RESEARCH PAPER
Analysis of Mechanical Characteristics and Structural Optimization of Continuous Mining Machine Track Based on Two-Way Coupling
1
School of Mechanical Engineering, Liaoning Technical University, China
2
State Key Lab of mining machinery engineering of coal industry, China
3
CCTEG Taiyuan Research Institute, China
4
Ningxia Polytechnic, China
Submission date: 2025-09-12
Final revision date: 2025-09-26
Acceptance date: 2026-02-14
Online publication date: 2026-02-23
Corresponding author
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
During the cutting process of continuous miners, track plates are prone to deformation and damage, adversely affecting operational reliability and production efficiency. This study focuses on the EML340 continuous miner and establishes a simulation model based on the Discrete Element Method–Multi-Flexible Body Dynamics (DEM-MFBD) bidirectional coupling technology. Simulation results indicate that the load is mainly concentrated on the tight side of the track, with increasing intensity near the drive sprocket. The original track plate exhibits a maximum equivalent stress of 758.2 MPa and a safety factor of only 1.22. To address this issue, a multi-objective genetic algorithm implemented on the ISIGHT platform was employed to optimize the track plate structure, aiming to reduce weight and improve the safety factor. The optimized track plate weighs 25.42 kg, achieving a 9.2% reduction in weight compared to the original design, while the safety factor increases from 1.22 to 1.43. Industrial tests demonstrate that the optimized track plate operates without failure during service.
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| eISSN: | 2956-3860 |
| ISSN: | 1507-2711 |
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