美國煤炭局采煤機自動化研究中英文翻譯、外文文獻翻譯、外文翻譯

翻譯英文原文UsBureauofMinesCoalMiningAutomationResearchJHWELSHandJEBEVANABSTRACTTheUSBureauofminesisconductingresearchtoimprovethehealthandsafetyforundergroundcoalminers,andtheefficiencyoftheminingsystemsthatareused.In1986,theBureaubeganamajorresearcheffortonthetechnologyforcomputer-assistedminingsystemsforundergroundcoalmines.Theinitialtargetwastechnologyforcontinuousminingmachinesthatwouldallowthemtoextractcoalbycomputer-assistedoperation,Technologyareasbeinginvestigatedincludeguidancesystems,computersystems,machinecontrol,human-machineinterfacesandplanning.Ineachoftheseareas,individualsystemdevelopmenthasprogressedtowhereundergroundtestingofthesesystemswillbeginin1991.Inadditiontocoalextraction,theBureauhasalsobegunresearchforthedevelopmentoftechnologyforcomputer-assistedroofbolting.TheBureauisdevelopingtechnologyfora“smart”roofbolterthatwouldbeabletosenseandanalyzestrataconditionstodeterminethelocationofthehole,drilltheholetolength,andselectandinstalltheappropriatebolt.Theresearchonthecontinuousminingandtheroofbolterarewelladvanced.INTRODUCTIONWorkinginundergroundcoalminescontinuestobeoneofthemosthazardousofoccupations,Between1984and1989,14181accidentsoccurredatthefaceareaofcontinuousminingsectioninUSundergroundcoalmines.Thiswas18percentofallinjuriesand21percentofallfatalitiesandpermanentdisabilities.Inaddition,faceworkersareexposedtohealthhazardssuchasequipmentnoise,wherein1988,6981newblacklungcaseswerefiledintheUS.Thetraditionalapproachtohealthandsafetyproblemsinmineshasbeentoreducethehazardthroughgroundcontrol,dustcontrol,methanecontrol,andnoisecontrol.Whilethisapproachhasbeenverysuccessfulinthepastinreducingthehazardsinmines,healthandsafetyhazardsstillexist,andaccidentsandhealthproblemsarestilloccurring.Tomakeafurthersignificantreductioninthenumberofaccidentsandexposurestohealthhazards,anewapproachisneeded.In1986,theBureauofMinesinitiatedanewapproachthatwouldallowworkerstoberelocatedfromthefacetoasafe,healthfulenvironment,wheretheycouldperformtheirjobs.Althoughthisapproachhadbeenthoughtofearlier,onlyrecentadvancementsincomputerandsensortechnologyhavemadeitaviablealternative.Whilehealthandsafetyisamajorconcern,technologythatwouldalsoprovideforimprovementsinminingefficiencywasalsodesirable.Recentstatisticsshowthatcontinuousminersonlyextractcoalabout32percentoftheavailableshifttime.Thismeansthatevensmallimprovementsinminingefficiencycouldresultindramaticinproductivity.Overthelastseveralyears,aBureauofMinesprogramforcomputer-assistedmininghasbeendevelopedthatiscenteredaroundacomprehensivelong-rangeresearchplanthattargetsthegoalsoftheprogramandprovidesacoordinationofresearch.ThisresearcheffortinvolvesmultipleprojectsandresearchersatdifferentBureaucenters.Inthenearterm,researchtargetscurrent,commerciallyavailableminingequipmentoperatingintypicalminingsection.Thetargetisfurtherdefinedtoacontinuousminingsectionwithroom-and-pillar,longwalldevelopment.ThisscenariowasselectedbecauseithaswideapplicabilitytoUSmining,andstandstomakeasignificantimpactonthehealth,safety,andefficiencyoftheUSminingindustry.Researchforcomputer-assistedminingsystemsincludescoalextractionwithacontinuousminingmachine,roofbolting,haulage,andventilation.Forthelongerterm,researcherswillinvestigateminingsystemsandconceptstodetermineifnewminingsystemsthatcantakeadvantageofadvancesinroboticstechnologyshouldbepursued,and/orifchangesintheminingmethodsshowpromiseofhealth,safety,andefficiencyimprovements.COMPUTER-ASSISTEDMININNG,DEFINEDAtypicalcontinuousminingsectionconsistsofacontinuousminingmachine,aroofboltingmachine,andoneortwoshuttlecars.Thefaceareawherethisequipmentisoperating,andwhereunsupportedroofisexposedduringtheextractionprocess,posesthegreatestthreatintermsofhealthandsafetytotheworkers.Withcomputer-assistedmining,sensorsandcomputertechnologywouldbeaddedtothefaceequipmenttoallowtheoperatortoberelocatedtoacontrolroompositioned150to180metersoutbytheface.Thecontrolroomwouldbepositionedinfreshair,andtheenvironmentwouldbecontrolledtoprovideahealthfulworkareawithlittleornodustandnoise.Variouslevelsofcomputer-assistedminingexist,fromteleoperationtocomputer-assistedoperation,andaredescribedintheremainderofthissection.Tooperateminingequipmentatthefacefromacontrolroomwhichisnotimline-of-sightviewoftheequipment,theoperatormustrelyoninformationfromsensorsandvideocamerasinstalledontheequipment.Initialresearchwillinvolveteleoperation,wheretheoperatoressentiallyperformsthesamejobashe/shewouldwhenoperatingtheminingequipment,onlyataremotelocation.Theoperatorwillrelyoninputfromthevideocamerasinstalledonthemachineand/orintheareaofoperation,sensorsthatprovidethepositionofthemovableparts(cuttingboom,gatheringpan,conveyor,etc.)ofthemachine,guidancesensorsthatprovideinformationthatanoperatorwouldnormallyhaveavailableattheface,suchasfacenoise.Acomputersystemwillcollectthedatafromthesensors,presenttheinformationtotheoperatorthroughahumaninterfacesuchasgraphicsordialsandgauges,andcontrolmovementsofthemachinebasedonoperatorinitiatedcommands.Asmoresensorsareinstalledontheequipmentandmoreintelligentcomputersoftwareisdeveloped,themachine-controlscenariowillevolvetocomputer-assistedoperation.Thecomputercontrolsystemwillprogressivelymakemoreoftheroutinedecisionstowheretheoperatoronlyinterveneswhenanabnormalsituationarises,suchaswhenacompletelynewsituationisencountered.Machineactionsareautomaticalllyinititedbythecontrolcomputerbasedonsensorinputandsoftwareanalysisanddecision-making.Forthistypeofoperation,additionalsensorsandintelligentsoftwarearerequiredthanforteleoperation.Sensorsformachinepositionandheading,machinecondition,thepositionofthemoveablepartsofthemachine,andthetypeofmaterialthemachineiscuttingareneeded.Thesoftwaremustguidetheminingmachinefollowingaplanthatcanbealteredbylocalconditionsandeventsasdeterminedfromreal-timesensorinput.Thehumanelementformachineoperationisalwaysexpectedtobeneededinundergroundcoalminesbecauseofthevariabilityofconditionsthatareencounteredandthedifficultytodevelopsensorsandcomputersoftwarethatcanprovidethesamelevelofintelligenceandperceptionasahuman.Theobjectiveofthisresearchistoevaluateanddeveloptheenablingtechnologyforcomputer-assistedcontinuousminingandroofboltingmachines.Workisalsoon-goinginotherareassuchasventilationforcomputer-assistedmining(Volkwein,GoodmanandThiemens,1990)andcontinuoushaulagesystems(Bhatt,1990).Theremainderrelatedtothesetwomachines.Additionaldetailsonthecomputer-assistedminingprogramcanbefoundinthereferences(Schnakenbenberg,1988,1989,1990).COMPUTER-ASSISTEDCONTINUOUSMININGMACHINETechnologycomponentsThetechnologycomponentsrequiredforanyintelligentmachinesystemaretheguidancesystem,machineconditionsystem,computersystem,machinecontrol,human-machineinterfaceandplanning.Foracomputer-assistedmachine,thesamelistapplies,wherethebasicmachineisadrum-typecontinuousminingmachine.Guidancesysteminvolvebothhorizontalmovementsoftheminingmachineintheminespaceandverticalmovementsofthecuttingboom.Forahorizontalguidance,acomputer-assistedminingmachinemustnotonlybeabletoguideitselfwhileitisextractingcoal,butalsowhilemovingthroughouttheentiremine.Thisrequiressensorstoprovideinformationonmachinelocationcoordinates(x,y),machineyaw(heading),andthelocationanddistancetominewallsandobstacles.Thecomputersystemmusttotakethissensorinformation,andusingstoredknowledge,planmachinemoves,positionthemachineatthefacesocuttingcanoccur,andconstructorupdatemaps,allinreal-time.TheBureauhasdividedthehorizontalnavigationproblemintothereareas:theface,thesection,andthewholemine.Thefacenavigationproblemisbeinginvestigatedfirst.Oncethisproblemissolved,navigationinthesectionandthewholeminewillberelativelyeasy.Acomputer-assistedminingmachinemustalsobeabletokeepitscuttingboomwithinthecoalseamandmineonlycoal,ortosomeotherparticularpatterndependingontherequirementsandgeologyattheminesite.Forverticalguidanceofthecuttingboom,asensorsystemisneededthatcandeterminethethicknessofcoalleftontherooforfloor,orthatcandeterminewhenthecuttingactioncrossestheboundaryfromcoaltorock.Thisresearchisknownascoal-rockinterfacedetection(CID).Machineconditioninvolvesthedetermination,inreal-time,oftheconditionofthemajorelectricalandhydrauliccomponentsofacontinuousminingmachine,toaidintheefficientandtimelyrepairofthemachinewhenafailureoccurs.Ultimately,thissystemshouldbeabletopredictacomponentfailureinadvanceofitsoccurrencesothatmaintenancecanbescheduledduringnonproductiontimes.Sincemachinedowntimeisasignificantfactorinthelowproductiontimeexperiencedwithcontinuousminingmachine,anincreaseinmachineavailabilitywillhaveasignificantimpactonefficiencyandproductivity.Computersystemsprovidethebackboneforcomputer-assistedmining.Thecomputermustinterfacetoavarietyofinternal(machinesystem)andexternal(surroundingenvironment)sensors,gatherdatafromthesensors,makedecisionbasedonthereal-timesensordata,andinitiateandcarryoutmachinecontrol.Machinecontrolinvolvesestablishingaccuratecomputer(Sammarco,1988a)ofthemovingpartsoftheminingmachineincludingcuttingboom,gatheringpan,conveyor,stabilizerjack,andlocomotiontracks.Closed-loopcomputercontrolorcontrolbasedonsensorfeedbackmustbeestablishedwhichisaccurateandstable.Toestablishclosed-loopcontrol,thefollowingtasksarerequired:selectasensorthatprovidesthepositionofthemachineparttobecontrolled;developthecomputer-sensorandmachine-sensorinterface;testthemachineandsensorsystem;analyzethedata;formulatecontrolalgorithms;testthecontrolinfreespace;testthecontrolunderminingconditions(cuttingsimulatedcoal);analyzedata.;repeattheabovestepsasnecessary.Human-machineinterfacearerequiredsothatanoperatorcaninteractwithacomputer-assistedmachinetoprovideefficientmachinecontrol.Anoperatormayinteractwiththemachinethroughaninterfacetoprovidenewinformation,changeprioritiesorplans,orintervenewhenanewconditionorsituationisencountered.Planningreferstothesoftwarethatisnecessarytocontrolthewholemachineprocess,tomakeaminingmachineoperateaccordingtosomepredeterminedsequence.Inarobotfactoryfloorapplication,wherearobotisperformingaroutine,repetitiveaction,softwaretocontroltherobotissimple.However,withaminingmachine,thesituationismuchmorecomplex.Theenvironmentcanchange;andtheminegeometrychangesascoalismined.Theplannersoftwaremustbeabletoreacttochangingconditionsandinitiateanappropriateactionfortheconditionencountered,allinreal-time.Thesearetheareasinwhichresearchersareevaluatinganddevelopingtheenablingtechnologyforcomputer-assistedmining.Thestatusofthisdevelopmentisdiscussedinthenextsection.TechnologyevaluationanddevelopmentSincethestartofthecomputer-assistedminingprogram,significantprogresshasbeenmadeineachofthetechnologyareasrequired.Anavigationschemeforhorizontalguidance(Anderson,1989a)wasdefinedforacomputer-assistedminingmachineoperatinginaroom-and-pillar,two-passminingscenario.Thenavigationscheme,makesuseofbothon-and-offmachinesensorsthatworktogethertoprovidetheinformationneededfornavigation.Sensorsselectedforevaluationanddevelopmentarealasergyroscope,ultrasonicrangers,amechanicallinepullsystem,andclinometers.