Abstract: The working principle of shearer hydraulic valve controlled cylinder PID height adjustment system is provided. The simulation model is established based on AMESIM. Under the circumstances of the target value of height adjustment is unchanged and stage changed, PID parameters are optimized based on Genetic Algorithm and three groups of optimization values are obtained and gived. The optimization results as follows: when the target value of height adjustment is unchanged, the response speed of the piston displacement is improved after the optimization and the response timeis 0.39 s; When the target value of height adjustment is changed steply, the response speed of the piston displacement is also improved after the optimization and the response time is 0.15 s. It is further proved that this method can optimize PID parameters and is of guiding significance to the PID height adjustment system of the valve controlled hydraulic cylinder of the shearer.