A Dynamics-Based Optimal Trajectory Generation for Controlling an Automated Excavator

Abstract

This article presents a new methodology to generate optimal trajectories in controlling an automated excavator. By parameterizing all the actuator displacements with B-splines of the same order and with the same number of control points, the coupled actuator limits, associated with the maximum pump flowrate, are described as the finite-dimensional set of linear constraints to the motion optimization problem. Several weighting functions are introduced on the generalized actuator torque so that the solution to each optimization problems contains the physical meaning. Numerical results showing that the generated motions of the excavator are fairly smooth and effectively save energy, which can prevent mechanical wearing and possibly save fuel consumption, are presented. A typical operator's manoeuvre from experiments is referred to bring out the standing features of the optimized motion.