An Optimal Algorithm for Planning Shearer Trailing Drum Cutting Path

Abstract

The intelligent adaptive cutting of the shearer is one of the key technologies to realize the intelligent working face. However, since the “memory cut” technology is the mainstream technology, which cannot actively adapt to the coal seam variations, the trailing drum usually cuts at a fixed height without a planned cutting path. This paper analyzes the shearer’s location characteristics before and after the advancement to propose a complete calculation method for the advancing path of the shearer, which simulates all of its possible advancing paths for subsequent n cuttings. The multitree and depth-first search algorithms are utilized to filter out the optimal advance path under different mining requirements. Simultaneously, this paper indicates that the vertical curvature of the armored face conveyor (AFC) should be considered in the calculation process of the optimal advancing path at different positions of the working face to obtain the shearer’s planned cutting path for subsequent n cuttings. The proposed algorithm in this paper has apparent advantages over the “memory cut” technology and provides a good solution for the intelligent planning of cutting and pitch steering of the shearers.