Dragline Simulation Window

Dragline Simulation Settings

A Dragline Simulation Template connects an Excavation Template and a Dump Template with a Dragline. A default dragline simulation template, a default excavation template and a default dump template already exist in 3d-DigPlus.

To carry out a dragline simulation:

•Place the program in Dragline Simulation mode (Dragline item on the toolbar, or Simulate/Dragline menu).

•Open a terrain window (grid-based is best).

•Create a dragline (Use the Create Machine icon, or Simulate/Machine parameters menu).

•Create excavation polygons.

•Create a line or area dump.

•Start the simulation through the Start simulation icon or the Simulate/Start simulation menu.

Undo applies to each session in this dialog box. So pressing the Undo toolbar icon or the Edit/Undo menu item after this dialog box is closed will undo all actions that took place in this dialog box. Undo actions for this dialog box will be placed in the Undo/Redo stack.

Three pages in this dialog box (Automation, Boundaries and Colors) are not yet implemented. They will be accessible when Automated Dragline Development is added to 3d-DigPlus.

Active Simulation Template

This is the name of the dragline simulation template that will be started through the Start simulation icon or the Simulate/Start simulation menu. Starting a simulation will only be possible when all the elements of the simulation are in place. These elements are described in the points listed above.

Close Button

Pressing the button will cause this Dragline Simulation Settings dialog box to close. The program will prompt with an option to save changes, should any changes be outstanding.

Start Button

Pressing this button will start the simulation based on settings in the active simulation template. Changes to the active simulation template will be saved before simulation starts. This acts as if the Save button had been pressed before Start. Changes in the terrain during simulation will be shown in the current terrain graphics window.

New Button

This button creates a new Dragline Simulation Template. After pressing this button, a list of the existing Dragline Simulations (together with the unaltered Default) is presented. The new simulation’s parameters are copied from the simulation selected from this list.

The new Dragline Simulation may be named through a dialog box offered during the process of creation. Dragline Simulations are named by default as "Simulation n", where n is a count of existing simulations.

Delete Button

This button deletes the Active Simulation. Users are asked to confirm this before deletion actually takes place. In addition the Undo facility can be used to restore simulations deleted in the Dragline Simulation Settings dialog box.

Save Button

This button saves all changes to the Active Simulation. Pressing this button before changing the active simulation and before pressing the Close button will stop the prompt dialog box.

General Log

This setting specifies the general material log, which will be used with the simulation. Excavated and dumped volumes associated with the simulation will be reported to this log. The general log is selected using the General Log pull-down list, which lists all available logs.

Dragline Page

This page establishes settings to do with calculations and data logging for the Dragline used in the simulation.

Dragline

The dragline used in this simulation is set here. This dragline is chosen from the list of created draglines. Draglines are created through the Create Machine icon, or Simulate/Machine parameters menu. This opens the Dragline Parameters dialog box. There a new dragline may be created and simulation parameters of existing draglines may be altered.

Log Report Info

This setting logs the main dragline simulation results to dragline log which is accessed through the Dragline Report dialog box (Simulate/Simulation report menu when the program is in Dragline Simulation mode). This log may be printed and saved to file through the Dragline Report dialog box.

Calculate Productivity

This option calculates the dragline productivity for the simulation. Productivity is calculated by adding the times for each cycle, taking into account simulated bucket trajectories and other dragline movement dynamics. The productivity calculation uses dragline simulation parameters set through the Dragline Parameters dialog box.

Simulation

These options set the type of simulation to be carried out.

•Single Step

In this option a single dragline development step is simulated. This consists of an Excavation, a Dump and a dragline connecting the two i.e. digging from the excavation and dumping to the dump.

•Automation

In this option, many single step simulations are automatically set up and executed. Set-up of these simulations is guided by various feature structures set up through the Boundaries page.

This automation option is not yet accessible. It will be accessible when Automated Dragline Development is added to 3d-DigPlus.

Animate Dragline

This option redraws the dragline in the current terrain graphics window during simulation calculations. The simulated dragline moves during the calculation. Redrawing the dragline periodically during the simulation thus shows all parts of the dragline cycle.

