Abstract
In order to provide capability of intelligent control to the wheel loader, its motion during the scooping progress is modeled and analyzed on the basis of robotics. Motion of bucket linkage along with translation of wheel loader itself is presented by means of mechanical manipulator with three-degree-of-freedom, though the bucket linkage consists of twelve joints and ten links, and it involves three closed loops. The modeling of wheel loader enables us to plan a set of trajectories of three active joints in advance preceding scooping. The modeling provides not only kinematical information, but also a computational tool to evaluate dynamical forces to actuate all active joints in advance preceding scooping. In addition to kinematics and dynamics, the present paper also covers statics of the bucket linkage, which formulates the reaction at active joints against payload imposed on the bucket during scooping.
The results of motion analysis and statics are integrated into a computer program, which is capable of simulating the progress of scooping materials piled with various angle of slope. This paper finally describes the results obtained from a series of computer simulation in which the slope angle of piled material is varied from 25 to 45 degrees.
