Computer based generation of control programs for a high speed mobile harbor crane in a novel maritime container handling system

Production Automation and Control

by le on November 3, 2010 - 16:02

Computer based generation of control programs for a high speed mobile harbor crane in a novel maritime container handling system

Chi Hieu LE*, University of Greenwich

Abstract: There is an ongoing trend to make increased use of automated cranes and driverless vehicles for handling and transportation of the maritime containers. The concept of a mobile harbor system was therefore founded and aimed at developing a novel maritime container handling solution that allows going out to a ship that anchors in the deep water to load and unload containers on sea and then transport them to their destination ports regardless of the water depth. The proposed mobile harbor system has three sub-systems: (i) a high speed mobile harbor crane (HSMHC), (ii) a mobile harbor traffic management (MHTM), and (iii) an intelligent container yard management (ICYM) system. The generation of control programs for controlling the HSMHC system plays a key role in the development of the novel maritime container handling system. In this paper, a method for computer based generation of the PLC programs for controlling the HSMHC system is presented. The 3D virtual simulation is used to describe the control sequence which is mathematically modeled by using the sequence matrix and Petri net technique. Based on the control sequence, the PLC programs are automatically generated and then verified based on the simulation tool. The experiments conducted on the actual prototype of the HSMHC system showed the stable results.

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PLC Programs

November 23, 2010 - 16:38 - by fahmy Dear Authors, Thank you for your great presentation. My question is that you stated in the paper that Based on the control sequences for the HSMHC system, the P/N model is created. If there is a difference when executing the P/N model and the virtual HSMHC system, the faults are detected. Is these fault are detected automatically or by the designer?. Also, is the system can be extended to include other applications for virtual verification as well?. For example for lugagges handelling system or in manufacturing systems? Regards

PLC programs for Mobile Harbor

December 10, 2010 - 17:49 - by anhdbh Dear Falmy, Thanks for your question. There are two groups of faults in the generated PLC program to be detected that are the technology and control sequence. In order to detect the technology faults, it requires programmer the knowledge and experience about the system. To detect the control sequence faults, the Petri Net (PN) models are created to facilitate the verification. Based on the observing of programmer on the difference in executing of the PN model and the virtual HSMHC system, the faults are detected. Thus, the faults are detected by the designer with the facilitation of the PN and simulation technique. The developed system can be applied to verify the control sequence error of other system without the requirement of this system’ knowledge. Your sincerely