Automated Control and Optimisation of Overhead Cranes

This study considers a fuzzy based computing technique for control and optimising performance of overhead gantry crane. The objective is to minimise load swing and stabilise crane position in the least possible time. The fuzzy controllers were designed using nine gaussian and triangular shape membership functions. The results clearly confirmed the effect of shape of memberships on performance of fuzzy controllers. Performance of overhead crane was measured in terms of settling time and overshoot. The study also demonstrates the influence of varying mass of the load, mass of crane and length of crane bar on stability of the crane. A mathematical model of the crane system has been derived to develop a simulink model of proposed system and performing simulations.