The metrology division of Leica Geosystems has successfully completed a landmark data collection project with Caterpillar Inc.
The four-day project captured a D9 bulldozer’s track-in-motion data as well as other important 3-D coordinate data derived from the bulldozer’s surface and movement. This unique data acquisition project generated 123 channels of data collected simultaneously from instruments fixed to the ground, moving with the tractor chassis and more than 40 channels of two-stage telemetry data rotating with the track. Caterpillar engines will ultimately use the data to create detailed 3-D dynamic models to perform analysis, predict traction performance, and evaluate new and existing product designs.
Two Leica LTD800s were used to measure simultaneous forces exerted on the bulldozer track shoe. At the same time, they measured displacement (position and angle) of the track shoe to the ground. The first laser captured X, Y and Z coordinates while the second tracker captured the pitch and roll of the track shoe.
Overall, the effort produced 100 MB of data comprising nearly 1.5 to 2 million points. Each measured track run generated nearly 20,000 data points. Twelve data channels were dedicated to gather track shoe dynamic forces, while the other 111 channels were used to track the speed of the bulldozer body and the torque, force and other factors. In addition to the laser trackers measuring the track-to-earth interface, force transducers measured all six degrees of freedom between the ground and the track shoes. The metrology instruments were synchronized to operate concurrently. Data captured by the laser trackers could be plotted against time, and Caterpillar engineers could view the vector residing between two points in time.
For more information, visit www.leica-geosystems.com/metrology.
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