Search Results (1,183)

The authors have designed a structure for a gyro system (used for the guidance of self-guided missiles) with two gimbals and a rotor in magnetic suspension (AMBs—active magnetic bearings). The system (double-gimbal magnetic suspension gyro system for guidance—DGMSGG) orients the common axis rotor AMB (the sight line) in the direction of the target line (the guide line) by means of some control system of the gyro rotor’s rotations and translations, as well as by means of some servo systems for the gimbals’ rotation angle control. The DGMSGG provides specific signals for the missile’s autopilot, to guide it toward the target, so that the guidance line translates parallel to itself to the point of interception of the target (according to the self-guidance method by parallel approach). Based on the DGMSGG’s established mathematical model, the authors propose and design adaptive control systems for the decoupled dynamics of the gyro rotor’s translations and rotations and of the gimbals’ rotations; the concept of dynamic inversion is used, as well as linear dynamic compensators (P.D.- and P.I.D.-type), state observers, reference models, and neural networks. The theoretical results are validated through numerical simulations, using Simulink/Matlab models’ stabilization and orientation operating regimes. Full article

Historically, a large fraction of fatigue testing of both components and structures has been performed using hydraulic actuators. These are typically driven by servo-valves, which are in themselves very inefficient. But, as most tests involve elastically stressing mechanical components, a lot of stored energy could be recovered. Unfortunately, servo-valves are not regenerative—simply metering out fluid in order to relax the system prior to the start of the next cycle. There is much to be gained with a more intelligently controlled system. The FastBlade facility in Scotland uses a new type of regenerative test hydraulics. Digital displacement pump/motors (DDPMs), originated by Artemis Intelligent Power, now Danfoss Scotland, are used to load and unload the test structure directly via hydraulic rams. The DDPMs are driven by induction motors supplied by three-phase frequency converters, each with a very loose speed correction target, such that they can speed up or slow down according to the instantaneous torque exerted by the load. The rotating assembly of the induction motor and DDPM is designed to have sufficient inertia so as to function as a kinetic energy storage flywheel. The loading energy is then cyclically transferred between the rotating inertia of the motor/DDPM and the spring energy in the test structure. The electric motor provides sufficient energy to maintain the target average cyclical shaft speed of the DDPM whilst the bulk of the system energy oscillates between the two storage mechanisms. Initial tests (at low load) suggest that this technique requires only 30% of the energy previously needed. FastBlade is a unique facility built by the University of Edinburgh and Babcock, with support from the UK EPSRC, conceived as a means of testing and certifying turbine blades for marine current turbines. However, this approach can be used in any cyclical application where elastic energy is stored. Full article

Quartz flexible accelerometers (QFAs) are a type of temperature-sensitive sensor, whereby a change in temperature will cause the key parameters of the accelerometer to drift and cause stability errors. Due to the absence of effective methods for sensing the temperature of internal accelerometer components, existing temperature error correction approaches primarily rely on shell temperature measurements to establish correction models. Consequently, most correction methods achieve higher accuracy during the steady-state heat conduction phase of the accelerometer, whereas the correction error markedly increases during the transient heat conduction phase. To elucidate the temperature discrepancy between the QFA shell and its internal components and to support the development of a temperature error correction method for QFAs based on the internal temperature as a reference, this paper investigated the heat exchange dynamics between the interior and exterior of a QFA. A thermal conduction simulation model of the QFA was established, from which the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of the internal temperature field were derived. The results indicate that the temperature of the QFA shell changes significantly faster than that of the internal meter head in the early stage of the temperature change. The temperature gradient between the shell and the meter head first increases and then decreases, and the rate of temperature change in the upper part of the accelerometer is faster than that in the lower part. Before thermal equilibrium is reached, the temperature distribution inside the accelerometer is uneven in terms of time and space. Inside the accelerometer, the yoke iron, swing plate assembly, servo circuit, and magnetic steel assembly are the main components that exhibit differences in the internal temperature change in the QFA. When developing the temperature error correction method, it was crucial to address and mitigate the impact of temperature variations among these components. The average RMSE between the predicted temperature from the heat transfer model established in this paper and the experimental results was 0.4 °C. This indicates that the model can accurately predict the temperature variation within the QFA, thereby providing robust support for investigating the temperature behavior inside the QFA and offering essential technical foundations for enhancing the accuracy of the temperature error correction method. Full article

