A novel energy-coupling-based control method for double-pendulum overhead cranes with initial control force constraint

A novel energy-coupling-based control method for under-actuated double-pendulum overhead cranes with initial control force constraint is proposed in this article. The significant feature of the designed controller is its superior control performance as well as its strong robustness with respect to parameter variations and external disturbances. By incorporating a smooth hyperbolic tangent function into the control law, the proposed controller guarantees soft start of the trolley. Moreover, to improve the transient performance of the crane system, coupling behavior among the trolley movement, the hook swing, and the payload swing is enhanced by introducing a generalized payload horizontal-displacement signal. Lyapunov techniques and LaSalle’s invariance theorem are utilized to prove the stability of the designed closed-loop system. Simulation results demonstrate that the new energy-coupling control method achieves superior control performance and strong robustness over different payload masses, cable lengths, desired positions, and external disturbances with reduced initial control force.