Automatic Control of a 3-Dimensional Overhead Crane with Minimally Required Sensor Devices

This paper presents a controller-observer scheme with guaranteed closed-loop stability for linear position tracking control of the hook-block of an overhead crane in the 3-D space. A trajectory planning method is proposed based on standard exponential functions that enables defining the distance to the destination, maximum linear velocities and accelerations in the parameters of the function itself. The methods proposed are validated using computer numerical simulations. Based on the control and velocity estimation results obtained, we critically argue that an integrated approach to automatic control and health monitoring may be possible using position sensors only.