Control of bridge cranes with distributed-mass payload dynamics

Motion-induced oscillations of crane payloads seriously degrade their effectiveness and safety. For the transport of a large object, the payload is modeled as a distributed-mass model, and is typically attached to the hook by four rigging cables. The manipulation task can be more challenging because of the payload swing toward the driving direction and the payload twisting about the rigging cables. The dynamics of bridge cranes transporting distributed-mass payloads are derived. A control scheme is designed for suppressing both the payload swing and twisting. Simulations of a large range of motions and various system parameters are used to analyze the dynamic behavior and the robustness of the control scheme. Experimental results obtained from a bridge crane transporting distributed-mass crate validate the simulated dynamic behavior and the effectiveness of the control scheme.