Visualization (Module 1)

Elements:

1. Challenge:

2. Selection:

3. Application:

4. Insight:

5. Approach:

The above mentioned elements are covered in the following description for:

To design and develop autonomous mini hydraulic earthmoving backhoe excavator for light duty  construction work.

Challenge:

The construction of highway, digging of trenches, holes, and foundation requires rapid removal of the  soil. Typically digging machines such as backhoe loaders or known as backhoe excavators, and hydraulic  excavators are used to dig the earth for these applications and to load the material into the dump  trucks, or trolleys. Backhoe excavators are used primarily to excavate below the natural surface of the  ground on which the machine rests. A backhoe excavator is actually three pieces of construction  equipment combined into one unit. These three pieces are a tractor, a loader, and a backhoe as shown  in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 A backhoe excavator (JCB, 2012)

The backhoe excavators are hues in size and used in the different field of applications.

Because of the surge of medium density housing construction, together with changing  regulations have caused builders to rethink construction methods, including the use of  construction equipment. In some cases where homes are built only meters apart, the mobility of  the excavating machines in such compact areas along with the movement of materials, and the  size of the excavating equipment play a crucial role in excavation. This indicates the urgency in  the development of such compact excavation equipment or a compact backhoe excavator

attachment which has higher digging depth, dumping height, and digging reach (collectively  known as kinematic working ranges) with minimum dimensions so that the machine can be easily  accommodate in the workspace.

The so developed compact backhoe attachment parts have to be equally better in strength as the  parts of the heavy duty backhoe loaders are. The controlling of so developed compact backhoe  attachment has to be equally effective as the heavy duty backhoe loaders’ controlling is. The big  size machines cannot be operated for light duty construction work and the manufacturing  companies like caterpillar, JCB, Hitachi, John Deere, Kobelco, Komatsu, Terex, Volvo etc. have  the challenge to develop the compact size autonomous excavating machine which can be  operated not only for light duty construction work but also used for gardening, explosive work  site, higher risky environment, dirty places, waste collection, and where the working environment  is dangerous for human being.

Selection:

For the development of compact size backhoe excavator, initially it is essential that to know the  name of manufacturers, who are playing leading role in manufacturing of hues size excavating  machines. It is equally important that to collect the technical specifications of all the available  models used in the field. According to Research Methodology concept, the market survey  method is best suitable tool to collect the raw data from the authentic websites of the  manufacturers and their standards available.

Survey Method: There are basically two different methods for data collection. One is to conduct  interview and other is to prepare questioner. But in the present problem it is very difficult to  conduct interview and to prepare questioner. But by conducting the survey one can identify the  list of available models of earthmoving machines, their technical specifications and also possible  to compare them. The relevant necessary technical data available on the manufacturer’s  company websites. Survey method provides the information regarding the available resources,  technologies, and specifications in context of the present problem.

Application:

Based on this survey method, the comparison of technical data carried out to identify the Models,  Operating weight (kg), Engine specification (hp), Working ranges (mm), Bucket specifications,  Physical dimensions (mm), Cylinder dimensions (mm x mm) etc.

The main purpose is to conduct survey is to identify the above mentioned parameters which are very  according to size of machine and model to perform the excavation process below the earth surface.  To develop the compact autonomous model of backhoe excavator it is essential to know the  technical specifications of all the models of the backhoe excavator under the same category. There is  no particular video session on the survey method which can be helpful to conduct the survey for this  kind of problem and application but the basic understanding of survey method understand by  watching youtube video on Survey Research Method by Brandon Ortiz, Lisbon School of Economics &  Management,  School of Education (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sOzgGAeiQV), and the book on  “Research Methodology” by R. C. Kothari.

Insight:

The following table shows the basic idea about the collected data through survey method.

Sr.  No.  Name of Company     Company-

Company-

Company-

Company-

1  Model   -  Model  Name

Model  Name

Model  Name

Model  Name

2  Operating weight

(Kg)  -

3  Engine

specification (hp)

Net power

4  Gross power

Working ranges

(mm)

Maximum digging

reach

6  Maximum digging

depth

7  Maximum dumping

height

8  Maximum digging

height

Bucket

specifications

Capacity (m³)

10  No of teeth

11  Weight (Kg)

12  Digging force (N)

13

Physical

dimensions (mm)

Arm length

14  Boom length

15  Overall width

16  Overall height

17

Cyilinder

dimensions (mm x

mm)

Bucket cyilinder  (Bore x stroke)

18  Boom cyilinder  (Bore x stroke)

19  Arm cyilinder (Bore

x stroke)

Here only few columns added for example purpose but many numbers of columns and row can be  added according to data size and available information according to problem statement and  objectives made. For the present case of backhoe excavator earthmoving machine, based on  standard sizes (physical dimensions) of the backhoe attachment and cylinder dimensions were  decided by applying the scaling rule of design. The bucket specifications were calculated based on  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards, (i) SAE J296: “Mini excavator and backhoe bucket  volumetric rating”, an American standard (Mehta Gaurav K., 2006), (Komatsu, 2006) (ii) CECE  (Committee of European Construction Equipment) a European standard (Mehta Gaurav K., 2006),  (Komatsu, 2006).

Approach:

The current selected approach is to conduct survey for gathering the require information for  comparison purpose to develop a compact autonomous backhoe excavator machine capable to  handle light construction work and other light duty work. Survey method is very time consuming  method to collect the appropriate data and it is very difficult to prove its authenticity, except the

data collected from the authentic website, published reports from government body in relevant  field, or any other reliable source.

But I think, there is no other alternative approach to collect the data from different sources, and to  do comparison for their parameters and physical dimensions to fulfil the objectives.

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