consists of 2 main gears, the first – rack-pinion and the second – a worm gear connected to an electric motor. Undesirable vibrations often occur during the operation of the transmission, which are transferred to the vehicle frame and cause noise inside the cab.
As part of the project, a FEM analysis of the sources of vibrations and noise transmission, under the assumed variable load determined on the basis of tests on a real vehicle, was carried out. Fig. 2 shows the result of FEM calculations showing the dynamic deformations during the gear operation at a specific load.
A number of studies have been carried out to identify the causes of vibration and noise in the steering gear. An acoustic camera was used to identify noise sources in the steering gear. The view of the stand for acoustic measurements is presented in Fig. 3. Fig. 4 shows the results of the acoustic camera measurement showing the zone with the highest sound pressure levels and being the main source of noise in the steering gear, depending on the frequency.
A Diamond Grant of the Minister of Science and Higher Education, nr D 12012 006942, entitled: “A method for modelling the stability of a wheeled vehicle with an adaptive structure of the chassis system”
This project, as the only one so far at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, was obtained through a prestigious national competition for the implementation of a doctoral thesis for an outstanding student in the last year of studies. As a result of this grant, an awarded doctoral thesis was created, two patents implemented in a new generation electric vehicle as a base platform for universal applications. These innovative solutions have won a number of awards at home and abroad, including a gold medal at the innovative BRUSSELS EUREKA 2016 fair in Brussels or 1st place in the National SIMP Competition for the best technical achievement of 2017 in Poland.
Projects for the German company INTERTRACTOR – A system on elastomer tracks
The concept was developed and a research of an innovative running gear on elastomer tracks prototype was built. This innovative solution uses a hybrid drive of power transmission to the track drive wheel, intelligent suspension of load-bearing wheels (rollers) and an adaptive track tensioning system. These solutions, together with the company, have been patented in Germany, Italy, Great Britain, the USA and Japan. The company also financed 3 doctoral dissertations and the construction of a research demonstrator worth about 1 million PLN , which is located in the Department’s laboratory.
A Development Project NR10-0011-10 / 2010 entitled: “A new generation mechatronic vehicle with elastomer tracks for servicing rope transport hauling lines”
An innovative solution was developed, a prototype was built and experimental research was carried out. The vehicle on special rubber tracks has the ability to move vertically along ropes covered with grease, which is an achievement on a global scale. The vehicle’s application possibilities are very wide, e.g. as a device for various unconventional transport, etc. The vehicle has been patented and received a number of awards at home and abroad, including a gold medal at the innovative BRUSSELS EUREKA 2012 fair in Brussels, Lower Silesian Master of Technology for 2012 or the 1st place in the National SIMP Competition for the best technical achievement of 2015 in Poland.
A project for a Canadian company on: „Development of the concept, design and calculations of an innovative running gear on rubber tracks of a mobile drilling rig for Arctic applications”
The developed solution has been successfully applied in practice in the operation of the machine under the Arctic Circle.
Conceptual and research work for the LENA WILKÓW company
Examples of works carried out for LENA WILKÓW company are:
- “Analysis of the suspension structure, identification of loads acting on the suspension elements and the vehicle frame, and a proposal for design changes” (2007)
- “Simulation tests of the load capacity of the SWT-1800 KACPEREK transport vehicle” (2008)
- “Verification tests of vehicle prototype suspension simulation models” (2008)
The results obtained during the cooperation contributed to the improvement of the design and operational parameters of the company’s products.
A research on the new generation bolted joints for light-weight crane mechanical structures
This research grant focuses on developing innovative bolted joints which will be preferably implemented in over-head and gantry cranes to connect the cross girders (i.e. the main transverse beams) with end trucks (i.e. the carriages running along the rails). The new generation bolted joints consist of innovative file-washers, i.e. the washers with integrated files. The file-washers are used to machine the surface of the girders and the mechanical structure of the end trucks during the crane assembly stage. The strength of the connections between the girders and the end trucks provided with this novel technology is supposed to be at least as high as the strength of their counterparts obtained with traditional methods. Furthermore, the technology involving the file-washers is expected to be more cost- and time-effective since it eliminates heavy duty milling machines from the technological process. It is worth mentioning that the new generation bolted joints investigated in the grant have been already patented. Moreover, their usage is not limited to crane mechanical structures. They are suitable for steel structures implemented in civil engineering as well. The grant is conducted in cooperation with Polish FORTECH company.
Conceptual designs, calculations, laboratory and operational tests for Fabryka Maszyn Budowlanych FADROMA
The Department has been systematically cooperating with the factory for many years. As a result of this fruitful cooperation, a number of innovative solutions for articulated bucket loaders have been created and proven in practice. FMB FADROMA has gained an excellent reputation years ago not only in Poland but also abroad.
An investment project for KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Copper Smelter “CEDYNIA”, nr HMC/69/2005, entitled: “Wheeled workstations with tilting platform for barrier chains cleaning and transport”
The concept and detailed design of the stand was developed and successfully applied to the CEDYNIA Copper Smelter.
A Research Project of the State Committee for Scientific Research nr 7 S101 007 06 entitled: “Active bucket loader safety system integrated in the automatic control of the work unit”
As a result of the grant, a prototype of the system based on a Ł220 bucket loader was built and a patent was issued. For this innovative solution prof. Piotr Dudziński was awarded a gold medal at the innovative BRUSSELS EUREKA 2002 fair in BRUSSELS.
