Hydraulic Crane Boom Tip Control Collision Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic cranes using boom tip control lack direct operator control over individual crane booms, leading to a risk of collision with obstacles, such as the driver's cab, due to the operator's focus on the load suspension point and unawareness of inner boom movements.
Innovation Solution
The hydraulic crane incorporates an electronic control device that switches between control modes based on sensor detection of obstacles, automatically preventing collisions by adjusting crane boom movements to maintain safe operation without diverting the operator's attention from the load suspension point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If boom tip control is used to control the position of the load suspension point, then the operator can accurately control the load position, but the operator loses direct control over individual crane booms and cannot monitor inner boom movements
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback about inner boom position and status to the operator through the electronic control device, allowing the operator to monitor boom movements while maintaining boom tip control. The control device calculates and presents information about the inner boom's position and upcoming movements, enabling the operator to be aware of potential collisions without switching to direct boom control mode.
2Measurement precision
If the operator focuses on controlling the load suspension point position, then accurate load positioning is achieved, but the risk of collision with obstacles increases due to lack of awareness of inner boom movements
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic control device continuously monitors inner boom position and provides feedback to the operator about potential collisions with obstacles. This feedback mechanism allows the operator to maintain focus on load positioning while being informed of collision risks, enabling proactive avoidance of hazards without sacrificing load control accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment of collision risks by calculating the inner boom's future position based on current movement trends. Before a collision can occur, the system identifies potential hazards and alerts the operator, allowing preventive action to be taken. This preliminary detection and warning system eliminates the need for direct boom control while maintaining safety.
3Reliability
If direct control of individual crane booms is maintained, then collision risk is reduced, but the operator's ability to accurately control the load suspension point position is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic control device acts as an intermediary between the operator's load positioning commands and the actual boom movements. It receives the operator's intent for load suspension point positioning, calculates the necessary boom movements, and executes them while monitoring for collisions. This intermediary system maintains both accurate load control and collision prevention by mediating between the two control objectives.
Data Source
AI summary
A hydraulic crane comprising: —a rotatable column (7); —a crane boom system comprising a first crane boom (11) connected to the column; and —an electronic control device for controlling the movement of the column and the crane boom system on the basis of control signals from a manoeuvring unit and a calculation model for boom tip control. The control device is configured to switch from a first control mode into a second control mode when the first crane boom is about to interfere with an obstacle. In the first control mode, the control device controls the crane boom movements in accordance with an ordinary control strategy. In the second control mode, the control device makes the load suspension point (P) of the crane boom system move along the trajectory defined by said control signals while controlling the crane boom movements in accordance with an auxiliary control strategy in which the first crane boom is prevented from interfering with the obstacle.