Determining the condition of a structural part of a working machine
AssigneePonsse Oyj
InventorAleksi Kivi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A condition of at least one structural part (11) of a working machine (10) is determined by determining a computational position of the first structural part (11′) on the basis of the computational model of the working machine (10) and determining an actual position of the first structural part (11′) by detecting means (22). The condition of the at least one structural part (11) is determined on the basis of the difference between the computational position of the first structural part (11′) and the actual position of the first structural part (11′).
Claims14
A method of determining a condition of at least one structural part of a working machine, the method comprising:
- controlling a position or a state of motion of a first structural part of the working machine in response to a control command provided by a control system of the working machine to (a) move the first structural part, (b) maintain a current position of the first structural part, or (c) maintain a current state of motion of the first structural part, wherein the first structural part is moved by at least one actuator of the working machine,
- determining a computational position or state of motion of the first structural part based on the computational model of the working machine,
- determining an actual position or state of motion of the first structural part via a hardware sensor, and
- determining, via a processor, the condition of the at least one structural part based on the difference between the computational position or state of motion of the first structural part as a result of the controlling and the actual position or state of motion of the first structural part as a result of the controlling,
- wherein determining the condition of at least one structural part comprises determining at least one of the following:
- a clearance of a structural part, a clearance of a joint of two structural parts, a deformation of a structural part, a deformation of a joint of two structural parts, a flex of at least one structural part, a crack in at least one structural part and a leakage of a structural part,
- wherein the working machine is a forest machine,
- wherein the forest machine is a mobile harvester or mobile forwarder, and
- wherein the determining of the condition of at least one structural part is performed while the forest machine is on-site and at work.
An arrangement configured to determine a condition of at least one structural part of a working machine, wherein the arrangement comprises:
- a control system of the working machine, the control system being configured to control a position or a state of motion of a first structural part of the working machine by a control command to (a) move the first structural part, (b) maintain a current position of the first structural part, or (c) maintain a current state of motion of the first structural part by an actuator of the working machine configured to move the first structural part of the working machine,
- a sensor configured to determine an actual position or state of motion of the first structural part, and
- a processor configured to determine a computational position or state of motion of the first structural part based on the computational model of the working machine and to determine the condition of the at least one structural part based on the difference between the computational position or state of motion of the first structural part as a result of the controlling and the actual position or state of motion of the first structural part as a result of the controlling,
- wherein determining the condition of at least one structural part comprises determining at least one of the following:
- a clearance of a structural part, a clearance of a joint of two structural parts, a deformation of a structural part, a deformation of a joint of two structural parts, a flex of at least one structural part, a crack in at least one structural part and a leakage of a structural part,
- wherein the working machine is a forest machine,
- wherein the forest machine is a mobile harvester or mobile forwarder, and
- wherein the determining of the condition of at least one structural part is performed while the forest machine is on-site and at work.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.