(Note:Afluxgatecompasswastestedearlyintheprogramandwasdeterminedtobeunsuitableforminingmachinenavigation,Sammarco,1990).Thelaserscannersystem(Anderson,1989b)usescommerciallyavailablelaserunitsthataremountedonanoff-machinereferencestructure.Itscansahorizontalplaneforretroreflectivetargetswithinits11mrangeand105°fieldofview.Theretroreflectivetargetsaremountedontheminingmachine.Thelaserscannersdeterminetheangularpositionofthedetectedtargets.Inthepresentconfiguration,twolaserscannersandtwotargetsareused.Whenthetargetsareplacedinaknown,fixedgeometryontheminingmachine,thex-ypositionandyawoftheminingmachinearedeterminedbytriangulationbytheanglesreportedbythelaser.Anothernavigationsystem,similartothelaserscannersystem,isamechanicalpositionandheadingsystem(Jobes,1990).Itusesline-pulllinertransducersmountedontheminingmachine(twotransducersoneachcorner),withtheendsofthetransducerpaircordsconnectedtotheribsonoppositesidesofanentryortooppositesidesofareferencestructure.Throughtriangulationthismechanicalline-pullsystemalsoprovidesx-ypositionandyawoftheminingmachine.Theon-boardnavigationsystems(Sammarco,19988b)includeagyroscope,clinometers,andultrasonicrangingdevices.Thegyroscopeidusedforshort-termcontrolofmachineheadingrelativetoapreviousheading.Clinometersprovidepitchandrollofthemachine.Ultrasonicrangingdevicesareusedforindicatingthepositionofribsandcorners,andlocatingobstacles.Atpresent,eachofthenavigationsensors,excepttheringlasergyroscope,hasbeenindividuallytestedandevaluatedonthesurfaceforperformanceandaccuracy.UndergroundtestingisscheduledtobegininFebruary1991.Sinceeachoftheindividualsensingsystemhaslimitations,thepresentnavigationconceptforminingmachineguidancewillinvolvethefusionofdatafromeachofthesystems,utilizingthemostaccuratereadingstoupdatereferencesfortheothersystems.Forverticalguidanceofthecuttingboom,coal-rockinterfacesensorsarebeingdeveloped.Aswithhorizontalguidance,multiplecoalinterfacesensorsystemsarebeinginvestigatedandwillworktogetherthroughfusionofsensordata,thisisnecessaryinmostUScoalseamsbecausegeologyvarieswidely,evenlocally,tosuchanextentthatasinglesensorsystemwillnotabletoprovideaccurateguidance.Techniquesbeinginvestigatedincludemachinevibration,in-seamseismicvibration,naturalgammaradiation,infraredthermography,radar,andx-rayfluorescence.Theapproachformachineandin-seamseismicvibrations(Mowrey,1990a)aresimilar.Accelerometersareusedtosensevibrationsignalsgeneratedastheminingmachineiscuttingcoalorrockmaterial.Inonecasetheyareattachedtotheminingmachinetosensemachinevibration,andintheothertheyareattachedtothecoal,roof,and/orfloor,tosensein-seamseismicvibration.Differentsignalsaregeneratedwhentheminingmachineiscuttingcoalversuswhenitiscuttingrock.Powerful,intelligentsignalprocessingsoftware,calledadaptivesignaldiscriminationnetworks,areusedtodiscriminatethedifferenceinsignals,inpractice,foragivengeology,thesystemisinitiallytrainedbypurposelycuttingcoal,andthenrock,toshowthesystemwhatthevibrationsignalslooklikeineachcase.Thesystemthendevelopsasetofclassifiersthatareusedtodeterminewhataccuracyachievedsofaris65to75percentcorrectlyclassified.Effortsarefocusedonwaystoimprovetheaccuracytobetterthan90percent.Naturalgammaradiationsensorsystems(MaksimovicandMowrey,1990)havebeenusedsuccessfullyinEuropetodetermineremainingroofcoalthicknesstoguidetheverticalcuttingoflongwallshearers.ThesesensorsarealsocommerciallyavailablefromtwoUSsuppliers,andhavebeenusedinseveralminesintheUSwithsomesuccesses.Tousethissensorsystem,theimmediateroofmaterialmustbeshale-type,whichtypicallyhashighernaturalgammaradiationthandoescoal.BureauresearchfornaturalgammaradiationsensorsisinvestigatingthegeologyofthemajorUScoalseamstodeterminehowwidespreadtheapplicabilityofthistechniqueis.Inaddition,sensorplacement,rangeofaccuracy,andguidanceofftheminefloorarebeinginvestigated.Infraredthermographysystem(Mowrey,1990b)areabletodetectchangesinthermographyenergyproducedasaminingmachinecutsmaterialsofdifferenthardness.Forexample,asaminingmachinecutscoal,acertainamountofthermalenergyisproduced.Asthecuttingpicksbegintostrikeahardersandstoneroof,morethermalenergymaybeproduced.Aninfraredthemographysystemthatcandetectthermalenergyproducedcanbeusedtodeterminewhenthecuttingactionhascrossedtheboundaryfromcoaltoroofstrata.Researchersareusingbothaninfraredthermalcamerathatcanviewthewholefacearea,andaninexpensivepointthermalsensorthatcanbeaimedataparticularbit,todeterminethermalenergyproduced.AnothertechniqueforCIDisaradarcoalthicknesssystem.Anon-contactingradarsensorthatmeasurethecomplexreflectioncoefficientatthesurfaceofanymaterial,asameanstodeterminethethicknessofcoalleft,isbeingdeveloped.Anetworkanalyzerisusedtoresolvesub-wavelengthdimensionsbymakingmatrixmeasurementsinthefrequencyandapacedomains.Researchisconcentratingondevelopingthecomputermodelsandantennafixturesforthissystem.Preliminaryundergroundteststomeasureroofcoalandribthicknessproducedgoodresults,wherecoalthicknesswasmeasuredwithin6mm.AnX-Rayfluorescencesystemforcoal-rockinterfacedetectionisinpreliminarystagesofinvestigation.Thebureauisaddressingtheproblemofmachineconditionandfailuresbyapplyingcomputerandsensortechnologytothehydraulicandelectricalsystemsofacontinuousminingmachine.Forhydraulicsystemdiagnostics(Mitchell,1990),asensor-basedexpertsystemtechniqueisbeingusedtoassistinthedetectionanddeterminationofthecauseoffailuresinhydrauliccomponents.Theknowledgeofmaintenanceandhydraulicsexpertisincorporatedintotheknowledgebaseofanexpertsystem.Thisknowledge,alongwithreal-timeinformationsuppliedbyhydraulicsystemsensorsontheminingmachine,areusedbytheexpertsystemtodetectanddiagnosecomponentfailures.Sensorsincludetemperature,flow,pressure,fluidlevel,andcontaminentsinthehydraulicfluid.Agraphicinterfaceisbeingdevelopedtoassistinsystemoperationanddiagnosis.Afutureadditionwilladdprognosiscapabilitysodegradationofhydraulicsystemcomponentscanbedetectedinadvanceoffailuretoavoiddowntimeduringproductiontime.Adiagnosticsystemhasalsobeendevelopedfortheelectricalcontrolcircuitofacontinuousminingmachine.Acomputer-based,algorithmictechniquewasselectedforthissystem.Thisapproachwaspossiblesincetheinformationrequiredtodiagnoseacontrolcircuitfailurewasobtainablefromsensors,andsimplemathermaticalrelationscouldbeestablishedbetweensensorinputsandfailures.Thesystemdiagnoses19commonlyoccurringfailuresofacontinuousminingmachinecontrolcircuitbymeasuring35voltagepoints.Adisplayontheminingmachineidentifiesthecauseoffailure.Thecomputertiesthesensorandmachinecontrolsystemstogethertoformacomputer-assistedminingsystem.Atthelowestlevelithandlestheclosedloopcontrolofthevariousappendages.Inthisroleittakesdatafromthesensorsprovidingthepositionofthemovablepartsofthemachine,comparesthesevaluestothedesiredtargetvalue,andinitiates,maintains,orstopsmovementofthemovablepartsasnecessary.Athigherlevels,ithandlestheplanningandmachinemovementsrequiredtoextractcoalaccordingtoaminingplan.Allofthetechnologydiscussedhasbeenthoroughlytestedandevaluatedinthelaboratory.

中文翻譯美國煤炭局采煤機自動化研究JHWELSHandJEBEVAN摘要美國煤炭局正在進行研究改善地下礦工的健康和安全,和被用的采礦制度的效率。在1986年，煤炭局為地下的煤礦關于計算機輔助采煤系統(tǒng)開始了在技術方面的一個主要的研究努力。開始的目標是通過計算機輔助操作采煤的連續(xù)采煤機的技術，研究的技術領域包括引導系統(tǒng),計算機系統(tǒng)、機器控制,人-機接口和計劃。在這些每一個領域中，個別的系統(tǒng)的發(fā)展已經促進這些系統(tǒng)的地下測試在1991年將會開始。除了采煤之外，煤炭局對計算機輔助頂梁螺栓技術的發(fā)展也已經開始研究。煤炭局正在為"聰明的"頂梁螺栓發(fā)展技術，它能夠感覺并且分析層情況以便決定洞的位置,鉆孔的長度,而且選擇并且安裝適當?shù)穆菟?。關于連續(xù)采煤和頂梁螺栓的研究進行得很好。介紹在地下的煤礦中工作仍然是最危險的職業(yè)之一,在1984和1989年間,14181起意外事件發(fā)生在美國的連續(xù)采煤區(qū)段的工作面區(qū)域。18%的受傷，21%的致命和永久的殘疾。此外，工作面工人還遭受健康危險，如設備噪音,在1988年,美國有6981個新的黑肺病案例。傳統(tǒng)的解決煤礦健康和安全問題方式是是通過地面控制,除塵控制,甲烷控制,和噪音控制減少危險。雖然這方法過去已經在采煤時減少危險方面非常成功,但健康和安全危險仍然存在,意外事件和健康問題仍然正在發(fā)生。為了對意外事件和健康危險暴露的數(shù)字作進一步的重要減少，新的方法是不可或缺的。在1986年,煤炭局開始了讓工人從工作面被重新配置到他們可以運行他們的工作的安全又有益健康的環(huán)境的新方法。雖然這方法很早就被想到了,但是只有在近來的計算機和感應器技術的進步下才使它成為可能的替代選擇。健康和安全是主要的擔憂，同時提供在采煤效率的進步技術也是令人想要的。最近的統(tǒng)計學表示連續(xù)的礦工只采煤可得的變化的大約32%的時間。這意味著在采煤效率很小的提高就可以造成巨大的產量。