The present disclosure relates to a mining machine adapted for extraction of material from a deposit and a method for controlling operation of such a mining machine. According to an embodiment, the mining machine includes a data handling unit and a control unit. The data handling unit is arranged to receive, from an external storage medium, a data file representative of a user-defined cutting path, and to send, to the control unit, data corresponding to a cutting path selected among the user-defined cutting path and one or more machine-predefined cutting paths. The control unit is configured to control operation of the mining machine using an automatic cutting cycle in accordance with the selected cutting path corresponding to the data received from the data handling unit.

The present disclosure relates to a mining machine adapted for extraction of material from a deposit and a method for controlling operation of such a mining machine. According to an embodiment, the mining machine includes a data handling unit and a control unit. The data handling unit is arranged to receive, from an external storage medium, a data file representative of a user-defined cutting path, and to send, to the control unit, data corresponding to a cutting path selected among the user-defined cutting path and one or more machine-predefined cutting paths. The control unit is configured to control operation of the mining machine using an automatic cutting cycle in accordance with the selected cutting path corresponding to the data received from the data handling unit.

Disclosed is an interference protection device and method for a hydraulic support and a cutting part of a shearer. The device includes: a plurality of dust-proof cases evenly and fixedly provided on a surface of one side of a hauling part of the shearer that faces away from a coal wall, and a dust-proof housing fixed on the hydraulic support. A first ultrasonic transducer and a flash lamp are fixedly provided in each dust-proof case, and a second ultrasonic transducer, a receiver, and a data processing module are fixedly provided in the dust-proof housing. The data processing module is electrically connected to the second ultrasonic transducer and the receiver separately, the first ultrasonic transducers and the flash lamps are all electrically connected to an external single-chip microcomputer, and the data processing module is electrically connected to a hydraulic support control computer. The present invention obtains a distance from the shearer to the hydraulic support by calculation from a difference between time points at which the second ultrasonic transducer and the receiver on the hydraulic support respectively receive an ultrasonic signal and an optical signal, and thus timely controls a guard plate to retract, thereby achieving the advantages of low cost, high applicability and high reliability.

A system for detecting a potential collision between an object and a mining machine, the system comprising: a sensor, a first strobe light and a second strobe light, and an electronic processor configured to identify a virtual perimeter around at least a portion of the mining machine, identify a plurality of collision zones, the plurality of collision zones including at least one immediate collision zone and at least one potential collision zone, receive a signal from a sensor indicating detection of the object in one of the plurality of collision zones, determine, based on the signal, whether the object is in the immediate collision zone or the potential collision zone, generate, in response to determining that the object is in the potential collision zone, a first indication, and generate, in response to determining that the object is in the immediate collision zone, a second indication different than the first indication.

A system for detecting a potential collision between an object and a mining machine, the system comprising: a sensor, a first strobe light and a second strobe light, and an electronic processor configured to identify a virtual perimeter around at least a portion of the mining machine, identify a plurality of collision zones, the plurality of collision zones including at least one immediate collision zone and at least one potential collision zone, receive a signal from a sensor indicating detection of the object in one of the plurality of collision zones, determine, based on the signal, whether the object is in the immediate collision zone or the potential collision zone, generate, in response to determining that the object is in the potential collision zone, a first indication, and generate, in response to determining that the object is in the immediate collision zone, a second indication different than the first indication.

The present invention discloses an intelligent detection and recognition system and method for a coal-rock interface of a mine. The intelligent detection and recognition system mainly includes an intelligent lifting support fastened to the top of a shearer, a non-contact radar antenna disposed at the top of the intelligent lifting support, and an operating terminal with which the radar antenna wirelessly conducts information transmission. In an operating state, a radiation direction of the radar antenna is perpendicular to the surface of a to-be-detected coal seam, and the operating terminal is configured to acquire radar data of the to-be-detected coal seam collected by the radar antenna, and draw and display a coal-rock horizon occurrence curve according to the radar data. The present invention can not only improve the detection accuracy, but also adapt to a working environment that suddenly changes on a fully mechanized mining face.

A cable handling system for a longwall mining machine is disclosed. The longwall mining machine includes a shearer configured to move along a pan line to mine material along a mine face. The cable handling system includes a service line configured to carry one or more supply lines to the shearer for facilitating shearer operation. Further, a plurality of interconnected trays accommodates the service line. Moreover, a controller is configured to determine a profile of the pan line; detect one or more parameters associated with the service line in relation to the profile of the pan line; and determine a likelihood of at least a portion of the service line dislodging from the plurality of interconnected trays based on the one or more parameters exceeding a predefined threshold.

Disclosed is an interference protection device and method for a hydraulic support and a cutting part of a shearer. The device includes: a plurality of dust-proof cases evenly and fixedly provided on a surface of one side of a hauling part of the shearer that faces away from a coal wall, and a dust-proof housing fixed on the hydraulic support. A first ultrasonic transducer and a flash lamp are fixedly provided in each dust-proof case, and a second ultrasonic transducer, a receiver, and a data processing module are fixedly provided in the dust-proof housing. The data processing module is electrically connected to the second ultrasonic transducer and the receiver separately, the first ultrasonic transducers and the flash lamps are all electrically connected to an external single-chip microcomputer, and the data processing module is electrically connected to a hydraulic support control computer. The present invention obtains a distance from the shearer to the hydraulic support by calculation from a difference between time points at which the second ultrasonic transducer and the receiver on the hydraulic support respectively receive an ultrasonic signal and an optical signal, and thus timely controls a guard plate to retract, thereby achieving the advantages of low cost, high applicability and high reliability.

A system for monitoring a condition of a pan line associated with a longwall mining system includes multiple pan segments arranged in a successive manner. Adjacently located pan segments are moveably coupled by an interconnecting joint. An underside of each pan segment defines an opening whose axis is parallel to a plane of the associated pan segment. The system also includes a fiber optic shape sensing system that has a fiber optic cable disposed along the multiple pan segments and located within the opening of each pan segment. A controller coupled to the fiber optic cable detects a shape of the fiber optic cable, identifies a position of each pan segment based on the detected shape of the fiber optic cable, and determines if a fault exists in the interconnecting joints between adjacently located pan segments based on the identified positions of respective ones of the adjacently located pan segments.

A longwall mining system including a longwall shearer having cutting drums. The cutting picks on the cutting drum are monitored for wear using imaging devices mounted to the longwall mining system. Methods for monitoring wear includes a controller receiving image data from an imaging device directed at a cutting drum of a shearer. The controller analyzes the image data to determine a wear level of a cutting pick on the cutting drum. The controller then determines the wear level exceeds a wear threshold and, in response, generates an alert indicating that the cutting pick is worn in response to determining that the wear level exceeds the wear threshold.