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An excavator attached to a rotary working device is used principally in industrial work. In particular, they are used in
the building industry and public works. This research concerns the rotary automatic control of an excavator attached to a
rotary working device. The drilling excavator is used in the crushed stone industry and the dragline excavation system is
employed in the construction industry. Cases of the excavator's use in agriculture have been the subject of a relatively
few studies. However, several modified excavator designs have been released in recent years.
Applied excavator products are primarily utilized under relatively severe environmental conditions. In this study, we
focus on the uses of an excavator in agricultural work. The readjustment of arable land and the reduction of weeds in
agricultural applications both require skilled hand-operation of the machines. As such workers have been shown to
develop problems with regard to working posture and proper positioning while laboring, a more appropriate excavator
design may prove useful in such applications.
Therefore, this pilot study is focused primarily on the rotary automatic control of an excavator attached to a rotary
working device, and will adapt smart materials to the excavator applications for developing redesigned excavator having
a light weight. The excavator is attached to a rotary working device on a normal excavator's platform, and the position
and orientation of the mechanism between the joints and the rotary working device was determined. Simulations were
also conducted of the excavator attached to the rotary working device. With an eye toward the use of this mechanism in
agricultural work, we also conducted a set of kinematic analyses. The rotary working device was assumed to have 3
DOF, and was comprised of 5 links. Computer simulations were also conducted using the developed excavator model.
In order to adequately evaluate the possible performance of such a system, kinetic analysis, simulation with a soil model,
FEM analysis with structural strength analysis, and changes to the smart materials with high rigidity will be required in
the future. In addition, experiment and analysis of a prototype, durability experiments, and analyses utilizing S-N curves
will be necessary, as well further research into the overall reliability of such a product.
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