Method and system for calculating the mass of material in an excavating machine bucket

A controller for calculating the mass of material in an excavating machine bucket comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory configured to store data, said controller being associated with a network and said memory being in communication with said processor and having instructions stored thereon which, when read and executed by said processor, cause said controller to:
• receive distance data, the distance data being the distance between a distance sensor mounted on the excavating machine and a target positioned on an arm of the excavating machine;
• receive torque data for a rotating hoist drive shaft in the excavating machine, the torque data being generated by a torque sensor positioned about the shaft;
• calculate frontend geometry of the excavating machine, wherein the excavating machine includes at least one rope;
• calculate a rope force in the at least one rope using the torque data;
• and
• calculate the mass of material in the excavating machine bucket using the calculated frontend geometry and the rope force.

An excavating machine comprising:

• a machinery house including an A-frame platform;
• an arm;
• a hoist motor, a rotating hoist drive shaft, and a hoist gear box, wherein a torque sensor is positioned about the rotating hoist drive shaft between the hoist motor and hoist gear box;
• a rope;
• a bucket;
• and
• a controller including a processor and a memory configured to store data, the memory being in communication with the processor and having instructions stored thereon which, when read and executed by said processor, cause said controller to:
• receive distance data, the distance data being the distance between a distance sensor mounted on the A-frame platform and a target positioned on an end of the arm;
• receive torque data generated by the torque sensor;
• calculate frontend geometry of the excavating machine;
• calculate a rope force in the rope using the torque data;
• and
• calculate the mass of material in the bucket using the calculated frontend geometry and the rope force.