A systematic approach is developed for determining a control input for the point-to-point control of an overhead crane that exhibits temporal variation of rope length in addition to damping and nonlinearity, without inducing residual vibration. Complete suppression of the residual vibration is achieved by eliminating the natural frequency component of the cargo from the apparent external force, which is defined to include the effects of damping, nonlinearity, and parameter variation. Furthermore, an effective technique previously proposed by the authors for improving robustness to the modeling error of the natural frequency is extended. Numerical simulation results show that, even when cargo is hoisted up or down during operation, the proposed method realizes accurate positioning of the cargo without inducing residual vibration and sufficiently improves robustness. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first frequency-domain robust open-loop control strategy that ensures a theoretical zero amplitude for residual vibration in the absence of modeling error in nonlinear crane hoisting operation. The developed method is not only a contribution to the realization of low-cost and efficient crane hoisting operation, but is also applicable to the control of other nonlinear damped systems that include time-varying parameters.

When cranes lift payloads off the ground, the payload may slide sideways or swing unexpectedly. This motion occurs when the payload is not directly beneath the overhead suspension point of the hoist cable. Given that cable suspension points can be hundreds of feet above the payload, it is difficult for crane operators to know if the hoist cable is vertical before lifting the payload off the ground. If an off-center lift creates substantial horizontal motion, then it can create significant hazards for the operators, the payload, and the surrounding environment. This paper develops a three-dimensional dynamic model that predicts motions of off-centered lifts.

In this paper, a novel direct adaptive fuzzy moving sliding mode proportional integral (PI) tracking control of a three-dimensional (3D) overhead crane which is modeled by five highly nonlinear second-order ordinary differential equations is proposed. The fast and robust position regulation and antiswing control can be achieved based on the proposed approach. Due to universal approximation theorem, fuzzy control provides nonlinear controller, i.e., fuzzy logic controllers, to perform the unknown nonlinear control actions. Simultaneously, in order to achieve fast and robust regulation and to enhance robustness in the presence of disturbance and parameter variations, moving sliding mode control (SMC) is introduced to tradeoff between reaching phase and sliding phase. Hence, the sliding surface is moved by changing the magnitude of the slope by adaptive law and varying the intercept by tuning algorithm. Simulations performed using a scaled 3D mathematical model of the crane confirm that the proposed control scheme can keep the horizontal position of the payload invariable and suppress the swing of the payload effectively during the hoisting or lowing process.

A five degrees-of-freedom overhead crane system affected by external perturbations is the topic of study. Existing methods just handle the unperturbed case or, in addition, the analysis is limited to three or two degrees-of-freedom. A wide range of processes cannot be restricted to these scenarios and this paper goes a step forward proposing a control solution for a five degrees-of-freedom system under the presence of matched and unmatched disturbances. The contribution includes a model description and a second-order sliding mode (SOSM) control design ensuring the precise trajectory tracking for the actuated variables and at the same time the regulation of the unactuated variables. Furthermore, the proposed approach is supported by the design of strong Lyapunov functions providing an estimation of the convergence time. Simulations and experiments, including a comparison with a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller, verified the advantages of the methodology.

Traditionally, multimode input shaping controllers are tuned to systems' frequencies. This work suggests an alternative approach. A frequency-modulation (FM) input shaping technique is developed to tune the resonant frequencies of a system to a set of frequencies that can be eliminated by a single-mode primary input shaper. Most of the current input shaping techniques can be used as primary input shapers for the FM input shaping technique. Virtual feedback is used to modulate the closed-loop frequencies of a simulated double-pendulum model of an overhead crane to the point where the closed-loop second mode frequency becomes an odd-multiple of the closed-loop first mode frequency, which is the necessary condition for a satisfactory performance of most single-mode input shapers. The primary input shaper is based on the first mode frequency of the closed-loop system model. The input commands to the plant of the virtual feedback system are then used to drive the physical double-pendulum. Simulations results, using primary zero-vibration (ZV) and zero-vibration-derivative (ZVD) input shapers, are presented. The performance is validated experimentally on a scaled model of a double-pendulum overhead crane.

