Comparison of Different Control Algorithms for a Gantry Crane System

For a gantry crane system, this paper presents a comparison between four control algorithms. These algorithms are being compared on simplicity, stability and robustness. Goal for the controller is to move the load on a gantry crane to a new position with minimal overshoot of the load and maximal speed of the load. Another goal is to provide an insight in the behaviour of the possible controllers. In this article a parallel P-controller, cascade P-controller, fuzzy controller and an internal model controller are used. To be able to validate and design the controllers a model is derived from the gantry crane. The controllers and the model are being implemented in Matlab Simulink. Finally the controllers are validated and tuned in Labview on a laboratory gantry scrane scale model. Main conclusion is that all presented controllers can be used as a controller for the gantry crane system but the fuzzy controller is showing the best performance