A Study of the Effect of Adjustable Cutting Blade System Geometry on the Digging and Filling Process of a Scraper Bucket

This paper examines ways to improve the efficiency of the scraper’s operating process by refining the cutting system and bucket-filling technology. The objective of the study is to justify design and technological solutions that reduce digging resistance, ensure more uniform bucket filling, and increase technical productivity. The research included an analysis of existing cutting systems, the development of a combined design featuring two side cutting blades and a center adjustable cutting blade, the refinement of the calculation method for filling resistance, as well as laboratory and field experiments using physical models and a modernized DZ-77A scraper. It has been established that changing the geometry and cutting angles of the blades promotes the stepwise formation of chips and improves the distribution of soil in the bucket. Using the two-stage filling technology, the volume of soil collected increased by 17–19% depending on the soil type, and the technical productivity when excavating loam reached 67.97 m3/h compared to 58.32 m3/h using the traditional method, which corresponds to a 16.51% increase. The results obtained confirm the potential of improving the cutting system and the two-stage filling technology to increase the efficiency of scrapers.