Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.

Thomas J Frelich

Kyle David Hendricks

Robert K Iverson

Ronald Utterodt

Craig R Fausch

A compactor gathers GPS, orientation and wheel slip data to identify the location of a soft spot in a surface that is being compacted and to isolate the soft spot to a particular side of the compactor if the wheel slip data indicates that the soft spot is located beneath only one of the compactor wheels. The GPS, orientation and wheel slip data are displayed as location information to an operator and/or sent to a remote location to facilitate the fast and accurate repair of the soft spot.

Use of wheel slip to help identify soft spots

A compaction system includes a first frame; a second frame coupled to the first frame via an articulated joint; a first propulsion device operatively coupled to the first frame via a first propulsion motor, the first propulsion device being configured to propel the compaction system over a work surface in response to a power applied by the first propulsion motor; a compaction drum operatively coupled to the second frame, the compaction drum being configured to compact the work surface via rolling engagement with the work surface; a force sensor configured and arranged to generate a signal that is indicative of a propulsion force transmitted through the articulated joint; and a controller operatively coupled to the force sensor. The controller is configured to determine compaction performance of the compaction system against the work surface based at least in part on the signal from the force sensor.

Compaction system including articulated joint force measurement

A system for determining a state of compaction of a work material includes a roller having a vibration system. A controller is configured to determine the speed of the machine, determine an inclination of the machine, and determine an inclination power change based upon the inclination and the speed of the machine. The controller is also configured to determine the gross power loss resulting from the compaction operation, determine a vibration compensation factor based upon vibration characteristics of the vibration system, and determine the state of compaction of the work material based upon the inclination power change, the power loss, and the vibration compensation factor.

System and method for determining a state of compaction

A system and method for calibrating a compactor. The compactor may have a roller. The system may comprise a display and a controller. The controller may be configured to receive, when the roller rotates in a first direction, a first baseline compaction value, receive, when the roller rotates in a second direction, a second baseline compaction value, calculate an offset between the first and second baseline compaction values, receive a subsequent compaction value obtained while the roller is rotating in the second direction, adjust the subsequent compaction value by the offset difference, and display an adjusted subsequent compaction value on the display.

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Albertville, MN, United States of America

Thomas J Frelich