Surface delamination detection / correction

Abstract

A milling machine can include a frame; a cutting rotor coupled to the frame, the cutting rotor configured to be lowered a selected distance into a first surface to define a depth of cut, the cutting rotor forming a cut surface; a sensor positioned to collect information regarding a quality of the cut surface behind the milling machine; and a controller coupled to the sensor to receive the information and configured to initiate an action to change the depth of cut in view of the information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A milling machine comprising:
 a frame;   a cutting rotor coupled to the frame, the cutting rotor configured to be lowered a selected distance into a first surface to define a depth of cut, the cutting rotor forming a cut surface;   a sensor positioned to collect information regarding a quality of the cut surface behind the milling machine; and   a controller coupled to the sensor to receive the information and configured to initiate an action to change the depth of cut in view of the information.   
     
     
         2 . The milling machine of  claim 1 , wherein if the controller determines from the information regarding the quality of the cut surface that the depth of cut should be deeper into the first surface, the controller automatically adjusts the depth of cut. 
     
     
         3 . The milling machine of  claim 1 , wherein if the controller determines from the information regarding the quality of the cut surface that the depth of cut should be deeper into the first surface, the controller delivers a warning message to an operator to lower the cutting rotor. 
     
     
         4 . The milling machine of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a camera. 
     
     
         5 . The milling machine of  claim 1 , wherein sensor includes a laser distance sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The milling machine of  claim 1 , wherein the information regarding the quality of the cut surface behind the milling machine includes one or more parameters that indicate that delamination has occurred. 
     
     
         7 . The milling machine of  claim 6 , wherein the information regarding the quality of the cut surface behind the milling machine includes the cut surface having more than one depth such that the cut surface is not planar. 
     
     
         8 . The milling machine of  claim 7 , wherein a portion of the cut surface has a depth as determined by the depth of cut and another portion of the cut surface has a deeper depth indicating delamination. 
     
     
         9 . The milling machine of  claim 1 , wherein the controller has a predetermined maximum depth of cut. 
     
     
         10 . The milling machine of  claim 1 , wherein the milling machine is a cold planer. 
     
     
         11 . A system for controlling a milling machine comprising:
 a sensor positioned to collect information regarding a quality of a cut surface behind the milling machine after the milling machine has cut a first surface using a cutting rotor; and   a controller coupled to the sensor to receive the information and configured to initiate an action to change a depth of cut of the cutting rotor in view of the information.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein if the controller determines from the information regarding the quality of the cut surface behind the milling machine that the depth of cut should be deeper into the first surface, the controller automatically adjusts the depth of cut. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein if the controller determines from the information regarding the quality of the cut surface behind the milling machine that the depth of cut should be deeper into the first surface, the controller delivers a warning message to an operator to lower the cutting rotor. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor includes a camera. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein sensor includes a laser distance sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the information regarding the quality of the cut surface behind the milling machine includes one or more parameters that indicate that delamination has occurred. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the information regarding the quality of the cut surface behind the milling machine includes the cut surface having more than one depth such that the cut surface is not planar. 
     
     
         18 . A method of controlling a milling machine, the method comprising:
 lowering a cutting rotor of the milling machine to a selected depth of cut into a first surface;   forming a cut surface in the first surface with the cutting rotor;   determining a quality of the cut surface behind the milling machine; and   a controller receiving the quality of the cut surface and initiating an action to change the depth of cut in view of the quality of the cut surface.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein determining the quality includes using a sensor to analyze the cut surface behind the cutting machine to determine if delamination is occurring. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein initiating an action can include automatically changing the depth of cut or warning an operator of the milling machine.