Numerical tests of roadheader’s boom vibrations

The work presents a dynamic model of a telescopic boom of a roadheader. The boom represents a load–carrying structure of cutting heads and of their drive system. Together with the cutting heads’ drive, it represents a cutting system of a roadheader performing the roadheader’s basic function, that is cutting the heading face. A physical model with a discrete structure was created for the purpose of analysing the vibrations accompanying the operation of a roadheader. Due to the design of the telescopic boom, three vibrating masses are distinguished in this model concentrated in the centre of gravity of rigid bodies representing: the fixed part of the boom, the extendable part (telescope) and a reduction gear (with transverse cutting heads mounted in the output shaft journals) fitted to the extendable part of the boom. It is a spatial model with 18 degrees of freedom. The mathematical model established was used in simulation tests the aim of which was to identify the value and sources of vibrations in the selected structural nodes of the boom during the performance of a working process. The excitation of vibrations is an effect of a computer simulation of the rock cutting process with transverse heads with the set stereometry. The article presents selected results of numerical tests using the established dynamic model.