Optimal PID Control of a Brushed DC Motor with an Embedded Low-Cost Magnetic Quadrature Encoder for Improved Step Overshoot and Undershoot Responses in a Mobile Robot Application

The development of a proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control system is a simple, practical, highly effective method used to control the angular rotational velocity of electric motors. This paper describes the optimization of the PID control of a brushed DC motor (BDCM) with an embedded low-cost magnetic quadrature encoder. This paper demonstrates empirically that the feedback provided by low-cost magnetic encoders produces some inaccuracies and control artifacts that are not usually considered in simulations, proposing a practical optimization approach in order to improve the step overshoot and undershoot controller response. This optimization approach is responsible for the motion performances of a human-sized omnidirectional mobile robot using three motorized omnidirectional wheels

Upgrading the Electronics of a Robotic Arm 3D Printer : Modification of the control electronics of a 3D printer based on ABB IRB-1200 90/5

The Technobothnia Robotic Additive Manufacturing project in the Technobothnia laboratory, Finland, is developing an extruder tool to enable a robotic arm to print in 3D. The control electronics of this tool have barely changed since the first prototypes and are composed of multiple parts that add to the complexity of the tool. Therefore, this thesis aimed to redesign and optimize the electronics system with parts already available in the market. The ultimate goal was to make the current prototype closer to a production-ready product. Firstly, the state of the extruder tool before any modifications was reviewed and the changes needed were evaluated. Other projects and research were described as well for comparison. Based on this evaluation different replacement alternatives were considered and discussed. The old driver board was replaced by a more capable and compact one. The cabling was upgraded with a single multi-wire cable and smaller connectors. Additionally, an automated bed levelling probe is implemented for easier initial calibration. As a result, the new control electronics simplified the overall setup and made it easier to reproduce. The components used are well established in the market and have extensive support, facilitating the troubleshooting and replacement of the parts. Finally, the auto levelling system eliminated the manual calibration process, saving setup time