Tracking approach of double pendulum cranes with variable rope lengths using sliding mode technique

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Control Systems
• Mechanical Engineering
• Industrial Automation

Background:

• Crane systems are vital for industrial transport but face control challenges due to strong couplings and nonlinearities.
• Complex environments introduce uncertainties, complicating precise crane operation and payload handling.
• Existing control methods struggle with variable rope lengths and payload swing suppression in double pendulum crane systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an advanced tracking control strategy for double pendulum cranes with variable rope lengths.
• To enhance control robustness and achieve precise trajectory tracking.
• To effectively suppress the undesirable swing motion of the payload and hook.

Main Methods:

• Design of a sliding mode surface incorporating all state variables for comprehensive swing suppression.
• Utilization of a time delay estimator to address parameter uncertainties and unmodeled dynamics.
• Application of sliding mode control to mitigate estimation errors and ensure system stability.
• Rigorous stability validation using Lyapunov stability theory.

Main Results:

• The proposed sliding mode control effectively suppresses double pendulum swing angles.
• Accurate trajectory tracking is achieved despite variable rope lengths and system nonlinearities.
• The control approach demonstrates robustness against parameter uncertainties.

Conclusions:

• The developed sliding mode control technique offers an effective solution for precise and stable operation of double pendulum cranes.
• The method successfully addresses challenges posed by variable rope lengths, nonlinearities, and environmental uncertainties.
• Simulation results validate the proposed approach's performance and robustness in industrial applications.