Adaptive Robust Synchronization Control of an Electro-Hydraulic Dual-Cylinder System With Dynamic Thrust Allocation

Electro-hydraulic systems have been widely applied in industrial applications due to their excellent robustness and high power to weight ratio. In scenarios requiring large driving forces and high-power output, traditional single-actuator methods are inadequate, making multiactuator systems, such as dual-cylinder setups, essential for effective load handling. Achieving high-precision synchronized motion in such systems is critical but challenging due to internal force coupling caused by inertial eccentric loads and deflection torques, as well as dynamic discrepancies among actuators. To address these challenges, this study proposes a dual-cylinder synchronization control strategy based on hydraulic thrust allocation. By analyzing and modeling the system's rotational dynamics, a thrust allocation strategy is developed to reduce rotational effects, mitigate internal force coupling, and enhance synchronization accuracy. In addition, an adaptive robust control adaptive robust control (ARC) strategy compensates for variations in actuator dynamics, ensuring precise synchronization under nonlinear and uncertain conditions. To validate the superiority of the proposed algorithm, experiments were conducted under two challenging operating conditions. The results demonstrate that the algorithm effectively handles internal force coupling and different actuator dynamics, significantly improving synchronization accuracy.