202 Mobile 2006 Development-Accompanying Simulation Bosch Rexroth AG Bosch Rexroth AG Development-Accompanying Simulation Mobile 2006 203

Costs Development-Accompanying
The development-accompanying simulation is a highly suitable tool for
reducing commissioning times and costs. Simulation as a Tool for
Reducing Time to Market
Function
Since all physical variables are available in the simulation, the lay-
The increased demands on time to market have distinctly shaped the de-
out and optimization of components can be function-oriented and
velopment process in recent years. The simultaneous engineering that
objective-focused.
accompanies it has lead to a wider use of simulation, even in only the preli-
minary stages of development. This article describes the use of simulation
at , using as an example the simultaneous development of the new mobile
control block M9-25 for crawler excavators. A simulation model of the end
product and of the major hydraulic functions were reproduced to accompa-
ny the assembly of a prototype made of steel and iron. Weak points in the
system could therefore be identified and rectified at an early stage even be-
fore the trial of the first prototype was carried out. The refinement that was
still necessary during the commissioning at the customer was reduced to a
minimum.

Edwin Heemskerk
Lohr (D)
204 Mobile 2006 Development-Accompanying Simulation Bosch Rexroth AG

1 Changes in the develop-

ment process
Until a few years ago, the development
process was predominantly sequential.
Construction would follow the static
dimensioning of the drive. A pro-
totype would then enable the initial
measurements to be carried out. A few
iterations would often be followed by
the next prototype on which measure-
ments would be carried out again.
While this process did produce good
results, it was very time-intensive.
In response to the demand to reduce
the time to market of the products
and thus development times, simul-
taneous engineering has gained ever
more acceptance over the last few
years. Concurrent to development
work, a simulation model of the ma-
jor functions of the hydraulics is build
up at the same time as construction.
A model such as this makes it pos-
sible to identify and eliminate system
faults even at this early stage. The
initial layouts of machine adaption
are consequently realized with greater
precision, which in turn significantly
reduces commissioning times and
therefore costs.
Fig. 1: 3D view of the M9-25 control block.
2 M9-25 development as load dependency of flow distribution
in the parallel movement is a particu-
an example of the suc-
lar challenge for system tuning.
cesses of simulation
Additional information on the M9-25
2.1 Introduction into M9-25 control block available in the special-
design ist article regarding Excavators >10t.
The primary purpose of the new mo-
bil control block M9-25 (Fig. 1) is to
to control the standard functions in
crawler and wheeled excavators in a
dual-circuit positive control hydrau-
lic system. This includes boom, arm,
bucket, travel, slew drive and an op-
tion. The individual valve axes are de-
signed in accordance with the 6/3-way
principle (Fig. 2). The boom and arm
axes are also equipped with integrated
summation. It was of particular im-
portance to make it possible for the
driver to always be capable of master-
ing the multitude of possible parallel
movements of the hydraulic excavator
easily, comfortably and without high
levels of concentration. Thereby the Fig. 2: 6/3-way principle circuit diagram.
Bosch Rexroth AG Development-Accompanying Simulation Mobile 2006 205

2.2 The use of simulation in the

development and application of bucket
the M9-25 control block

Hydraulic circuit simulation

At the beginning of the project, a
simulation was carried out with low
model detail. Only those elements rel-
evant to the logic were modeled, e.g.
control edges, check valves or pressure
valves. In this phase there was neither
need for capacities or resistances nor
for a complicated load situation.
The main purpose of this model was
to check the combinational logic. In
this way, it was possible to meaning-
fully reproduce the interaction of
the summation spools as well as the
function of the straight-travel valve
and the cut valves. It was possible to
identify and rectify minor faults much
sooner in development than would
have otherwise been the case.

