Stacker Crane Multibody Model

Contact forces on a sliding and flexible surface are one of main challanges for modeling systems such as stacker cranes considered here.

This multibody model of a stacker crane (STC) has been developed for development and control design under Simulink environment using Simscape Multibody (earlier SimMechanics). The parameters of the model can be modified to fit to any stacker crane. The masses, dimensions and densities are easily adjustable via the model mask interface.

Different oscillation behaviors can be simulated with this model, as the video shows. In the video, two scenarios are simulated: First one, with fixed positions, where the oscillation of the beam starts after the lift has reached its final position, and in the second on, with dynamic behavior, where the lift is traveling along the beam while it is oscillating. The model provides measurements of different elements of the system, like the beam tip displacement, the carriage displacement and velocity, and lift displacement and velocity.
The model can be extended for similar application such as highway bridges with moving vehicles, dynamical load on a mast i.e. of a ship, or long railroads with moving trains. This model is distributed in the sake of further development and further use, but without any warranty, without even the implied warranty of merchantability or of fitness for a particular purpose.