<p>To enable the enhancement of the driver's environment in a forklift, an alternative form of steering has been evaluated. An earlier concept with a combined driving and steering wheel has been exchanged to a concept with two driving wheels. A link wheel has replaced the combined driving and steering wheel. The steering is done through differentiation of the velocities of the two driving wheels. </p><p>The scope of this master thesis is to create a simulation model, create a control program and to evaluate the concept of two driving wheels. </p><p>The simulation model was created in Matlab/Simulink with the aid of enclosed functions written in C. The model is constructed so that the same control program can be used in the model as well as in the physical forklift prototype, which the model is based on. Validation of the simulation model shows that the model is in accordance with reality in a satisfactory manner. </p><p>The control program is a compromise between a gentle behaviour of the forklift and a quick response to the driver's steering commands. </p><p>Evaluation of the concept shows that steering through differentiation of the wheel velocities is possible although there are some deficiencies. The two main deficiencies are that, when driving slowly, the link wheel will affect the steering of the forklift in a negative manner, and that there are limitations regarding motor power.</p>

To enable the enhancement of the driver's environment in a forklift, an alternative form of steering has been evaluated. An earlier concept with a combined driving and steering wheel has been exchanged to a concept with two driving wheels. A link wheel has replaced the combined driving and steering wheel. The steering is done through differentiation of the velocities of the two driving wheels. The scope of this master thesis is to create a simulation model, create a control program and to evaluate the concept of two driving wheels. The simulation model was created in Matlab/Simulink with the aid of enclosed functions written in C. The model is constructed so that the same control program can be used in the model as well as in the physical forklift prototype, which the model is based on. Validation of the simulation model shows that the model is in accordance with reality in a satisfactory manner. The control program is a compromise between a gentle behaviour of the forklift and a quick response to the driver's steering commands. Evaluation of the concept shows that steering through differentiation of the wheel velocities is possible although there are some deficiencies. The two main deficiencies are that, when driving slowly, the link wheel will affect the steering of the forklift in a negative manner, and that there are limitations regarding motor power.