A system for controlling the operation of an industrial machine during crowd runaway conditions. The system includes a controller that monitors and compares an actual crowd system state (e.g., an actual dipper position) with a requested crowd system state (e.g., a requested dipper position from the operator). If the controller determines that the crowd system is behaving contrary to requested crowd system behavior, the controller adjusts a crowd parameter, such as a crowd motor torque, to resolve the runaway condition.

An industrial machine that includes a dipper, a hoist drum, a wire rope connected between the hoist drum and the dipper, a hoist motor, a sensor, and a controller. The sensor generates a signal related to a number of wire wraps of the wire rope around the hoist drum, which is received by the controller. The controller determines, based on the signal from the sensor, the number of wire wraps around the hoist drum. If the controller determines that there are an insufficient number of dead wraps around the hoist drum, the controller sets one or more parameters of the hoist motor. The controller sets each of the one or more parameters of the hoist motor to a value that is lower than a normal operational value for the parameter.

A mining machine such as a mining shovel includes a digging assembly having an upward extending boom and a dipper assembly generally horizontally supported by the boom and configured to crowd toward and retract from a vertical bank at a mine site. To determine if the dipper assembly strikes the bank, an electronic controller can calculate a calculated crowd force based in part on a crowd motor torque associated with a crowd motor, a crowd speed of the dipper assembly, and an inertia parameter. If the calculated crowd force exceeds a predetermined first crowd threshold, the electronic controller can register an impact event. In further aspects, the electronic controller can execute a force modification function to modify the crowding forces and a speed reduction function to reduce the crowd speed.

A controller that includes a memory and an electronic processor. The electronic processor receives a first signal and a second signal. The electronic processor determines a retract torque limit based on the first signal and the second signal. The electronic processor sets a retract torque parameter of a crowd motor to the retract torque limit that has been determined. The electronic processor operates the crowd motor at or below the retract torque parameter.

A mining machine including a power monitor, a sensor, and a monitoring module. The power monitor is configured to measure a received power, and generate a total power consumption data based on the received power. The sensor senses payload of the mining machine to generate payload data. The monitoring module includes non-transitory computer readable media for comparing the total power consumption data and the payload data to generate mining machine efficiency data, determining an operator performance comparing the mining machine efficiency data and the operator performance, determining, based on the comparison of the mining machine efficiency data and the operator performance, at least one selected from the group consisting of a bank difficulty and a bank digability, and outputting the at least one selected from the group consisting of the bank difficulty and the bank digability.

A mining shovel including a base, a boom, a first member moveably coupled to the boom, a bucket, and a pivot actuator. The base includes a hoist drum for paying out and reeling in a hoist rope. The boom includes a first end coupled to the base and a second end opposite the first end. The hoist rope extends over the second end of the boom. The first member includes a first end and a second end. The bucket is pivotably coupled to the second end of the first member. The pivot actuator moves the bucket relative to the second end of the first member, and the pivot actuator includes a first end coupled to the first member.

A power shovel including a tool for lifting, a machine house, a hoist drum, hoist drum machinery and an auxiliary weight box having a perimeter, the hoist drum and hoist drum machinery being at least partially disposed within the perimeter of the auxiliary weight box and the hoist drum being disposed outside of the machine house.

An industrial machine that includes a dipper, a dipper handle, a boom, a crowd motor, a hoist motor, a swing motor, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The first sensor generates a first signal related to a dipper handle angle and the second sensor generates a second signal related to a hoist rope angle. The first signal and the second signal are received by the controller. The controller determines, based on the first and second signals, a retract torque value. The retract torque value is compared to a retract torque threshold values. If the retract torque value is greater or equal to the threshold value, the retract torque of the crowd motor is set to a maximum value. If the retract torque is less than the threshold value, the retract torque of the crowd motor is set to a default value.

A mining machine comprising a power monitor sensing power consumption of the mining machine during a select time period to generate power consumption data; a sensor sensing payload of the mining machine during the select time period to generate payload data; and a monitoring module. The monitoring module including computer readable media for comparing the power consumption data and the payload data to generate shovel efficiency data, and outputting the shovel efficiency data.

A mining machine such as a mining shovel includes a digging assembly having an upward extending boom and a dipper assembly generally horizontally supported by the boom and configured to crowd toward and retract from a vertical bank at a mine site. To determine if the dipper assembly strikes the bank, an electronic controller can calculate a calculated crowd force based in part on a crowd motor torque associated with a crowd motor, a crowd speed of the dipper assembly, and an inertia parameter. If the calculated crowd force exceeds a predetermined first crowd threshold, the electronic controller can register an impact event. In further aspects, the electronic controller can execute a force modification function to modify the crowding forces and a speed reduction function to reduce the crowd speed.