Control Systems I

Control System Design

by Mr L. Simukonda
 Analysis and Design Objectives
• Analysis is the process by which a system’s performance is determined. For
example, we evaluate its transient response and steady-state error to
determine if they meet the desired specifications.
• Design is the process by which a system’s performance is created or
changed. For example, if a system’s transient response and steady-state
error are analyzed and found not to meet the specifications, then we change
parameters or add additional components to meet the specifications.
• A control system is dynamic: It responds to an input by undergoing a
transient response before reaching a steady-state response that generally
resembles the input.
 Analysis and Design Objectives
Transient response
• Transient response is important.
– In the case of an elevator, a slow transient response makes passengers
impatient, whereas an excessively rapid response makes them
uncomfortable.
– If the elevator oscillates about the arrival floor for more than a second, a
disconcerting feeling can result.
– Transient response is also important for structural reasons: Too fast a
transient response could cause permanent physical damage.
 Analysis and Design Objectives
Steady-State Response
Another analysis and design goal focuses on the steady-state
response.
– This response resembles the input and is usually what remains after the
transients have decayed to zero. For example, this response may be an
elevator stopped near the fourth floor
– We analyze a system’s steady-state error, and then design corrective
action to reduce the steady-state error
 Analysis and Design Objectives
Stability
Transient response and steady-state error is questionable if the system does
not have stability.
– In order to explain stability, we start from the fact that the total response of
a system is the sum of the natural response and the forced response.
Total response =Natural response + Forced response
– For a control system to be useful, the natural response must eventually
approach zero, thus leaving only the forced response. In some systems,
however, the natural response grows without bound rather than diminish
to zero or oscillate. Eventually, the natural response is so much greater
than the forced response that the system is no longer controlled, this
condition, called instability
– Control systems must be designed to be stable. That is, their natural
response must decay to zero as time approaches infinity, or oscillate.
 Control System Design
• The design of control systems is a specific example of engineering design.
The goal of control engineering design is to obtain the configuration,
specifications, and identification of the key parameters of a proposed system
to meet an actual need.
• The control system design process consists of seven main building blocks,
which we arrange into three groups:
– Establishment of goals and variables to be controlled, and definition of specifications
(metrics) against which to measure performance
– System definition and modeling
– Control system design and integrated system simulation and analysis
Design Process Block Diagram:
 Design Process
1. The first step in the design process consists of establishing the system goals. For example,
we may state that our goal is to control the velocity of a motor accurately.
2. The second step is to identify the variables that we desire to control (for example, the
velocity of the motor).
3. The third step is to write the specifications in terms of the accuracy we must attain. This
required accuracy of control will then lead to the identification of a sensor to measure the
controlled variable. The performance specifications will describe how the closed-loop
system should perform and will include
– good regulation against disturbances
– desirable responses to commands
– realistic actuator signals
– low sensitivities
– robustness.
 Design Process
4. As designers, we proceed to the first attempt to configure a system that will
result in the desired control performance. This system configuration will
normally consist of a sensor, the process under control, an actuator, and a
controller,

5. The next step consists of identifying a candidate for the actuator. This will, of course,
depend on the process, but the actuation chosen must be capable of effectively adjusting
the performance of the process. For example, if we wish to control the speed of a rotating
flywheel, we will select a motor as the actuator. The sensor, in this case, must be capable
of accurately measuring the speed. We then obtain a model for each of these elements.
 Design Process
6. The next step is the selection of a controller, which often consists of a
summing amplifier that will compare the desired response and the actual
response and then forward this error-measurement signal to a controller.

7. The final step in the design process is the adjustment of the parameters of
the system to achieve the desired performance. If we can achieve the
desired performance by adjusting the parameters, we will finalize the design
and proceed to document the results. If not, we will need to establish an
improved system configuration and perhaps select an enhanced actuator
and sensor. Then we will repeat the design steps until we are able to meet
the specifications.
 Non-linear system
• Why should one study nonlinear systems? The fact is that virtually all
physical systems are nonlinear in nature.
• Sometimes it is possible to describe the operation of a physical system by a
linear model, such as a set of ordinary linear differential equations.
• But in analyzing the behaviour of any physical system, one often encounters
situations where the linearized model is inadequate or inaccurate.
• A commonly used model for a nonlinear system is

• where t denotes time; x(t) denotes the value of the function x’(.) at time t and
is an n-dimensional vector; u(t) is similarly defined and is an m-dimensional
vector; and the function f associates, with each value of t, x(t), and u(t)r), a
corresponding n-dimensional vector.
 Non-linear system

• The quantity x(t) is generally referred to as the state of the system

at time t, while u(t) is called the input or the control function.
• It is clear that the above equation represents a continuous-time
system.
• The system above equation is said to be time-invariant
(autonomous) if the function f does not explicitly depend on its first
argument t; it is said to be time-varying(nonautonomous)
otherwise
 Non-linear system
• Non-linear system refers to the type of system where the output from the system does not
vary directly with respect to input to the system.
• The difference between non-linear system and linear system is that the superposition
principle is not applied in the non-linear system.

