Cutting head attachment design for improving the performance by using multibody dynamic analysis

Design technologies of a cutting head attachment for mechanical excavation works are studied for improving grinding efficiency. Similar to a hydraulic breaker, a cutting head attachment is attached to the front of an excavator. However, unlike the hydraulic breaker, which breaks rocks via repeated mechanical knockings, a cutting head attachment grinds rocks via the rotational motion of a conical drum. Hence, generally the grinding efficiency and working speed of a cutting head attachment is higher than those of a hydraulic breaker. Further, the working noise is significantly low because of the same reasons. In the cutting head attachment, the grinding tools, named as pick cutters, are arranged, and they perform the role of breaking rocks by interacting with them. Hence, it is very important to arrange these tools for improving the grinding efficiency. In this study, arrangement design methodologies of several pick cutters are developed by multi-body dynamics analysis. Further, the grinding efficiency of the designed pick cutter arrangement is studied for sumping and shearing cutting works through excavator’s boom motions.