Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.

A wireless communication device includes a communication component configured to wirelessly communicate with a machine, one or more input components, and one or more processors. The one or more processors determine that the wireless communication device is paired to the machine and identify, based on determining that the wireless communication device is paired to the machine, a first layout configuration associated with the machine. The first layout configuration identifies a correspondence between a particular input component, of the one or more input components, and a particular support function of the machine. The one or more processors cause the first layout configuration to be applied to the one or more input components.

A system for determining a material compaction value associated with a compaction operation being performed by a compactor includes at least one accelerometer coupled to a drive motor of the compactor. The at least one accelerometer is configured to generate an input signal indicative of an acceleration of the drive motor. The system also includes a controller communicably coupled with the at least one accelerometer. The controller is configured to receive, from the at least one accelerometer, the input signal indicative of the acceleration of the drive motor. The controller is also configured to determine the material compaction value associated with the compaction operation based on the input signal indicative of the acceleration of the drive motor.

Systems and methods of optimizing electric motor shut off timing are disclosed. A system comprises a machine including an electric motor, at least one hardware processor, and at least one non-transitory memory. The electric motor is configured to automatically shut off after a first period of time. The at least one non-transitory memory stores instructions which, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the system to determine a pattern of values based on one or more parameters of the machine and/or one or more parameters of the electric motor, generate a second period of time based on the pattern of values, and automatically shut off the electric motor based on the second period of time. In some embodiments, the pattern of values is based on one or more parameters of a user profile associated with an operator of the machine.

A milling machine comprising includes a frame supported on at least one height-adjustable leg. A sensor is associated with the at least one leg and configured to obtain ground pressure information relating to a ground pressure generated by the at least one leg on a ground surface. The milling machine has a rotor chamber including a movable moldboard and a movable antislab. A controller is configured to determine, based on the ground pressure information, whether the ground pressure generated by the at least one leg is less than a predetermined value indicating a binding event. The controller is configured to automatically raise or pulse, based on the determination that the ground pressure generated by the at least one leg is less than a predetermined value, at least one of the moldboard and the antislab to relieve the binding event.

A milling machine includes a milling drum, an enclosure assembly, an actuator, and a controller. The milling drum is configured to be lowered into a surface. The enclosure assembly defines a volume to enclose the milling drum. The enclosure assembly includes a member configured to be raised and lowered with respect to the surface. The actuator moves the member between a lowered position and a raised position relative to the surface. The controller determines a first velocity of the milling drum during a lowering of the milling drum into the surface. Further, the controller issues an instruction to actuate the actuator such that the member is raised towards the raised position with a second velocity with respect to the surface during the lowering of the milling drum into the surface. A magnitude of the first velocity is equal to a magnitude of the second velocity.

Disclosed herein is a rotor control system for a rotary mixer including a set of extendable legs, a rotor having a set of extendable attachments, an operator control device, and a controller. The controller can generate control signals to cause return-to-cut operations to be performed. For example, in response to detecting a return-to-cut control command via the operator control device and while a return-to-cut control remains engaged, the mixer can be lifted, and in response to determining that the return-to-cut control is disengaged, the controller can determine a target rotor position and cause the set of extendable attachments to bring the rotor to the target rotor position. In some implementations, the controller can be further configured to cause automatic return-to-cut operations to be performed in response to an operator interaction with a small set of controls sufficient to case the operation to be automatically performed.

A screed plate for a paving mat includes: an elongated flat plate having a screed plate upper surface and a screed plate lower surface, the screed plate lower surface being in contact with the paving mat; a radiused corner forming a forward leading edge of the screed plate; and a trailing edge of the screed plate, the trailing edge being disposed opposite the forward leading edge; and a thermally conductive pad having a thermally conductive pad upper surface and a thermally conductive pad lower surface, the thermally conductive pad lower surface being disposed on the screed plate upper surface so as to facilitate heat transfer from the thermally conductive pad to the elongated flat plate. The elongated flat plate, radiused corner, forward leading edge, and trailing edge are made of a first material. The thermally conductive pad is made of a second material different than the first material.

A screed wear plate retention assembly for a screed assembly of a paver machine is disclosed. The screed wear plate retention assembly comprises a screed frame, a screed plate, a screed wear plate, and a biasing member such as a leaf spring. The screed plate is positioned on a bottom of the screed frame with a screed wear plate attached to the screed plate. The screed wear plate is configured to contact a pavement surface. The biasing member has a first end and a second end, whereby the first end is secured to the screed frame and second end is secured to the screed wear plate. The biasing member provides a retention force between the screed frame and the screed wear plate to retain the screed wear plate to the screed plate.

A soil compactor comprises a frame, a compaction drum rotatably mounted on the frame, a drive mechanism for rotating the compaction drum, a blade mounted to the frame to push or level loads, a first sensor configured to monitor operation of the blade, a controller configured to receive output of the first sensor, and an output system connected to the controller and configured to generate an output signal indicative of an operating state of the blade based on output of the first sensor. A soil compactor comprises a frame, a compaction drum rotatably mounted on the frame, a drive mechanism for rotating the compaction drum, a plurality of isolation mounts connecting the drive mechanism to the compaction drum, a monitoring system configured to monitor wear on the plurality of isolation mounts, and an output system configured to generate an output signal related to usage of the plurality of isolation mounts.

An electric propulsion system for a paver machine is disclosed. The system includes a battery and a plurality of electric motors connected to an inverter and powered by an electrical current injection from the battery. A plurality of wheels are propelled by the plurality of electric motors. A control unit employs a traction control operation which commands a second current injection into the plurality of electric motors, compares an actual speed to a maximum speed threshold of the plurality of electric motors, determine instances of slippage based on the actual speed and the maximum speed threshold, and modulates, upon instances of slippage, the first current to the plurality of electric motors from the inverter to change the actual speed and implement a traction control.