dragline_parameters

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Dragline Parameters

The Dragline Parameters Dialog box allows:

•Creation of new simulated draglines.

•Editing the parameters of existing simulated draglines.

Users can:

•Select a type of dragline and/or its elements (such as boom, bucket and rigging).

•Set the Dragline’s geometrical and operating dimensions

•Set the Dragline’s movement parameters

•Set the Dragline’s carry envelope

•Set the colors used to show the dragline on the terrain surface.

The Dragline’s parameters are used when showing a dragline on the terrain surface and when dragline productivity is calculated.

Note that draglines (as well as other machines) may be placed only on the terrain surface and not on inner surfaces.

Dialog box Buttons and Selectors

Dragline name

This chooses a Dragline from the list of existing Draglines. The parameters of this Dragline may then be edited and saved, or the Dragline may be deleted.

Close button

Click this button to close the Dragline Parameters dialog box. If the Save button has not been pressed and changed made to the current Dragline, 3d-DigPlus will prompt whether to save the changes.

New button

Click this button to create a new dragline. All existing draglines and the four default types are available to be a prototype for the newly created machine.

Save button

Click this button to save all parameter changes for the current dragline.

Show button

Click this button to see a preview of the current dragline.

The preview will be shown in a graphics window. A view control window will appear and may be used to zoom/pan/rotate the dragline.

To switch off the preview mode just close the preview window by clicking system close button in the preview window’s title.

Delete button

Click this button to delete the current dragline from the dragline list. The program will prompt for confirmation before deleting the dragline.

Select page

This page allows users to select the types of different Dragline elements such as boom, bucket and rigging system.

Boom section type

This selector allows the user to specify the type of boom section: Square wide, Square narrow or Triangular

Boom rope support type

This selector allows the user to specify the type of rope support:

•Either Tristructure or Frame only for Square wide boom section, and

•Either Single strut or Double strut for Square Narrow and Triangular boom sections.

Bucket and rigging

Here the user can select Double or Single Hoist type, Dump type and Drag type.

Bucket type

Two types of Bucket are available. The user can choose the desired type by clicking the selector to choose Type 1 or Type 2.

Bucket mass

Here the user can specify the mass of the dragline bucket.

Include drag spreader

This option permits the user to include a drag spreader in the image of the drag system.

Dimensions page

The dragline position, geometrical sizes and operating parameters are available on this page. The main dragline dimensions are shown in the picture below:

Dragline side view showing some dimension parameters

In the fields East and North users can specify the position where the dragline is to be placed on the Terrain Surface.

Horizontal angle

This allows users to set the horizontal orientation of the dragline. The angle is measured from North positive in a clockwise direction.

Sizes

Dump radius

This parameter defines the maximum distance from the tub center where the dragline can dump. Changing the Dump radius causes a proportional change in boom dimensions. However all the other parameters remain unchangeable until the Rescale by Dump radius button is clicked.

Rescale by Dump radius

This button recalculates the geometrical and operating dragline dimensions to make them corresponding to the boom length if the Dump radius was changed.

Care should be exercised in using this button, to make sure that all important dimensions and operating parameters are appropriate for the new dragline size.

Maximum digging depth

This is the maximum depth to which the current dragline can dig.

Exceeding this depth during a dragline simulation will cause a warning message to be issued by the program, with options to continue or stop the simulation at that point.

Maximum dumping height

This is the maximum height to which the current dragline will dump material.

Exceeding this height during a dragline simulation will cause a warning message to be issued by the program, with options to continue or stop the simulation at that point.

Boom angle

This sets the boom inclination from horizontal (in degrees).

House length

Through this field the user can set the length of the dragline house.

Width shoe to shoe

This field specifies the distance between dragline shoes.

Tub diameter

Through this field the user can specify the diameter of the dragline’s tub.

Tub edge position

This parameter sets the distance from the House Front to the Tub Edge.

Dragline plane view showing some dimension parameters

Operating Dimensions

In this section of the Dimensions page the user may specify parameters concerned with dragline operation. Most of them (except the Bucket Factor) do not affect how the dragline appearance. However they may affect dragline simulation results.

Chop radius

This parameter defines the Dragline’s nearest position for dumping i.e. its chop radius.

Tail clearance

This parameter defines the tail clearance i.e. how close the nearest obstruction may be to the back of the Dragline’s house.

Tail clear radius

This parameter defines the radius of tail clearance i.e. the distance from the tub center to the nearest obstruction.

Minimum bench width

This parameter defines the minimum bench width necessary for the current dragline.

Drag face clearance

This parameter defines the clearance of the drag face i.e. distance from the center of rotation to the crest of the drag face.

Fairlead position

This parameter defines the distance the fairleads are located the tub edge.

Fairlead height

This parameter defines the height of the fairleads above the tub center.

Tight line distance

This parameter defines a minimum available distance from boom to bucket when dragline is operating.

Bucket factor (bank volume)

This parameter defines a volume of a bucket. Changing this value recalculates bucket dimensions and affects the productivity calculation.

Movements page

Parameters concerning dragline movements are present on this page. They are used in dragline simulation.

Swing/return parameters

Max. Speed Swing/Return

These parameters define the Dragline’s maximum swing/return speeds in degrees/s and rpm.

Acceleration Swing/Return

This parameter defines the acceleration of swing/return.

