[ANN] New package WinchControllers

Package Announcements
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Recently, we registered the package WinchControllers.jl, and the new release 0.5.3 is ready for practical use.

While it was developed for airborne wind energy systems, it should be useful everywhere where winches are needed, for example for

  • elevators
  • cranes
  • launching sail planes
  • deploying sub-sea cables
  • teaching

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Implemented features:

  • lower force control (assure that there is always a minimal cable tension)
  • upper force control (keep the maximal force limited)
  • reel-out speed control proportional to the square root of the force (other relationships can easily be added)
  • control of asynchronous motors/ generators
  • speed control
  • configuration of winch model and controller using .yaml files
  • auto-tuning of the controller using NOMAD.jl and some advanced Performance Indicators

Planned features

  • support of torque controlled winches using feed-forward control
  • length control (position control)
  • integration of a quasi-steady tether model
  • stability analysis using a linearized system model

Installation is easy, some examples are provided, just follow the instructions in the README.md

You can run it on a Rasperry PI and connect a motor controller using CAN. Just to give an idea for a nice student project.

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