Abstract: A control system may be provided for a machine having a swivel chair, a positioning member attached to the swivel chair, a wrist attached to the positioning member, and a cutting head. The control system may include at least one actuator capable of extending and swinging the swivel chair. The control system may also include a lift actuator capable of pivoting the positioning member, a gear mechanism capable of rotating the wrist, and a controller in communication with the swivel chair actuator, the lift actuator, and the wrist actuator. The controller may be capable of determining an excavation pass having a trajectory made from sequential vector paths, and directing the swivel chair actuator, the lift actuator, and the wrist actuator to selectively move the cutting head such that a rotation axis of the cutting head follows the trajectory through each vector path of the excavation pass to form a structure.

Abstract: A control system may be provided for operating a machine having a rotary cutting head. The control system may include a wrist capable of rotating about a wrist axis, a gear mechanism capable of driving rotation of the wrist. A cutting head may be attached to the wrist and capable of rotating about a cutter axis that is substantially perpendicular to the wrist axis. The control system may also include primary and redundant angular sensors capable of generating signals indicative of angular orientations of the wrist. The control system may additionally include a controller, capable of controlling operation of the wrist and the cutting head, comparing an actual angular orientation of the wrist to a target angular orientation, as indicated by the primary and secondary signals, and selectively inhibiting the cutting head from operating when the actual angular orientation differs from the target angular orientation by an operation threshold.