Autonomous excavation using a rope shovel

This paper describes the development of a system to automate the digging cycle of an electric rope shovel, a machine which is widely used in open-pit mining. Achieving optimal digging performance requires path planning strategies to ensure dipper (bucket) filling, as well as methods to detect when to disengage the dipper from the bank. To this end, techniques to detect and avert dipper stall, and the online estimation of dipper "fullness," are described along with in-field experimental results using a one-seventh scale-model electric rope shovel. Over 100 autonomous excavation cycles, in a variety of digging conditions, resulted in cycle times consistent with a human operator, but with lower overall motor loading. (C) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.