Drag & Hoist

Maximum speed - Drag Payout

This parameter defines a maximum speed at which drag payout can occur.

Maximum speed - Hoist lower

This parameter specifies the maximum speed at which the hoist is lowered.

Acceleration drag pay out

This parameter defines the drag payout acceleration.

Acceleration hoist lower

This parameter defines the acceleration of hoist lower.

Hoist Motor

The Dragline’s hoist motor is modeled using a two-straight-line approximation to the dragline motor force depending on hoist speed as shown in the figure below. In this section the user can specify the parameters of this approximation.

Stall pull

This parameter defines the motor force when the hoist speed is equal to zero.

Peak power pull

This parameter defines the motor force when the motor is expending peak power.

No load speed

This parameter defines the maximum speed supported by the hoist motor (corresponds to zero hoist force).

Peak power speed

This parameter defines the speed when the motor is expending peak power.

Walk speed

This parameter defines the Dragline’s walk speed. It affects productivity calculations for automated simulation of dragline development.

Set up time

This parameter specifies the time needed for dragline set up after walking. It affects productivity calculations for automated simulation of dragline development.

Carry Envelope page

This page contains parameters of the so-called carry envelope. This is a curve separating the area where the bucket still carries material from the area where the material may be partly or totally lost because of dump.

The carry envelope is set up in local coordinates with the origin at the tub center. It is assumed to lie on the Dragline's plane of symmetry. When the Rescale by Dump radius button is clicked the carry envelope is also recalculated.

Show Carry Envelope

This option allows the user to specify whether the carry envelope is to be shown when the dragline is drawn on the surface in Terrain Graphics Windows.

Use in modeling

When this option is selected, the carry envelope is taken into account in dragline simulation. The bucket is then moved in such a way that it never goes outside the carry envelope.

Number of envelope points

This parameter allows users to specify the number of carry envelope points used to define the shape of the carry envelope. These points are used to build a smooth curve (a cubic spline) to approximate the carry envelope.

Position from tub centre

The values in this table specify user-defined positions of carry envelope points. These values are measured from tub centre. The user can change the number of envelope points, thus influencing the detailed shape of the carry envelope.

Set default

This button allows the user to restore the default carry envelope.

Dig&Dump page

Digging Method

These options specify the digging method to be used for the next dragline simulation step. Each Digging method has its own separate values all operating parameters related to Dig&Dump (i.e. the operating parameters on this page)

Key cut

This option allows users to select Key Cut digging and switches to separate Key Cut operating parameters.

Strip cut

This option allows users to select Strip Cut digging and switches to separate Strip Cut operating parameters.

Chop down

This option allows users to select Chop Down digging and switches to separate Chop Down operating parameters.

Hybrid

This option allows users to select Hybrid digging and switches to separate Hybrid operating parameters.

Always show dump radius

This option shows a circle on the terrain surface around the dragline. The dump radius defines the circle size.

Always show chop radius

This option shows a circle on the terrain surface around the dragline. The dump radius defines the circle size.

Log material

This option specifies whether to store information on volumes and masses of material moved by this dragline in a Machine Log. Details of this are described in the Material Logs topic.

Log name

This option allows users to select the Machine Log where information on volumes and masses of material moved by this dragline will be stored.

Drag speed

This parameter defines the drag speed using in modeling bucket filling.

Drag and fill time

This parameter sets the time needed to drag and fill the bucket.

Drag distance

This parameter defines the drag distance i.e. the distance the bucket is dragged to fill it.

The three parameters above are related by:

Drag distance = Drag speed x Drag and fill time

Entering any one of these values in the dialog box causes one of the remaining two to be recalculated with the other held constant. This is expressed in the following table:

By using this table, the best order to enter these values may be determined.

Spot time

This parameter defines the extra time needed to "spot" the bucket i.e. place it on the terrain surface after dumping, ready to dig. This is in addition to the bucket lower time.

Dump time

This parameter defines time needed to dump material from the bucket at the dump point.

Efficiency factor

This parameter defines the Dragline’s efficiency (in percent) relative to "perfect" digging. It is used to increase all cycle times.

Availability factor

This parameter defines the percent of elapsed time that the dragline spends operating or walking. It is used to de-rate calculated productivity to account for dragline down time.

Log used in

This list shows the names of machines for which the selected Machine Log is also used.

Colors page

In this page the user may set the colors for:

•Different elements of the selected dragline,

•A background color for the Show Window, and

•Lighting parameters to render the dragline (i.e. illuminate it with a light source) when the terrain is not rendered.

Render machine

This option turns rendering of the dragline image (i.e. illuminating it with a light source) on or off.

When the terrain is not also rendered parameters need to be set for the Dragline’s rendering as below.

Light source vertical

This parameter defines the vertical angle of the light source. It is measured from the vertical (in degrees).

This parameter is used to render the dragline when the dragline is drawn on a non-rendered terrain.

Light source horizontal

This parameter defines the horizontal angle of the light source. It is measured from North (in degrees) with clockwise positive.

This parameter is used to render the dragline when it is drawn on a non-rendered terrain.

Color range

This setting defines the darkest render color for the parts of the dragline with minimum illumination. The parameter is shown as a percent of the difference between the base color and black. Thus a value of 100 gives black as the darkest render color.