Synchronization Control of Large Crawler Crane Driven by Double Winches Using Hook Angle Feedback Information

During the operation of a crawler crane driven by double winches, it is important to make the two winches actuate synchronously so that the hook is in a horizontal state to prevent accidents. In this paper, a novel synchronization control strategy for crawler crane driven by double winches using hook angle feedback information is proposed. The hook angle proportional to the length error of ropes is measured by a wireless angle sensor firstly and is then employed as a feedback control signal. To further improve the synchronization performance, cross-coupled control scheme together with the variable speed PID control is utilized on the basis of the collected hook angle signal. Simulations and experiments are then conducted and the results demonstrate that the proposed control scheme can obtain a better synchronization performance than the conventional control strategy using encoders and the inclination of the hook is greatly reduced to a limited small range.