In CNC machines, the temperature field analysis of spindle servo permanent magnet motors (SSPMMs) under rated load, overload, and weak magnetic conditions is critical for ensuring stable operation and machining accuracy. This paper proposes a temperature calculation method for SSPMMs based on the thermal network method, which is used to quickly evaluate the temperature performance of SSPMMs under different operating conditions during design. This method can calculate the steady-state or transient temperature rise under different operating conditions. First, the electromagnetic performance and heat sources of the SSPMMs were analyzed. Then, based on the thermal network method, the equivalent thermal resistances and equivalent heat dissipation coefficients of the motor components were calculated. By iterating the heat balance equation or solving the heat conduction equation for different operating conditions, the temperature distribution of SSPMMs under different operating conditions was obtained. The accuracy of the thermal network model was validated through temperature analysis using fluid–structure interaction simulations and prototype testing. The results show that the relative error between the winding temperature calculated by the proposed equivalent thermal network model and the measured temperature under different operating conditions is less than 5%. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the thermal management of SSPMM, which can quickly and accurately evaluate the temperature rise in the motor during design. Full article

The electro-hydraulic servo valve is a critical component that transforms electrical signals into hydraulic signals, thereby controlling the hydraulic system. It finds extensive application in precision control systems. The stability of the electro-hydraulic servo valve is primarily influenced by the armature assembly. Unlike integral armature assembly, the separated armature assembly, comprising the armature, spring tube, flapper, and feedback spring, is joined through an interference fit, which introduces prestress within the assembly. The existence of prestress may affect the operational mode of the armature assembly. Consequently, this paper investigates the vibration characteristics of the separated armature assembly under interference fit conditions. Comparative analysis reveals that interference fit indeed generates prestress, which cannot be overlooked. To further validate the reliability of the simulation results, the natural frequency of the separated armature assembly is determined by applying a sweeping frequency signal to the torque motor using an electric drive, thereby verifying the feasibility of the simulation analysis. Additionally, the impact of interference on the vibration characteristics of the separated armature assembly is examined, confirming the accuracy of the simulation analysis method based on the interference fit. The research on vibration characteristics of a separated armature assembly provides technical support for the structural optimization design of the electro-hydraulic servo valve, thereby enhancing its performance. Full article

The rapid growth of automotive intelligence and automation technology has made it difficult for traditional in-vehicle servo systems to satisfy the demands of modern intelligent systems when facing complex problems such as external disturbances, nonlinearity, and parameter uncertainty. To improve the anti-interference ability and control accuracy of the system, this study proposes a joint control method of electronic mechanical braking control combined with the anti-lock braking system. This method has developed a new type of actuator in the electronic mechanical brake control system and introduced a particle swarm optimization algorithm to optimize the parameters of the self-disturbance rejection control system. At the same time, it combines an adaptive inversion algorithm to optimize the anti-lock braking system. The results indicated that the speed variation of the developed actuator and the actual signal completely stopped at 1.9 s. During speed control and deceleration, the actuator could respond quickly and accurately to control commands as expected. On an asphalt pavement, the maximum slip rate error of the optimized control method was 0.0428, while the original control method was 0.0492. The optimized method reduced the maximum error by about 12.9%. On icy and snowy roads, the maximum error of the optimization method was 0.0632, significantly lower than the original method’s 0.1266. The optimization method could significantly reduce slip rate fluctuations under extreme road conditions. The proposed method can significantly improve the control performance of the vehicle-mounted servo platform, reduce the sensitivity of the system to external disturbances, and has high practical value. Full article

This paper presents a low-power and area-efficient chopper-stabilized low noise amplifier (CS-LNA) for in-pixel neural recording systems. The proposed CS-LNA can be used in a multi-channel architecture, in which the chopper mixers of the LNA are exploited to provide the time division multiplexing (TDM) of several channels, while reducing the flicker noise and rejecting the Electrode DC Offset (EDO). A detailed noise analysis including the effect of the chopper stabilization on flicker noise, and a design flow to optimize the trade-off between input-referred noise and silicon area are presented, and utilized to design the LNA. The adopted approach to reject the EDO allows to tolerate an input offset of ±50 mV, without appreciably affecting the CS-LNA performance, and does not require an additional DC Servo Loop (DSL). The proposed CS-LNA has been fabricated in a 0.13 μm CMOS process with an area of 0.0268 mm², consuming about 2 μA from a 0.8 V supply voltage. It achieves an integral noise of 4.19 μVrms (2.58 μVrms) from 1 to 7.5 kHz (from 300 to 7.5 kHz) and results in a noise efficiency factor (NEF) of 2.63 (1.62). Besides achieving a maximum gain of 38.67 dB with a tuning range of about 12 dB, the neural amplifier exhibits a CMRR of 67 dB. A comparison with the recent literature dealing with in-pixel amplifiers shows state-of-the-art performance. Full article

