This thesis investigates the applicability of a commercial controller for stabilizing an automatic tensioning device used in winding operations for large superconducting coils. Unsuccessful results with the commercial unit leads to the design of a compensation network. Root locus techniques are utilized in arriving at a suitable compensation network to stabilize the tension machine control system. Simulated tests of the system\u27s response to a step input and to a pulse disturbance are performed using IBM\u27s Continuous System Modeling Program
