Excavator Design with Simscape

Design an excavator. Define pin locations, calculate BOF and TOF, produce load charts, and simulate dig cycles.
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Updated 18 Aug 2024
Excavator Design with Simscape
This example models an excavator with hydraulic actuation of the swing motor and cylinders for the boom, stick and bucket. A MATLAB App enables you to explore the mechanical and hydraulic design space to calculate digging and lifting forces according to international standards.
  • Pin locations can be adjusted in Excel or in the app.
  • Digging forces (BOF/TOF) are calculated according to ISO 6015:2016.
  • Pin loads are calculated for BOF, TOF, and lift capacity tests.
  • Load charts are determined at a range of arm positions.
  • Relief pressure thresholds can be analyzed for each function and the pumps.
  • Hydraulic regeneration valves are modeled to evaluate efficiency.
  • Dig cycle time and efficiency are determined in dynamic simulation.
  • Realistic soil loads are applied to the bucket using Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) software.
Use the "Download" button above to get files compatible with the latest release of MATLAB.
Use the links below to get files compatible with earlier releases of MATLAB.
Open the project file Excavator.prj to get started.
Excavator Dig Cycle Animation Clip
BOF TOF Calculation, Design Solution App
BOF Calculation, Pressures and Forces
Load Chart, Design Solution App
Excavator Model
Excavator Model, Mechanical System
Excavator Model, Valve Block
Excavator Model, Soil Loads with ThreeParticle/CAE™
An example combining Simscape and ThreeParticle/CAE™ in cosimulation for realistic soil loads on the bucket is provided on GitHub. To obtain it, you can download this entire submission directly from GitHub. Note that these examples will only work on a Windows 64-bit machine.
To learn more about modeling and cosimulation with ThreeParticle/CAE™ please visit
To learn more about modeling and simulation with Simscape, please visit:
Product Capabilities:

Cite As

Steve Miller (2024). Excavator Design with Simscape (https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/24.1.51.6), GitHub. Retrieved .

MATLAB Release Compatibility
Created with R2023b
Compatible with R2022a to R2023b
Platform Compatibility
Windows macOS Linux
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Models/BOF_TOF

Models/BOF_TOF/Pin_Locations

Models/BOF_TOF/Pin_Locations/Extrusions

Models/Complete

Models/Cosim/B3D_Bucket/Overview/html

Models/Examples

Models/Overview/html

Scripts_Data

Scripts_Data/Overview

Scripts_Data/UI

Version Published Release Notes
24.1.51.6

See release notes for this release on GitHub: https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/24.1.51.6

24.1.1.6

See release notes for this release on GitHub: https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/24.1.1.6
See release notes for this release on GitHub: https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/24.1.1.6

23.2.51.6

See release notes for this release on GitHub: https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/23.2.51.6

23.2.1.6

See release notes for this release on GitHub: https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/23.2.1.6

23.1.51.5

See release notes for this release on GitHub: https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/23.1.51.5

23.1.1.5

See release notes for this release on GitHub: https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/23.1.1.5
See release notes for this release on GitHub: https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/23.1.1.5

22.2.51.5

See release notes for this release on GitHub: https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/22.2.51.5

22.2.1.5

See release notes for this release on GitHub: https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/22.2.1.5
See release notes for this release on GitHub: https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/22.2.1.5

22.1.1.0

See release notes for this release on GitHub: https://github.com/simscape/Excavator-Simscape/releases/tag/22.1.1.0

To view or report issues in this GitHub add-on, visit the GitHub Repository.
To view or report issues in this GitHub add-on, visit the GitHub Repository.