SAW torque transducers for disturbance rejection and tracking control of multi-inertia servo-drive systems

The paper proposes a resonance ratio control (RRC) technique for the coordinated motion control of multi-inertia mechanical systems, based on the measurement of shaft torque via a SAW-based torque sensor. Furthermore, a new controller structure, RRC plus disturbance feedback is proposed, which enables the controller to be designed to independently satisfy tracking and regulation performance. A tuning method for the RRC structure is given based on the ITAE index, normalized as a function of the mechanical parameters enabling a direct performance comparison between a basic proportional and integral (PI) controller. The use of a reduced-order state observer is presented to provide a dynamic estimate of the load-side disturbance torque for a multi-inertia mechanical system, with an appraisal of the composite closed-loop dynamics. It is shown that the integrated formulation of the tuning criteria enables lower bandwidth observers to be implemented with a corresponding reduction in noise and computational load. The control structures are experimentally validated via a purpose designed test facility and demonstrate significant improvement in dynamic tracking performance, whilst additionally rejecting periodic load side disturbances, a feature previously unrealisable except by other, high-gain control schemes that impose small stability margins

Improved performance of motor-drive systems by SAW shaft torque feedback

The paper describes the application of a non-contact, high bandwidth, low cost, SAW-based torque measuring system for improving the dynamic performance of industrial process motor-drive systems. Background to the SAW technology and its motor integration is discussed and a resonance ratio control (RRC) technique for the coordinated motion control of multi-inertia mechanical systems, based on the measurement of shaft torque via a SAW-based torque sensor is proposed. Furthermore, a new controller structure, RRC plus disturbance feedback is proposed, which enables the controller to be designed to independently satisfy tracking and regulation performance. A tuning method for the RRC structure is given based on the ITAE index, normalized as a function of the mechanical parameters enabling a direct performance comparison between a basic proportional and integral (PI) controller. The use of a reduced-order state observer is presented to provide a dynamic estimate of the load-side disturbance torque for a multi-inertia mechanical system, with an appraisal of the composite closed-loop dynamics. The control structures are experimentally validated and demonstrate significant improvement in dynamic tracking performance, whilst additionally rejecting periodic load side disturbances, a feature previously unrealisable except by other, high-gain control schemes that impose small stability margins

A Reduced-Order Generalized Proportional Integral Observer-Based Resonant Super-Twisting Sliding Mode Control for Grid-Connected Power Converters

This article presents a reduced-order generalized proportional-integral observer based resonant super-twisting sliding mode controller (RST-SMC) for the three-phase ac-dc converters. On the contrary to utilizing the proportional-integral controller in regulating the dc-link voltage, which may cause large undershoot/overshoot under the disturbance, the proposed voltage control strategy for the dc-link has high disturbance rejection ability and the settling time has been greatly reduced. In addition, the proposed RST-SMC in the current control loop not only preserve the merits of the sliding mode controller but also achieve the current tracking without steady-state error in the stationary \alpha - \beta frame. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been verified by a lab-constructed experimental prototype.This work was supported by Shenzhen Overseas High Level Talent Program. The work of Josep M. Guerrerork was supported by VILLUM FONDEN under the VILLUM Investigator Grant (no. 25920): Center for Research on Microgrids (CROM); www.crom.et.aau.dk

Modeling and Feedback Control of a MEMS Electrostatic Actuator

This thesis describes the mathematical modeling and closed-loop voltage control of a MEMS electrostatic actuator. The control goal is to extend the travel range of the actuator beyond the open-loop pull-in limit of one third of the initial gap. Three controller designs are presented to reach the control goal. The first controller design utilizes a regular fourth order Active Disturbance Rejection Controller (ADRC) and is able to achieve 97 of the maximum travel range. The second design also uses a fourth order ADRC, while additional modeling information is included in an Extended State Observer (ESO), which is part of the ADRC, to improve control performance. This controller achieved 99 of the travel range. The third design is a multi-loop controller with a second order ADRC in an inner loop and a Proportional-Integral (PI) controller in an outer loop. This design achieved 100 of the travel range. Transfer function representations of the three controller designs are developed. The controllers are successfully applied and simulated in a parallel-plate electrostatic actuator model. The simulation results and frequency domain analyses verified the effectiveness of the controllers in extending the travel range of the actuator and in noise attenuatio

