In this context, Hi-Cloud combined with the technology advantages of its own products, has launched an unmanned automatic stacker-reclaimer scheme based on three-dimensional laser technology.

　　II. Solution

　　i. Overall integration scheme

　　By installing corresponding sensor equipment on the existing stacker-reclaimer, such as 3D laser scanner, POS(Position and Orientation system), this scheme realizes the real-time acquisition of stacking data in the stockyard, completes the real-time update of 3D data in the material inventory and operation process, and the 3D display function of the stockyard. Through the docking and integration with the on-site controller information of the stacker-reclaimer, it enables the automation of raw material entry, exit, coal blending and ore blending, the unmanned automatic stacking and reclaiming operation in the whole process, and realizes the real-time dynamic fine management of the actual data of the stockyard.

　　1. Installation and integration of the 3D laser scanner

　　A laser scanner is installed at the cantilever head of each stacker-reclaimer. The installation position is located on both sides of the cantilever head grab bucket of the stacker-reclaimer and the scanner is installed in a fixed way.

　　The relative stroke position, boom rotation angle, boom pitch angle and grab lower edge position information of the stacker-reclaimer are provided by POS.

Integration effect of 3D laser scanner for unmanned automatic stacker-reclaimer

　　2. Equipment integration calibration scheme

　　Calibrate the initial parameters of the stockyard coordinate system in the working area of the stacker-reclaimer, and determine the initial values of the relative position and orientation between the equipment through tape measurement and RTK.

　　3. Network communication and transmission scheme

　　Connect to the field data acquisition terminal through Ethernet. The data acquisition terminal communicates with the field PLC by Ethernet.

Dynamic data overlay rendering

　　ii. Overall workflow

Overall workflow

　　1.During the automatic scanning operation of stacker-reclaimer, the scanning area within the set range of the head is scanned in real time through the 3D laser scanner to complete the real-time scanning of the 3D contour of the stockyard at the head of stacker-reclaimer, and the 3D laser scanning is sent to the control system of unmanned stacker-reclaimer in real time.

　　2.The denoising of the scanned stacking data and the construction of the grid model can be done automatically by the data processing terminal.

Real time display of 3D data of stockyard

　　3.Through the 3D data of the material pile, the length of the material layer, the height of the material pile, the position of the picking cut-in point, the cycle angle range, etc. are calculated in real time, the operation plan and operation mode are generated, and the calculation results are directly feedback to the program control system for automatic control.

　　4.After receiving the automatic stacking and reclaiming command of the dispatching system and calculating the output cut-in point position and other parameters, the PLC of the stacker-reclaimer automatically enters the stacking and reclaiming address to realize the automatic stacking and reclaiming function.

Real time control display of stockyard and stacker-reclaimer

　　iii. Equipment list

　　Since the unmanned automatic stacker- reclaimer works in a harsh open-air environment for a long time, the selection of 3D laser scanner in this scheme is HS300X industrial-grade 3D laser scanner independently developed by Hi-Cloud.

HS300XIndustrial 3D laser scanner

　　Range：1.5m-300m

　　PRR：300kHz

　　FoV：Vertical100°(-40°～+60°);Horizontal 360°

　　Angle Resolution：0.002°

　　Temperature Range：Operation Temperature-10℃～45℃;

　　Storage Temperature-20℃～50℃

　　Humidity：non condensing

　　Production：waterproof and dustproof

　　III. Project case

　　In 2017, Wuhan Hi-Cloud Technology Co., Ltd. cooperated with an industry system integrator in the 3D data scanning system integration sub project of the unmanned stacker-reclaimer project, which contributed to the successful development and operation of the unattended system of the stacker-reclaimer, improved the automation degree of the existing bulk cargo yard, reduced the labor intensity of the operator, and improved the operation efficiency and site utilization.

3D laser scanner equipment installation

Topographic data result of stockyard

Point cloud accuracy verification table

Real time material strip point cloud

Real time material strip DEM rendering