A High-Order Fully Actuated System Approach to Control of Overhead Cranes

In this article, we present a high-order fully actuated (HOFA) system approach to control of overhead cranes with unknown dynamics. In particular, the proposed framework is composed of three key steps. First, by adopting ideas and concepts of the fully actuated (FA) system approach, a HOFA model for the crane system is obtained. Second, based on the established HOFA model, a nonlinear observer is designed to estimate the unknown dynamics. Third, the specific structure and advantages of the HOFA model are utilized for controller design. Due to the adoption of the FA system approach, closed-loop stability is rigorously established by using Lyapunov stability theory. Both simulation studies and experimental results verify that the proposed framework exhibits better performance compared to existing methods. The proposed framework is a continuation of our recent work on FA system approach, and provides a fresh perspective on crane system control. Generalizations to other types of underactuated systems are the subject of our current and future work.