Excahauler Mining Robot

The Excahauler is an autonomous mining robot designed using a combination of welded steel and 3D printed parts. It is built to handle excavation tasks in challenging environments, featuring robust construction and adaptable components.

Robot Components

Frame

The base of the robot consists of a welded steel frame made from 1-inch (25mm) steel box tubing. The front wheels attach directly to the frame for stability, while the middle and rear wheels are mounted on a rocker system to adapt to uneven terrain. The electronics box, front fork, and arm boom are also bolted directly onto the frame.

Robot Arm

The robot arm has two main links:

Boom: Connects to the frame, providing front-to-back motion. It is aligned with an inertial measurement unit mounted on an angled bar.
Stick: The stick, following excavator naming conventions, has an Intel RealSense D455 depth camera mounted on top and a small electronics box for motor controllers.

Tool Coupler

The tool coupler allows for quick tool changes using a two-pin system similar to an excavator's quick-change setup. It includes a locking mechanism to secure tools in place, allowing the robot to switch between different excavation tools efficiently.

Excavation Tools

The robot can use various excavation tools, with the primary tool being a rock grinder. This tool spins a drum to mill material directly into the front scoop. The large ammo can on the robot houses the batteries, motor controller, and space for cooling oil.

Front Scoop

The front scoop has a volume of 50 liters, allowing it to carry a payload of approximately 50 kg of broken-up material. It features a fork linear actuator for raising and lowering relative to the frame and a dump actuator for tilting the scoop to unload material.

Coordinate System

The robot follows a right-handed coordinate system:

+Y is forward
+X is to the robot's right
+Z is up

Some components use rotated coordinate systems to align with the mounted sensors.

Development

The Excahauler is an ongoing project aimed at advancing autonomous mining technologies. The robot's design and functionality continue to be refined based on testing and research.

Further Information

For more details on the robot's design and development, visit the project's GitHub page.

For questions or suggestions, please contact lawlor@alaska.edu.

Note: Unless specified otherwise, the source code files are released to the public domain.