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Abstract: In this paper, quantitative measures for the assessment of the hydraulic excavator digging efficiency are proposed and developed. The following factors are considered: (a) boundary digging forces allowed for by the stability of an excavator, (b) boundary digging forces enabled by the driving mechanisms of the excavator, (c) factors taking into consideration the digging position in the working range of an excavator, and (d) sign and direction of potential digging resistive force. A corrected digging force is defined and a mathematical model of kinematic chain and drive mechanisms of a five-member excavator configuration was developed comprising: an undercarriage, a rotational platform and an attachment with boom, stick, and bucket. On the basis of the mathematical model of the excavator, software was developed for computation and detailed analysis of the digging forces in the entire workspace of the excavator. By using the developed software, the analysis of boundary digging forces is conducted and the corrected digging force is determined for two models of hydraulic excavators of the same mass (around 17 000 kg) with identical kinematic chain parameters but with different parameters of manipulator driving mechanisms. The results of the analysis show that the proposed set of quantitative measures can be used for assessment of the digging efficiency of existing excavator models and to serve as an optimization criterion in the synthesis of manipulator driving mechanisms of new excavator models.

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