Time-optimal fold-out of a mobile concrete pump

Project description

Mobile concrete pumps are used on construction sites to transport concrete from the cement mixer to the formwork. Such machines typically comprise a pump and a boom equipped with concrete convey pipes, see Fig. 1. To enable a large operating range (up to approx. 60m) while being able to transport the boom on a standard truck, the boom of these mobile concrete pumps is constructed in a lightweight design. Due to the complex kinematics with up to 6 individual joints and the large working areas, an optimal manual operation by a human operator is cognitively not possible.

A mobile concrete pump during operation.

In the current state of the art the actuator velocities of such manipulators are heavily limited to ensure safe operation. The complex motion of folding out the boom is performed sequentially by simultaneously movement of maximum 2-3 joints. Furthermore well experienced operating staff is required. The trend in the off-highway sector shows a significant increase in more complex assistance systems in the last years, helping the operating staff actively concerning user comfort and increased safety during autonomous operation.

Project focus

In this research project, a system is developed to obtain time-optimal, collision-free motions of the boom of a mobile concrete pump. The resulting trajectories for the joint angles consider the technical limitations of the joint angles and joint angular velocities as well as legal restrictions concerning Cartesian velocities. Furthermore, if the support feet of the machine are not fully extended (e.g. due to limited space on site), the working area of the manipulator is systematically limited. The developed concept is tested and validated on a real machine with 5 individual rotational joints.

Selected publications

• J. Henikl, W. Kemmetmüller, and A. Kugi, Estimation and control of the tool center point of a mobile concrete pump, Automation in Construction, vol. 61, p. 112–123, 2016.
  [BibTex] [Download]

  @Article{Henikl16,
  Title = {Estimation and control of the tool center point of a mobile concrete pump},
  Author = {Henikl, J. and Kemmetm\"uller, W. and Kugi, A.},
  Journal = {Automation in Construction},
  Pages = {112--123},
  Volume = {61},
  Year = {2016},
  Doi = {10.1016/j.autcon.2015.10.005},
  ISSN = {0926-5805},
  }

• J. Henikl, W. Kemmetmüller, T. Meurer, and A. Kugi, Infinite-dimensional decentralized damping control of large-scale manipulators with hydraulic actuation, Automatica, vol. 63, p. 101–115, 2016.
  [BibTex] [Download]

  @Article{Henikl16a,
  Title = {Infinite-dimensional decentralized damping control of large-scale manipulators with hydraulic actuation},
  Author = {Henikl, J. and Kemmetm\"uller, W. and Meurer, T. and Kugi, A.},
  Journal = {Automatica},
  Pages = {101--115},
  Volume = {63},
  Year = {2016},
  Doi = {10.1016/j.automatica.2015.10.024},
  ISSN = {0005-1098},
  }

• J. Henikl, W. Kemmetmüller, M. Bader, and A. Kugi, Modeling, Simulation and Identification of a Mobile Concrete Pump, Mathematical and Computer Modelling of Dynamical Systems, vol. 21, iss. 2, p. 180–201, 2015.
  [BibTex] [Download]

  @Article{Henikl14,
  Title = {Modeling, Simulation and Identification of a Mobile Concrete Pump},
  Author = {Henikl, J. and Kemmetm\"uller, W. and Bader, M. and Kugi, A.},
  Journal = {Mathematical and Computer Modelling of Dynamical Systems},
  Pages = {180--201},
  Volume = {21},
  Year = {2015},
  Number = {2},
  Doi = {10.1080/13873954.2014.926277},
  }

• M. Meiringer, A. Kugi, and K. W., Time-optimal fold out of large-scale manipulators with obstacle avoidance, in Proceedings of the 11th IFAC Symposium on Nonlinear Control Systems NOLCOS 2019, Vienna, Austria, 2019, pp. 114-119.
  [BibTex]

  @InProceedings{Meiringer2019,
  author = {Meiringer, M. and Kugi, A. and Kemmetm\"uller W.},
  title = {Time-optimal fold out of large-scale manipulators with obstacle avoidance},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of the 11th IFAC Symposium on Nonlinear Control Systems NOLCOS 2019},
  year = {2019},
  volume = {52},
  number = {16},
  month = {9},
  pages = {114-119},
  doi = {10.1016/j.ifacol.2019.11.765},
  address = {Vienna, Austria},
  issn = {2405-8963},
  }

• W. Kemmetmüller, M. Meiringer, V. Platzgummer, and A. Kugi, Optimale Abstützung eines mobilen Großraummanipulators, at – Automatisierungstechnik, vol. 69, iss. 9, p. 782–794, 2021.
  [BibTex]

  @Article{Kemmetmueller2021,
  author = {Wolfgang Kemmetmüller and Martin Meiringer and Valentin Platzgummer and Andreas Kugi},
  title = {Optimale Abstützung eines mobilen Großraummanipulators},
  doi = {doi:10.1515/auto-2021-0052},
  number = {9},
  pages = {782--794},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1515/auto-2021-0052},
  volume = {69},
  journal = {at -- Automatisierungstechnik},
  year = {2021},
  }

• M. Meiringer, A. Kugi, and W. Kemmetmüller, Modelling and calibration of a five link elastic boom of a mobile concrete pump, Mathematical and Computer Modelling of Dynamical Systems, vol. 29, iss. 1, p. 41–68, 2023.
  [BibTex] [Download]

  @Article{Meiringer2023,
  author = {M. Meiringer and A. Kugi and W. Kemmetm\"uller},
  title = {Modelling and calibration of a five link elastic boom of a mobile concrete pump},
  doi = {10.1080/13873954.2023.2177311},
  number = {1},
  pages = {41--68},
  volume = {29},
  journal = {Mathematical and Computer Modelling of Dynamical Systems},
  year = {2023},
  }

• M. Meiringer, A. Kugi, and W. Kemmetmüller, Semi-autonomous operation of a mobile concrete pump, Automation in Construction, vol. 156, p. 105079, 2023.
  [BibTex]

  @Article{Meiringer2023a,
  author = {Meiringer, M. and Kugi, A. and Kemmetm\"uller, W.},
  title = {Semi-autonomous operation of a mobile concrete pump},
  doi = {10.1016/j.autcon.2023.105079},
  pages = {105079},
  volume = {156},
  journal = {Automation in Construction},
  year = {2023},
  }