Research on Path Planning and Trajectory Tracking of an Unmanned Electric Shovel Based on Improved APF and Preview Deviation Fuzzy Control

Abstract

With the development and upgrading of intelligent mines, research on the unmanned walking of intelligent electric shovels (ES) has been carried out to improve the moving efficiency of extra-large excavators. This paper first introduces an electric shovel’s primary moving condition in an open-pit mine. According to the moving characteristics of the heavy-duty crawler, the artificial potential field (APF) algorithm is improved to plan the moving trajectory of the electric shovel and carry out simulation verification. A dynamic model of an electric shovel is established. A fuzzy control tracking method is proposed based on preview displacement and centroid displacement deviation. The robustness of the tracking algorithm is verified by multi-condition simulation. Finally, the electric shovel prototype is tested through path planning and tracking experiments. The experimental results show that the improved artificial potential field algorithm can plan an obstacle-free path that satisfies the movement of an electric shovel, and the electric shovel can quickly track the preset trajectory. The maximum deviation of the track tracking center of mass is no more than 10 cm, and the deviation of the heading angle when the shovel reaches the endpoint is within 2°.