Double-pendulum gantry crane dynamics and control

Payload manipulation using gantry cranes presents a challenging control problem because of the inherent system flexibility. If the crane is equipped with a large-mass hook and the payload is sufficiently small, then the problem is complicated because the crane can exhibit double-pendulum dynamics. This paper explores the double-pendulum effect for gantry cranes. A simple command shaping method is presented for dealing with only the first mode of vibration and experimental results verify its utility, even when the double-pendulum dynamics are present. The command shaping method is then modified to better handle the double-pendulum dynamics.