Drive system design and error analysis of the 6 degrees of freedom segment erector of shield tunneling machine

Focusing on a segment erector of a shield-tunneling machine developed with 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) and controlled by electro-hydraulic proportional systems, the kinematics of the segment erection process is presented. The perturbation method in the error analysis is introduced to establish the position and attitude error model, considering a number of factors such as the hydraulic drive, control accuracy, and tolerance in manufacturing and assembly. Dynamic simulations are carried out to obtain the controlling precision of electrohydraulic drive systems. Formulas for calculating the position and attitude error of the grip hand of the segment erector are derived. The calculation results verify the practicality and effectiveness of the error analysis, providing a foundation for practical designing, manufacturing, and assembling of the segment of the erecting mechanism.