Active Vibration Damper for Crane Oscillation Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vibration damping solutions for cranes, such as passive vibration absorbers, require heavy damper masses and are not easily adaptable or retrofittable, leading to inefficiencies and high costs due to excessive vibration amplitudes affecting productivity.

Innovation Solution

An active vibration damper system with a control device that uses a position estimator, speed controller, and position controller to generate control signals for a rotary motor, allowing for flexible adaptation and reduced weight requirements, enabling effective damping with a fraction of the weight of passive systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If passive vibration absorbers with heavy damper masses are used, then vibration damping effectiveness is improved, but device weight and complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration damping effectivenessVSAvoiddamper mass weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the passive mechanical vibration damping system with heavy masses with an active control system that uses sensors, controllers, and actuators to dynamically counteract vibrations. The control device processes sensor signals and generates actuator control signals to create active damping forces, eliminating the need for heavy passive damper masses while maintaining vibration damping effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If structural reinforcement of the crane structure is implemented, then vibration resistance is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration resistanceVSAvoidstructural modification effort

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a control device as an intermediary system that mediates between the crane structure and the actuator. This control device processes sensor signals and generates control commands to actively compensate for vibrations, providing vibration resistance without requiring structural reinforcement or modification of the crane's load-bearing components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If heavy damper masses are installed, then vibration damping is improved, but ease of installation and retrofitting deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration dampingVSAvoidretrofitting effort

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the vibration damping function into separate modular components: sensor units, control device, and actuator units that can be independently installed and configured. This modular segmentation allows the active vibration damping system to be retrofitted onto existing crane structures without requiring heavy structural modifications or installation of massive damper components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2543620B1Vibration damper for attenuating the oscillation of a structure which can vibrate

Publication Date: 2015.05.20 SIEMENS AG

AI summary

The damper (10) has a transmission mechanism (24) arranged between a motor (20) and a carriage (22) and converting rotating movement of the motor into linear movement of the carriage. A controlling unit (26) includes a manipulated variable input that is connected with a sensor (18). The controlling unit is arranged such that a controlling signal is generated from the motor. The controlling unit controls the motor such that the carriage and a damping mass execute movement relative to a vibratory structure (12) i.e. crane, to compensate oscillation of the vibratory structure.