One average dragline cycle is shown for each excavation layer. If the dragline rotates in both directions during the simulation, two average cycles are shown: one for each of clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation directions.

The discrete dump volume influences the number of dragline cycle groups simulated – each discrete dump volume divided by the Dragline’s bucket volume corresponds to a single dragline cycle. All cycles for a discrete dump volume are identical.

Animate Bucket

This option redraws the dragline bucket in the current terrain graphics window during simulation calculations.

Three levels of animation detail are provided: Low Detail, Medium Detail and High Detail. These levels affect the number of intermediate bucket positions shown during each part of the dragline cycle. During dragline swing and return they also affect the distance the dragline rotates between successive redraws of the dragline.

Show Bucket Paths

This option shows the simulated bucket trajectory for each simulated dragline cycle. The discrete dump volume influences the number of bucket paths – each discrete dump volume corresponds to a single bucket path. All dragline cycles within a discrete dump volume are identical.

Capture Frequency

This option sets how many bitmap images of the dragline simulation are captured from the current terrain graphics window. Three levels of capture frequency are offered (Minimum, Intermediate and Maximum).

The degree of detail set in the Animate Bucket option also influences the number of captured images per displayed dragline cycle. So the smallest number of captured images is obtained by settings the bucket animation to Low Detail and the Capture Frequency to Minimum.

The images are captured according to settings in the Capture Settings dialog box, accessed through the Options/Capture settings menu item. The sequence of captured images may then be played back as a "slide show" of the simulation. This process is described in the Capturing Images and Creating Slide Shows Help Topic.

Single Step Page

This page contains settings that influence the dragline simulation in Single Step mode.

Active Excavation

This is the name of the Excavation that will be used for excavating material moved by the dragline. This excavation may be chosen from the full list of excavations that currently exist in 3d-DigPlus.

New excavations may be created through the Edit/Create Button described below (next item).

Edit/Create Button

This button accesses the Excavation Settings dialog box. This allows editing of the properties of the Active Excavation.

When accessed through this Edit button, the Excavation Settings dialog box allows existing excavations to be deleted and new excavations to be created. When this dialog box is directly accessed through the toolbar or menu these operations are not allowed in Dragline Simulation mode.

Active Dump

This is the name of the Dump that will be used for dumping material moved by the dragline. This dump may be chosen from the full list of dumps that currently exist in 3d-DigPlus.

New dumps may be created through the Edit/Create Button described below (next item).

Edit/Create Button

This button accesses the Dump Settings dialog box. This allows editing of the properties of the Active Dump.

When accessed through this Edit button, the Dump Settings dialog box allows existing dumps to be deleted and new dumps to be created. When this dialog box is directly accessed through the toolbar or menu these operations are not allowed in Dragline Simulation mode.

Dragline Rotate Direction

This option selects the direction in which the dragline will rotate during swing i.e. when rotating from excavation to dump.

The rotation path is measured as the number of degrees the dragline must rotate (in plan view) from the center of the current excavation layer to the current dump point. It is calculated for each distinct simulated dragline cycle i.e. for each discrete dump volume.

•Shortest Path

In this option, the dragline will always rotate in the direction that gives the shortest rotation path from excavation to dump for each distinct simulated dragline cycle i.e. for each discrete dump volume.

•Lock Clockwise

In this option the dragline will always rotate clockwise when moving from excavation to dump. This direction is measured in plan view looking down on the dragline.

•Lock Anticlockwise

In this option the dragline will always rotate anticlockwise when moving from excavation to dump. This direction is measured in plan view looking down on the dragline.

Number of Excavation Layers

This determines the number of layers into which an excavation is divided vertically during a dragline simulation.

These layers are of "proportional thickness". This means that the thickness of an excavation layer at a point is calculated as the depth of excavation at that point divided by the number of layers.

The number of different dragline cycle groups for each layer is equal to the layer’s volume divided by the discrete dump volume. All cycles within a discrete dump volume are identical.

For each excavation layer the dragline bucket’s trajectory starts from the same point. This point is calculated from volume-weighted center of each layer and the Dragline’s drag distance parameter. The dragline bucket’s trajectory ends at the current dump point. This dump point changes for each discrete dump volume.