In order to improve the imaging quality of the vehicle photoelectric servo system, image motion compensation under the vehicle platform is studied. Based on the principle of image motion compensation, combined with coordinate system transformation and velocity vector decomposition, the angular velocity compensation formula of a fast mirror in dynamic scanning imaging of a vehicle photoelectric servo system is obtained. A discrete sliding mode control algorithm based on the Kalman filter is proposed. The proposed algorithm and the discrete sliding mode control algorithm are simulated and compared to verify the system control performance. The simulation results show that the designed algorithm improves control accuracy by 76.3%, reduces overshoot by 75%, and improves response time by 31.25% compared with the discrete sliding mode control algorithm. The experimental platform is built to verify the experimental results. The experimental results show that the speed stability accuracy of the fast mirror is better than 19 μrad, which is 74.37% higher than that of the traditional control scheme. This study provides a reference for the follow-up study of image motion compensation in a vehicle photoelectric servo system. Full article

Collision detection and inspection of industrial robots have become essential functions in modern industrial automation. Sensor-based detection methods are commonly employed in research to achieve collision detection, including high-precision force sensors, ultrasonic ranging sensors, electronic skins, and others. While collision detection using force sensors or electronic skin sensors offers very high accuracy, the inclusion of these sensors increases the overall cost. This article proposes a solution using dynamic modeling for collision detection. First, the theoretical torque generated by each axis of the industrial robot under different pose conditions is analyzed in real time. Then, the actual torque is calculated by sampling the motor current of each axis. By setting error margins and collision detection thresholds, collision detection can be achieved in a cost-effective manner without the need for additional sensors. Experiments were conducted to evaluate this dynamic modeling approach to collision detection. The findings indicated that the approach is efficacious and capable of identifying the impacts of diverse collision objects. However, compared to sensor-based detection methods, collision detection using dynamic modeling has the disadvantage of lower accuracy. Future research will concentrate on enhancing the calculation accuracy of the theoretical torque to enhance the sensitivity of collision detection. Full article

This paper presents a cost-efficient estimation method, the filtering observer (FOBS), which provides a smooth estimation through prior estimation, enhancing the field-oriented control (FOC) performance of motion control systems by estimating the angular rotor position, angular rotor velocity, and disturbance torque of permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs). The cost-effective FOBS demonstrates characteristics akin to optimal estimating methods and employs arbitrary pole placement, facilitating more straightforward adjustment of the FOBS gain. The non-linear characteristics of low-resolution and low-cost encoders, the computation of angular rotor velocity using traditional techniques, and disturbances over broad frequency ranges in the servo drive system impair the efficacy of the motion control system. As a cost-effective solution, the FOBS minimizes the deficiencies of the low-cost encoder, reduces oscillations and measurement delays in the speed feedback signal, and provides smooth estimation of disturbance torque. Based on the results from experiments, the FOBS was compared against traditional approaches and the performance of the motion control system was examined. Also, the performance of the motion control system was investigated. The results indicate that these enhancements were achieved with low processing power and an easily implementable estimate technique suitable for low-cost industrial systems. Full article

The effects of wave and current on floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) are usually treated separately without considering their inherent interaction. In this study, the coupling effect of wave and current on the dynamic responses of a semi-submerged FOWT carrying a 5-MW NREL turbine is investigated. A numerical model considering the wave–current interaction is introduced, which accounts for the frequency shifts and surface profile changes for waves traveling over currents. The dynamic structural model of the semi-submerged FOWT is established in ANSYS AQWA, where the aero-servo-structural loadings on tower and turbine were obtained from the FAST platform by using the FAST-to-AQWA coding program. Irregular waves with 1- and 50-year return periods, in conjunction with a uniform current, were adopted to evaluate the coupling interaction effects. Waves traveling on positive and on opposite currents are examined in different cases with waves and currents propagating along the surge or sway direction. Waves consistently propagate along positive surge or sway direction. Waves interacting with positive or opposite currents have dramatically different modifications on the wave spectrum. Differences of up to 22% are recorded by comparing both the main motions and mooring tension when the interaction of waves and currents is considered or not. The coupling interaction between waves and currents has a limited influence on the tower base shear forces and bending moments. It was found that a straightforward superposition approach to evaluate the effect of the waves and the currents may underestimate the dynamic motions and mooring tension of FOWTs. Full article

