Model-based automation for heavy duty mobile excavator

This paper presents an integrated physics based model for a front end mobile excavator. The model describes the dynamic relationship between the operator input commands and the position, orientation, speed and forces of the vehicle and the excavation arm. The dynamic model has the potential to be used in advanced controller design for automated excavation systems. The dynamic model for the excavation system is validated against measured data. The validation of the model is conducted in collaboration with QinetiQ, UK. A PID controller for trajectory tracking is implemented and tested using a computer simulation study. The graphical machine model is developed in the Zed3D graphical environment and all the inputs to the graphical model are taken from the simulation model.