Development of an Anti-Sway Positioning Controller for Rotary Cranes

This paper investigates the anti-sway positioning control problem for a rotary crane from the viewpoint of engineering. A hybrid control scheme combining the angular velocity feed-forward, the PID feedback, and the Zero Vibration Derivation (ZVD) shaper is proposed. This scheme drives the crane to move along a velocity trajectory while its lifting rope’s sway is suppressed, and is followed by an additional positioning control scheme stopping the crane at a target position. Many simulations and engineering experiments are performed to test and improve the control schemes. The experimental data show the lifting rope’s sway can be suppressed within 0.2 degrees, the final error of the rotational motion is less than 0.1 degrees, and the final error of the pitch motion is only 0.05 degrees. These results indicate our proposed rotary crane control schemes contribute to the loading and unloading automation of rotary cranes.