Refinement of the M9 model

Measurements from the first casting
of the M9 control block resulted in a
further refinement of the simulation Fig. 3: Section of the simulation model for the M9-25.
model. However, only those elements
necessary for the layout of the con-
trol block were modeled, e.g. housing system behavior. Figure 3 shows a sec-
resistances or the exact pressure/flow tion of the simulation model.
characteristic curves of the tank
valves. Left out of consideration were
all phenomena that, while important
to the operation of the control block
itself (e.g. leakage or hysteresis), are
of lesser significance to the actual lay-
out and customization of the control
block for suitability on a customer
machine. The prerequisites for this
are the know-how and, above all, the
experience of the engineers concern-
ing the influence of various factors on
206 Mobile 2006 Development-Accompanying Simulation Bosch Rexroth AG

Expansion of the simulation model

with system components
The next stage in the development of
the M9-25 simulation model was the
addition of system components. A
pre-existing pump model developed
on the same simulation platform was
incorporated smoothly and time-ef-
ficiently.
A modeling of the power controller
was omitted for the time being, as was
the modeling of a complex diesel en-
gine. In this phase, a static model with
no performance limit was sufficient
instead.
To reproduce application conditions
as near to real life as possible, the stick
boom Idler
simulation model was expanded with Link
a kinematics model for the boom, arm
and bucket (Fig. 4). Modeling based Power
Link
on the geometric basic data (lengths
upper structure
of the equipment and positions of the
bucket
articulation points), the masses of the
individual equipment components
(including center of gravity) and the
associated moments of inertia already
produced good results. The data re-
quired for this was provided by the Fig. 4: Kinematics model for the excavator.
customer.
The piping was reproduced as a
simple line. Also the modeling of the
ground-crawler contact was not nec-
essary at this initial stage.
Bosch Rexroth AG Development-Accompanying Simulation Mobile 2006 207

Initial layout Pump pressure comparison

This model was used to dimension the 400
pump 1 measurement
control block parameters for the first 350
pump 2 measurement
300 pump 1 simulation

pump pressure in bar

customer machine. Difficulty arose pump 2 simulation
250
from the definition of the quality 200
criteria because the assessment is nor- 150

mally carried out subjectively by the 100

test driver. For this reason, measured 50

values from equipment already in use 0

0 2 4 6 8 10
in the field were defined as reference time in s

values for the individual axes. The Pump flow comparison

intensive cooperation of the simula- 300

pump 1 measurement
tion and commissioning departments 250
pump 2 measurement
eased the analysis of the measured 200
pump 1 simulation
pump 2 simulation
flow in l/min

values and the transfer of the findings

150
to the new positive control system.
100

These activities resulted in a highly 50

satisfactory initial layout of the crawl-

0
er excavator. The simulated values 0 2 4 6 8 10
time in s
were to a large extent consistent with
Fig. 5: Comparison between simulation and measurement 1.
the values measured on the customer
machine (Fig. 5 and 6). This con-
firmed the assumptions and simplifi-
cations identified in the preliminary Cylinder pressure comparison
100
stages as correct and target-oriented.
80
cylinder pressure in bar

Further layouts 60

Further layouts based on this model

40
followed in the next phase. As a conse-
boom bottom measurement
quence, the total commissioning time 20 stick bottom measurement
boom bottom simulation
was significantly reduced in compari- 0
stick bottom simulation

son to the previously used sequential 0 2 4 6 8 10

time in s
method. This time was reduced by ap-
Cylinder speed comparison
proximately 20 to 50 percent, depend-
500
ing on the customer requirement and stick measurement
boom measurement
the focal point of the commissioning 400
stick simulation
boom simulation
velocity in mm/s

process. 300

200

100

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
time in s

Fig. 6: Comparison between simulation and measurement 2.

208 Mobile 2006 Development-Accompanying Simulation Bosch Rexroth AG

Future model advancements

In the simulations above, the focal
point of analyses was on the three
translatory consumers (boom, arm
and bucket) and their interaction. The
consumers on each of the drive axes
and the slew drive were previously of
secondary importance. This proved
itself worthwhile for the layout of
the travel and slew drive spools. With
these models, however, it is difficult to
reproduce the interaction during the
load cycle. The further development
of the slew drive model to incorporate
inertias will increase the meaningful-
ness of future simulations.

3 Conclusion
The example of the M9-25 control
block illustrated here demonstrates
that the development-accompanying
simulation is a highly suitable tool
for reducing development and com-
missioning times and thus the ever
more important time to market. Less
expensive and time-consuming com-
missioning processes also have the
effect of reducing energy costs, for the
customer as well as for Rexroth.
Since all physical variables are avail-
able in simulation whereas with
measurements only certain ones can
be measured this tool can be used
to identify and with precision rec-
tify weak points of the system much
sooner in the development process. It
is therefore to be assumed that simu-
lation will more and more become a
standard instrument in development.
Bosch Rexroth AG Development-Accompanying Simulation Mobile 2006 209