This paper considers solution strategies for “dynamical inverse problems,” where the main goal is to determine the excitation of a dynamical system, such that some output variables, which are derived from the system’s state variables, coincide with desired time functions. The paper demonstrates how such problems can be restated as optimal control problems and presents a numerical solution approach based on the method of steepest descent. First, a performance measure is introduced, which characterizes the deviation of the output variables from the desired values, and which is minimized by the solution of the inverse problem. Second, we show, how the gradient of this error functional can be computed efficiently by applying the theory of optimal control, in particular by following an idea of Kelley and Bryson. As the major contribution of this paper we present a modification of this method which allows the application to the case where the state equations are given by a set of differential algebraic equations. This situation has great practical importance since multibody systems are mostly described in this way. For comparison, we also discuss an approach which bases an a direct transcription of the optimal control problem. Moreover, other methods to solve dynamical inverse problems are summarized.

This paper presents a method for using reset control as an alternative way of obtaining dissipation for a class of port-Hamiltonian systems. One advantage of this approach is the simplicity of its implementation, which requires only a velocity observer. Another advantage is its robustness to modeling uncertainties, since it can be calculated independently of the plant structure. A gantry crane is selected as case study, yielding simulation and experimental results that show the good performance of this technique.

Input shaping accomplishes vibration reduction by slightly increasing the acceleration and deceleration periods of the command. The increase in the deceleration period can lead to system overshoot. This paper presents a new class of reduced-overtravel input shapers that are designed to reduce shaper-induced overtravel from human-operator commands. During the development of these new shapers, an expression for shaper-induced overtravel is introduced. This expression is used as an additional constraint in the input-shaper design process to generate the reduced-overtravel shapers. Experiments from a portable bridge crane verify the theoretical predictions of improved performance. Results from a study of eight industrial bridge crane operators indicate that utilizing the new reduced-overtravel input shapers dramatically reduces task completion time, while also improving positioning accuracy.

The large-amplitude and lightly-damped oscillation of crane payloads is detrimental to safe and efficient operation. The problem is further complicated when the payload creates a double-pendulum effect. Previous researches have shown that single-mode oscillations can be greatly reduced by properly shaping the inputs to the crane motors. This paper builds on previous developments by thoroughly describing the double-pendulum dynamic effects as a function of payload parameters and the crane configuration. Furthermore, an input-shaping control method is developed to suppress double-pendulum oscillations created by a payload with distributed-mass properties. Experiments performed on a 10-ton industrial bridge crane verify the effectiveness of the method. A critical aspect of the testing was human operator studies, wherein numerous operators utilized the input-shaping controller to perform manipulation tasks. The performance improvements provided by the input-shaping controller, as well as operator learning effects, are reported.

Input shaping is a filtering method used for reducing oscillation in flexible systems. A class of these filters, called negative input shapers, has been developed to improve system rise-time beyond what is achievable using conventional input-shaping filters. However, negative input shapers can cause overcurrenting and subsequent system oscillation, when used with certain reference commands. This class of reference commands is examined in the context of the command space. The command space represents the space of all possible signals that may be issued to a system. It provides insight into how overcurrenting occurs, how overcurrenting can be mitigated, and the influence that mitigation strategies have on system performance. Two overcurrenting mitigation strategies are presented. The operational effects of overcurrenting and overcurrenting mitigation are evaluated using a three-dimensional simulation of a bridge crane, and experimental results from a 10 ton industrial bridge crane.

Large amplitude oscillation of crane payloads is detrimental to safe and efficient operation. Under certain conditions, the problem is compounded when the payload creates a double-pendulum effect. Most crane control research to date has focused on single-pendulum dynamics. Several researchers have shown that single-mode oscillations can be greatly reduced by properly shaping the inputs to the crane motors. This paper builds on those previous developments to create a method for suppressing double-pendulum payload oscillations. The input shaping controller is designed to have robustness to changes in the two operating frequencies. Experiments performed on a portable bridge crane are used to verify the effectiveness of this method and the robustness of the input shaper.

