Excavator Parameters Window.

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Excavator Parameters

The Excavator Parameters dialog box allows creating new or editing already existing excavator type. The user can select any excavator type, set its geometrical and operation dimensions and colors. These parameters are used when showing an excavator on the terrain surface and when excavator productivity calculating.

Note that excavator as well as any other machines may be placed only on terrain surface not on inner surface!

Buttons and Selectors

Excavator Type Name

This setting allows choosing an excavator type from the list to edit, save or delete it.

Current Number This Type

This parameter shows the number of excavators of selected type used in this simulation.

New Number This Type

This parameter allows setting the new number of selected type excavators.

Close button

Click this button to close Excavator Parameters dialog box.

New button

Click this button to create a new excavator type. All already existing excavator types and three default types are available to be a prototype for the newly created machine type. One excavator of this new type will be created.

Apply button

Click this button to apply all parameter changes to current excavator type.

Show button

Click this button to see a preview of the current excavator type. The preview will be shown in a dialog box. A view control window may be used to zoom/pan/rotate excavator. To switch off the preview mode just close the preview window by clicking system close button in the preview window title.

Delete button

Click this button to delete the current excavator type from the excavator type list. All excavators of this type will be removed from the terrain surface.

Select page

This page allows the user to select the type of excavator.

Rope excavator

Rope excavator - see figure below.

Hydraulic face excavator

Hydraulic backhoe excavator

Load bucket

Check to show excavator model on terrain with loaded bucket.

Dimensions page

An excavator position, geometrical sizes and operating parameters are available on this page.

In fields East and North the user can specify position where the excavator is to be placed.

Horizontal Angle

This option allows the user to set a horizontal orientation of the excavator. The angle is measured from North in a clockwise direction.

Sizes

Boom Length

This parameter defines the length of the excavator part attached to the body.

Arm Length (hydraulic types only)

This defines the length of the excavator part attached to the boom and the bucket.

Rescale by Boom Length (rope type only)

Click this button to recalculate the geometrical and operating excavator dimensions to make them corresponding to the boom length. Nevertheless the user may not use this button and set these parameters absolutely independently for particular purposes. In such a case some contradictions between different parameters are possible.

Dipper Length (rope type only)

This parameter defines the length of the excavator part attached to the boom and the bucket.

Dipper Travel (rope type only)

This parameter sets the position of bucket perpendicular to boom.

Dipper Offset (rope type only)

This parameter allows setting the bucket position along boom.

Draw Scale Factor

Changing this factor increases or decreases size of the excavator model shown on the terrain.

Bucket capacity

This parameter defines the maximum bucket load volume.

Bucket Capacity Spread

This parameter specifies the spread of bucket capacity around the average value.

Bucket Length

This parameter sets the maximum length of the bucket.

Track to Track Width

This parameter defines the distance between excavator's tracks.

Tail Clearance

This parameter allows user to set the restriction on the minimum distance from the excavator's back to the nearest obstacle.

Operation page

Parameters concerning excavator movements are presented on this page. They are used when excavator modeling.

Rotation Angle

This parameter specifies the angle of the excavator's body relative to the base.

Boom Min Angle

This parameter defines the minimum boom angle above horizontal.

Boom Max Angle

This parameter defines the maximum boom angle above horizontal.

Current Boom Angle

This parameter defines the current boom angle above horizontal (clockwise positive).

Bucket Min Angle (hydraulic models only)

This parameter sets the minimum bucket angle relative to the arm.

Bucket Max Angle (hydraulic models only)

This parameter specifies the maximum bucket angle relative to the arm.

Current Bucket Angle (hydraulic models only)

This parameter defines the current bucket angle relative to the arm.

Arm Min Angle (hydraulic models only)

This parameter allows setting the minimum arm angle relative to the boom.

Arm Max Angle (hydraulic models only)

This parameter allows user to set the maximum arm angle relative to the boom.

Swing Angle (hydraulic models only)

This parameter specifies the current arm angle relative to the boom.

Dipper Min Angle (rope model only)

This parameter defines the minimum dipper angle relative to the boom.

Dipper Max Angle (rope model only)

This parameter defines the maximum dipper angle relative to the boom.

Current Dipper Angle (rope model only)

This parameter sets the current dipper angle relative to the boom.

Average Cycle Time

This parameter specifies the time taken for the excavator to load bucket, dump bucket load and return to start next load.

Cycle Time Spread

This parameter allows definition of the spread of cycle time around the average value.

Log Material

This option allows the user to specify whether to store total volumes and masses of material from each excavation or dump performed by a given excavator. Details of this are described in the Material Logs topic

Log Name

This option allows selecting the log where to store total volumes and masses of material.

Log Used In

This shows the list of the machines for which this log is used in the simulation.

Colors page

In this page the user may set the colors for different elements of the selected excavator, a background color for Show Window and also lighting parameters to show excavator when no render terrain.

Render machine

This option turns on/off the excavator rendering in terrain rendering mode.

Light source vertical

This parameter defines a vertical angle of a light source measured from vertical (in degrees).

Light source horizontal

This parameter defines a horizontal angle of light source measured from North (in degrees). An anti-clockwise direction is assumed as positive.

Color range

This parameter defines a size (in percent) of range of colors used for excavator rendering. The larger this value the more contrast image of excavator is obtained. i.e. it becomes darker in dark areas and lighter in light ones.