Learning and Reacting with Inaccurate Prediction: Applications to Autonomous Excavation

Motivated by autonomous excavation, this work investigates solutions to a class of problem where disturbance prediction is critical to overcoming poor performance of a feedback controller, but where the disturbance prediction is intrinsically inaccurate. Poor feedback controller performance is related to a fundamental control problem: there is only a limited amount of disturbance rejection that feedback compensation can provide. It is known, however, that predictive action can improve the disturbance rejection of a control system beyond the limitations of feedback. While prediction is desirable, the problem in excavation is that disturbance predictions are prone to error due to the variability and complexity of soil-tool interaction forces. This work proposes the use of iterative learning control to map the repetitive components of excavation forces into feedforward commands. Although feedforward action shows useful to improve excavation performance, the non-repetitive nature of soil-tool interaction forces is a source of inaccurate predictions. To explicitly address the use of imperfect predictive compensation, a disturbance observer is used to estimate the prediction error. To quantify inaccuracy in prediction, a feedforward model of excavation disturbances is interpreted as a communication channel that transmits corrupted disturbance previews, for which metrics based on the sensitivity function exist. During field trials the proposed method demonstrated the ability to iteratively achieve a desired dig geometry, independent of the initial feasibility of the excavation passes in relation to actuator saturation. Predictive commands adapted to different soil conditions and passes were repeated autonomously until a pre-specified finish quality of the trench was achieved. Evidence of improvement in disturbance rejection is presented as a comparison of sensitivity functions of systems with and without the use of predictive disturbance compensation

Modeling and Feedback Control of a MEMS Electrostatic Actuator

This thesis describes the mathematical modeling and closed-loop voltage control of a MEMS electrostatic actuator. The control goal is to extend the travel range of the actuator beyond the open-loop pull-in limit of one third of the initial gap. Three controller designs are presented to reach the control goal. The first controller design utilizes a regular fourth order Active Disturbance Rejection Controller (ADRC) and is able to achieve 97 of the maximum travel range. The second design also uses a fourth order ADRC, while additional modeling information is included in an Extended State Observer (ESO), which is part of the ADRC, to improve control performance. This controller achieved 99 of the travel range. The third design is a multi-loop controller with a second order ADRC in an inner loop and a Proportional-Integral (PI) controller in an outer loop. This design achieved 100 of the travel range. Transfer function representations of the three controller designs are developed. The controllers are successfully applied and simulated in a parallel-plate electrostatic actuator model. The simulation results and frequency domain analyses verified the effectiveness of the controllers in extending the travel range of the actuator and in noise attenuatio

Robust Whole-Body Motion Control of Legged Robots

We introduce a robust control architecture for the whole-body motion control of torque controlled robots with arms and legs. The method is based on the robust control of contact forces in order to track a planned Center of Mass trajectory. Its appeal lies in the ability to guarantee robust stability and performance despite rigid body model mismatch, actuator dynamics, delays, contact surface stiffness, and unobserved ground profiles. Furthermore, we introduce a task space decomposition approach which removes the coupling effects between contact force controller and the other non-contact controllers. Finally, we verify our control performance on a quadruped robot and compare its performance to a standard inverse dynamics approach on hardware.Comment: 8 Page

Magnetic Actuators and Suspension for Space Vibration Control

The research on microgravity vibration isolation performed at the University of Virginia is summarized. This research on microgravity vibration isolation was focused in three areas: (1) the development of new actuators for use in microgravity isolation; (2) the design of controllers for multiple-degree-of-freedom active isolation; and (3) the construction of a single-degree-of-freedom test rig with umbilicals. Described are the design and testing of a large stroke linear actuator; the conceptual design and analysis of a redundant coarse-fine six-degree-of-freedom actuator; an investigation of the control issues of active microgravity isolation; a methodology for the design of multiple-degree-of-freedom isolation control systems using modern control theory; and the design and testing of a single-degree-of-freedom test rig with umbilicals