In this paper we propose a sliding-mode antiswing control for overhead cranes. The objective of this study is to realize an antiswing trajectory control with high-speed load hoisting. A sliding-mode antiswing trajectory control scheme is designed based on the Lyapunov stability theorem, where a sliding surface, coupling the trolley motion with load swing, is adopted for a direct damping control of load swing. The proposed control guarantees asymptotic stability while keeping all internal signals bounded. In association with a new antiswing motion planning scheme, the proposed control realizes a typical antiswing trajectory control in practice, allowing high-speed load-hoisting motion and sufficient damping of load swing. The proposed control is simple for a real-time implementation with high-frequency sampling. The effectiveness of the proposed control has been confirmed by experiments.

The payload oscillation inherent to all cranes makes it challenging for human operators to manipulate payloads quickly, accurately, and safely. An input-shaping controller was implemented on a large bridge crane at the Georgia Institute of Technology to reduce crane payload oscillation. The crane was used to study the performance of human operators as they drove the crane through obstacle courses. An image processing system was implemented to track the movement of the crane payload. Data from these experiments show that operators performed manipulation tasks faster, safer, and more effectively when input shaping was utilized to reduce payload sway.

The control of an overhead crane is a classic optimum control problem, and its solution can be found in most textbooks on the subject of automatic controls. However, there is a design issue with respect to the relative mass of the cart and the suspended payload. If this problem is ignored, then the results of an analysis can be misleading and the response can be unstable. Based on a stability analysis, a design recommendation for optimal asymptotic linear quadratic (LQ) controllers with fixed gains is presented to avoid this problem. The results are validated by both simulation and experiment.

This paper proposes a motion-planning method for a high-performance anti-swing control of overhead cranes, where the motion-planning problem is solved as a kinematic problem. First, an anti-swing regulating control law is proposed based on the Lyapunov stability theorem, where the proposed anti-swing control drives trolley velocity regulating error asymptotically to zero while suppressing load swing rapidly to zero for given arbitrary high-speed hoisting motions. Then a motion-planning scheme is designed based on the concept of minimumtime control, the proposed anti-swing control law, and typical anti-swing crane-operation practices. The motion-planning scheme is free from the usual mathematical constraints in anti-swing control such as small swing angle, small hoisting speed, and small hoisting distance. The effectiveness of the proposed motion planning is shown by generating high-performance anti-swing trajectories with high hoisting speed and hoisting ratio.

Rest to rest movement of a crane’s swinging load, at the bottom end of a cable, by moving a speed-limited gantry trolley at the top, involves resolving the apparently conflicting demands of exact load positioning and active swing damping. If system parameters are unknown beforehand, best existing strategies offer only asymptotic solutions. The proposed control strategy stops the load dead, exactly on target, in a finite time. It is robust and self-adapting. Using mechanical wave concepts, the gantry controller “learns” from the previously unknown dynamic response in the first part of the motion exactly how to terminate the motion. All results are verified numerically.

In this paper, a new dynamic model of a three-dimensional overhead crane is derived based on a newly defined two-degree-of-freedom swing angle. The dynamic model describes the simultaneous traveling, traversing, and hoisting motions of the crane and the resulting load swing. For anti-swing control, this paper proposes a decoupled control scheme based on the dynamic model linearized around the stable equilibrium. The decoupled scheme guarantees not only rapid damping of load swing but also accurate control of crane position and load hoisting for the practical case of simultaneous traveling, traversing, and slow hoisting motions, which is also proven by experiments.

This paper addresses the automation problem of overhead cranes. A feedback control strategy is proposed so that the crane travel and hoisting or lowering motions are forced to track a given reference trajectory while killing the payload swing angle. Stability analysis is carried out using Lyapunov functions and it is shown that the equilibrium point of the crane system is asymptotically stable.

In this paper, we derive a nonlinear dynamical model for an overhead crane. The model takes into account simultaneous travel and transverse motions of the crane. The aim is to transport an object along a specified transport route in such a way that the swing angles are suppressed as quickly as possible. We develop an antiswing control system which adopts a feedback control to specify the crane speed at every moment. The gain matrix is chosen such that a desired rate of decay of the swing angles is obtained. The model and control scheme are simulated on a digital computer and the results prove that the feedback control works well.