The flatness of the cut surface in enoki mushrooms (Flammulina filiformis Z.W. Ge, X.B. Liu & Zhu L. Yang) is a key factor in quality classification. However, conventional automatic cutting equipment struggles with deformation issues due to its inability to adjust the grasping force based on individual mushroom sizes. To address this, we propose an improved method that integrates visual feedback to dynamically adjust the execution end, enhancing cut precision. Our approach enhances YOLOv8n-seg with Star Net, SPPECAN (a reconstructed SPPF with efficient channel attention), and C2fDStar (C2f with Star Net and deformable convolution) to improve feature extraction while reducing computational complexity and feature loss. Additionally, we introduce a mask ownership judgment and merging optimization algorithm to correct positional offsets, internal disconnections, and boundary instabilities in grasping area predictions. Based on this, we optimize grasping parameters using an improved centroid-based region width measurement and establish a region width-to-PWM mapping model for the precise conversion from visual data to gripper control. Experiments in real-situation settings demonstrate the effectiveness of our method, achieving a mean average precision (mAP50:95) of 0.743 for grasping area segmentation, a 4.5% improvement over YOLOv8, with an average detection speed of 10.3 ms and a target width measurement error of only 0.14%. The proposed mapping relationship enables adaptive end-effector control, resulting in a 96% grasping success rate and a 98% qualified cutting surface rate. These results confirm the feasibility of our approach and provide a strong technical foundation for the intelligent automation of enoki mushroom cutting systems. Full article

In recent years, the macro–micro structure (servo platform for macro motion and galvanometer for micro motion) composed of a galvanometer and servo platform has been gradually applied to laser processing in order to address the increasing demand for high-speed, high-precision, and large-format precision machining. The research in this field has evolved from step-and-scan methods to linkage processing methods. Nevertheless, the existing linkage processing methods cannot make full use of the field-of-view (FOV) of the galvanometer. In terms of motion distribution, the existing methods are not suitable for continuous micro segments and generate the problem that the distribution parameter can only be obtained through experience or multiple experiments. In this research, a new laser linkage processing method for global trajectory smoothing of densely discretized paths is proposed. The proposed method can generate a smooth trajectory of the servo platform with bounded acceleration by the finite impulse response (FIR) filter under the global blending error constrained by the galvanometer FOV. Moreover, the trajectory of the galvanometer is generated by vector subtraction, and the motion distribution of macro–micro structure is accurately realized. Experimental verification is carried out on an experimental platform composed of a three-axis servo platform, a galvanometer, and a laser. Simulation experiment results indicate that the processing efficiency of the proposed method is improved by 79% compared with the servo platform processing only and 55% compared with the previous linkage processing method. Furthermore, the method can be successfully utilized on experimental platforms with good tracking performance. In summary, the proposed method adeptly balances efficiency and quality, rendering it particularly suitable for laser precision machining applications. Full article

In manufacturing, the position tracking accuracy and stability of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors are often challenged by uncertainties, especially in complex environments. Existing control methods struggle to balance fast response with high-precision tracking. To address this, we propose a Prescribed Performance Global Non-Singular Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Control (PPGNFTSMC) method using a linear extended state observer (LESO). A smooth and bounded prescribed performance function is designed to ensure finite-time convergence while satisfying performance requirements such as overshoot and settling time. Based on this function, the system error is reconstructed to align the system response with predefined specifications. The reconstructed error is then used to design a global non-singular fast terminal sliding mode surface. A LESO is employed for real-time disturbance estimation, and the disturbance estimates, along with the sliding mode surface, are used to derive the control law for the position–speed integrated controller. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms the comparison methods in transient response, tracking accuracy, and robustness across various signal types. Full article

The windup phenomenon occurs and results in performance degradation while the designed positioning controller output makes actuators saturated. This study presents significant and effective anti-windup controllers for performance improvement and comparison of the position tracking. To address real-world industrial scenarios, the trajectory with a T-curve velocity profile is planned to regulate hardware limitations and maintain efficiency throughout the control process. At first, the dynamic model of an inertia load for a servo control system is established using Newton’s law of motion. Then, anti-windup controllers are designed and implemented based on basic PID controllers. The conducted simulations validate its effectiveness and feasibility. Finally, experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithms achieve smaller overshoot and faster settling time under input saturations when executing specific paths on the X-Y platform, even though the given control commands change. It is verified that the proposed approaches can, indeed, effectively mitigate the windup phenomenon, leading to improved positioning accuracy in industrial applications. Full article