• Non-linear systems have the following aspects when compared to the linear system,
– The non-linear systems have several equilibrium and stable points.
– They may create sub-harmonic vibrations of constant frequency.
– They have steady state performance with different kinds of behavior.
 Non-linear system
• After finding the dynamics of the system such as an inverted pendulum, we
find non-linear equations.
• The nonlinearity arises from the trigonometric functions, products, and
squares of the outputs
 Classification of Nonlinearities

• Incidental nonlinearity : present inherently

in the system.
• Intentional nonlinearity : inserted in the
system to modify system characteristics.
Types of Non-linearities in a control system
Saturation nonlinearity-Output of the system is proportional to
input in a limited range of input signal. On exceeding range , output
tends to become nearly constant.

e.g amplifiers, torque and speed saturation in motors

 Non-linearities in a control system
Friction nonlinearity -It comes in to existence when mechanical
surface comes in sliding contact.
Dead zone nonlinearity-Kind of nonlinearity in which the system
doesn’t respond to the given input until the input reaches a
particular level.Output becomes zero when input crosses certain
limiting value.
E.g.
• Dead zone in actuators
• Electronic devices like diode.
 Non-linearities in a control system
Relay nonlinearity (ON/ OFF controller) -occurs when the
linearity range is shrunken to zero and slope in linearity
range become vertical .It is intentional nonlinearity.
 Non-linearities in a control system
Backlash nonlinearity-The difference between the tooth space and tooth
width in mechanical system , which is essential for rapid working gear
transmission is known as
backlash.
– It is present in most of the mechanical and hydraulic systems.
– Increase with wear.
 Advantages to Non-linear systems
1. Nonlinear systems can perform better than linear
systems.
2. Nonlinear systems are less costly than linear systems.
3. They are usually small and compact in size as compared
to linear systems.
 Linearization
• The first step is to recognize the nonlinear component and write the nonlinear
differential equation.
• When we linearize a nonlinear differential equation, we linearize it for small-
signal inputs about the steady-state solution when the small-signal input is
equal to zero.
• This steady-state solution is called equilibrium and is selected as the
second step in the linearization process. For example, when a pendulum is at
rest, it is at equilibrium. The angular displacement is described by a nonlinear
differential equation, but it can be expressed with a linear differential equation
for small excursions about this equilibrium point.
 Linearization
• If we assume a nonlinear system
operating at point A.
• Small changes in the input can be
related to changes in the output
about the point by way of the slope
of the curve at the point A.
• If the slope of the curve at point A is
ma, then small excursions of the
input about point A, δx, yield small
changes in the output, δf(x), related
by the slope at point A. Thus
 Linearization
Linearizing a Function is possible using the Taylor series expansion

• Neglecting the higher-order terms the tailor series can be expressed as

 Linearization
• Linearizing a function
 MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS
• Mechatronics is the synergistic integration of mechanical, electrical, and computer systems
and has evolved over the past 30 years, leading to a new breed of intelligent products.
Feedback control is an integral aspect of modern mechatronic systems. One can understand
the extent that mechatronics reaches into various disciplines by considering the components
that make up mechatronics
• The key elements of mechatronics are
– physical systems modeling
– sensors and actuators
– signals and systems
– computers and logic systems
– software and data acquisition.
Feedback control encompasses aspects of all five key elements of mechatronics, but is associated
primarily with the element of signals and systems
MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS
 Mechatronic System Examples
Hybrid fuel vehicle
• The hybrid fuel vehicle utilizes a conventional internal combustion engine in combination with
a battery (or other energy storage device such as a fuel cell or flywheel) and an electric
motor to provide a propulsion system capable of doubling the fuel economy over
conventional automobiles. The control systems must regulate the performance of the engine,
including fuel-air mixtures, valve timing, transmissions, wheel traction control, antilock
brakes, and electronically controlled suspensions, among many other functions.
 Mechatronic System Examples
Embedded computers
• Many contemporary control systems are embedded control systems.
Embedded control systems employ on-board special-purpose digital
computers as integral components of the feedback loop.
Wind Turbines
• Many nations have an imbalance in the supply and demand of energy,
consuming more than they produce. To address this imbalance, many
engineers are considering developing advanced systems to access other
sources of energy, such as wind energy. In such systems advanced controls
is required to achieve the level of efficiency required in the wind generation
drive train.
THE FUTURE EVOLUTION OF CONTROL
SYSTEMS
• The continuing goal of control systems is to provide extensive flexibility and a
high level of autonomy.
• Today's industrial robot is perceived as quite autonomous—once it is
programmed, further intervention is not normally required.
• Because of sensory limitations, these robotic systems have limited flexibility
in adapting to work environment changes; improving perception is the
motivation of computer vision research.The control system is very adaptable,
but it relies on human supervision.