Stability monitoring function for a thick matter conveying system

A method (100) for operating a thick matter conveying system (10) having a thick matter pump (16) for conveying a thick matter, a thick matter distributor mast (18) for distributing the thick matter to be conveyed, a substructure (30) on which are disposed the thick matter distributor mast (18) and the thick matter pump (16), a sensor unit (11) with a plurality of sensors (111, 112, 113, 114, 115) for capturing an item of operational information, respectively, a processing unit (12), and a control unit (13), wherein the thick matter distributor mast (18) has a slewing gear (19) which is rotatable about a vertical axis and a mast assembly (40) comprising at least two mast arms (41), and the substructure (30) comprises a support structure (31) for supporting the substructure (30) by way of at least one horizontally and vertically displaceable support leg (32), the method comprising the steps:

• capturing (101) a first item of operational information, indicative of a position of the slewing gear (19);
• capturing (102) a second item of operational information, indicative of a position of at least one of the mast arms (41);
• capturing (103) a third item of operational information, indicative of a position of the support leg (32);
• capturing (104) a fourth item of operational information, indicative of an inclination angle of the thick matter conveying system (10);
• dynamically calculating (106), by the processing unit (12), a stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) depending on the captured items of operational information, said calculated stability parameter is indicative of a proximity of a line of action of a weight force of the thick matter conveying system (10) to at least one tilting edge of a contact surface between the thick matter conveying system (10) and the underlying ground;
• comparing, by the processing unit (12), the calculated stability parameter with a maximum stability parameter corresponding to a tilting limit;
• outputting (107), by the control unit (13), a first control signal if the determined stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) is greater than a maximum stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10);
• and
• outputting (108), by the control unit (13), a second control signal if the determined stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) is less than or equal to the maximum stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10),
• wherein outputting the first control signal comprises limiting an operating range of the mast assembly (40) to a currently permissible operating range determined as a function of the calculated stability parameter, while continued operation of the mast assembly (40) within the currently permissible operating range remains enabled.