過去幾年以來,煤炭局對計算機輔助采煤項目已經有了發(fā)展，它集中對準綜合廣泛研究計劃，以項目目標為目的，而且提供研究協(xié)調性。這個研究涉及不同的煤炭局中心的多個計劃和研究員。近期，研究對準在典型的采煤區(qū)段中操作的現(xiàn)在又商業(yè)化可得的采煤設備。目標更進一步被定義到一個連續(xù)的采礦區(qū)段，即硐室-支柱，長壁采煤的發(fā)展。因為它有對美國采煤的寬適用性,而且對于美國采煤業(yè)的健康、安全和效率有重要的影響，所以這一個情境被選擇。對計算機輔助采煤系統(tǒng)的研究包括用一部連續(xù)采煤機、支架,拖曳、和通風進行采煤。在較長的一段時間里，研究員將會研究采煤系統(tǒng)和概念決定利用自動技術的新的采煤系統(tǒng)能是否值得追求，以及/或是否采煤方法的改變在健康、安全和效率有改善。計算機輔助采煤,定義一個典型的連續(xù)采礦區(qū)段有連續(xù)采煤機、頂梁支架、和一或兩個運輸機。這個設備正在運行的工作面區(qū)域,和在采煤過程中未支頂梁被暴露,對工人的健康和安全造成最大的威脅。由計算機輔助采煤、感應器和計算機技術會被加到工作面設備讓操作員重新安置在遠離工作面150-180米的控制室?？刂剖覍仓迷谟行迈r的空氣，而且環(huán)境將被控制以便提供一個簡直沒有灰塵和噪音有益健康的工作區(qū)域。各種不同水平的計算機輔助采煤的存在,從遠程控制到計算機輔助操作,在這一個區(qū)段的剩余者方面被描述。為了從設備不在視線范圍內的控制室的工作面操作采煤設備,操作員必須依賴來自安裝在設備的感應器和錄像機的信息。開始的研究將會包括遠程控制,即只是在一個遙遠的位置,當操作采煤設備的時候，操作員基本上運行和他/她一樣的工作。操作員將會依賴來自安裝在機器和/或在操作區(qū)上的錄像機的輸入，提供機器的可動部份(截割滾筒,擋煤板、運送裝置等)的位置的感應器,指導感應器提供操作員可獲得正常信息，如工作面噪音。計算機系統(tǒng)將會收集來自感應器的數(shù)據,經過人的接口，像是圖形或者刻度盤和標準度量將數(shù)據呈現(xiàn)給操作員,以操作員的開始指令為基礎控制機器的運動。隨著較多的裝置在設備上的感應器和更加智能的計算機軟件發(fā)展，機器-控制的情節(jié)將會促進計算機輔助操作。計算機控制系統(tǒng)將進一步做出決定操作員只需干涉當一種不正常的情形發(fā)生時,像遇到一種完全新的情形時。由控制計算機基于感應器輸入和軟件分析和決策，機器開動自動開始。這類型的操作，對附加的感應器和智能軟件的需要超過遠程控制。感應器需要機器位置和方向，機器情況，機器的運動部份的位置和正在切的機器材料的類型。軟件必須隨當?shù)厍闆r改變的計劃，和實時感應器所決定的輸入事件引導采煤機。因為遇到的情況易變，發(fā)展感應器和能提供作為一個人類的相同程度的智力和知覺的計算機軟件的困難，對機器操作來說期望人的要素在地下的煤礦中是不可或缺的。這個研究的目的是促進和發(fā)展計算機輔助連續(xù)采煤和頂梁支架機器的技術。這項工作在其他的區(qū)域如計算機輔助采煤(Volkwein,GoodmanandThiemens,1990)和連續(xù)的拖曳系統(tǒng)的通風(Bhatt,1990)也正在進行。計算機輔助連續(xù)采煤機技術組成部分任何智能機器系統(tǒng)必需的技術組成部分有指導系統(tǒng),機器條件系統(tǒng),計算機系統(tǒng),機器控制,人-機接口和計劃。對于一部計算機輔助機器，相同的目錄應用,基本的機器是一部連續(xù)滾筒采煤機。指導系統(tǒng)包括在采煤空間中采煤機的水平運動和截割滾筒的垂直運動。對于水平的指導,一部計算機輔助采煤機不僅必須能夠當它正在采煤的時候指導它本身,而且當穿過整個采煤空間移動時也能指導它自己。這需要感應器提供關于機器位置坐標(x,y)，機器偏航(方向)，煤壁和障礙的位置和距離的信息。計算機系統(tǒng)必須采用這個感應器的數(shù)據,而且使用儲存的知識,計劃機器動作,在工作面定位機器從而使截割發(fā)生，構造或者更新地圖,所有是在實時情況下。煤炭局已經把水平的航行問題分為如下區(qū)域:工作面，區(qū)段和整個過煤空間。工作面航行問題正在首先被調查。一旦這個問題被解決，區(qū)段和整個過煤空間的航行問題相對地就容易了。計算機輔助采煤機必須能夠保持截割滾筒在煤層里和采出的只有煤,或依據要求和煤礦的地質條的一些其他的特別情形。對于截割滾筒的垂直指導,一個能決定剩余煤的頂板或底板的厚度,或決定什么時候截割運動越過從煤到巖石的邊界的感應器系統(tǒng)是不可或缺的。這個研究即是煤-巖石接口的發(fā)現(xiàn)(CID)。機器條件包括決策,在實時的,連續(xù)采煤機的主要電的或液壓的情況,當失效發(fā)生的時候在機器的效率和及時修理方面援助。最后，這個系統(tǒng)應該能夠預先預測發(fā)生的零件失效，以便在非生產期間能夠按照預定計劃維修。因為對連續(xù)的采煤機停工時間在低的生產時間內是一個重要的因素，機器有效的增加將會對效率和生產力有重要的影響。計算機系統(tǒng)提供后盾給計算機輔助采煤。計算機一定接口至多種內在的(機器系統(tǒng))和外部的(周圍的環(huán)境)感應器，收集來自感應器的數(shù)據,作出基于實時的感應器數(shù)據的決定,開始并且實行機器控制。機器控制包括建立采煤機運動部分包括截割滾筒，擋煤板，千斤頂，位置追蹤的精確計算機(Sammarco,1988a)。閉環(huán)計算機控制和基于感應器反饋的控制必須被精確和穩(wěn)定地建立。建立閉環(huán)控制,下列的工作被需要:選擇一個提供機器零件位置的感應器;發(fā)展計算機感應器和機器-感應器的接口;測試機器和感應器系統(tǒng);分析數(shù)據;制定控制運算法則;測試過煤空間的控制;在采煤情況之下測試控制(模擬采煤);分析數(shù)據。當必需時重復上述的步驟。人-機接口被需要，以便操作員能與一部計算機輔助機互動提供有效率的機器控制。當遇到一種新的情況或者情形的時候，一個操作員可能經過一個接口與機器互動提供新的數(shù)據、變化優(yōu)先或者計劃,或干涉。計劃指需要時控制整個的機器程序的軟件,使采煤機根據某些預定的順序運行。在機