Steady-state error analysis

Control system analysis and design focuses on three types of

specifications:
a. Transient response
b. Stability
c. Steady-State Error
What is steady-state error?
Steady-state error is the difference between the input and the
output, for a prescribed test input, as
t
.
Sources of steady-state error
The principal source of steady-state error is nonlinearity in the
system, such as backlash in gears or thresholds in actuators.
Nonlinear behaior as a source of steady-state errors is a iable
topic for study but is beyond our scope. !e restrict ourseles in
this discussion to steady-state errors that arise from the
configuration of the system itself, and the type of applied input.
"isturbances can also cause steady-state error.
#ne of the fundamental reasons for using feedback, despite its
cost and increased comple$ity, is the corresponding
improement in the reduction of the steady-state error of the
system. The steady-state error of a closed- loop system is
%&
usually seeral orders of magnitude smaller than the error of an
open- loop system.
Considering the aboe closed-loop feedback system:
' (
' ( )
' ( ' ( )
' (
' ( )
' (
' ( ' ( s U
s GH
s G s GH
s U
s GH
s G
s U s E
1
]
1

+
+

+

!hen *(s' +),
' (
' ( )
)
' ( s U
s G
s E
+

Therefore, when *(s' +), the steady-state error is gien by:

[ ]
' ( )
' (
lim ' ( ' ( lim ' ( lim
,
s G
s sU
e t y t u t e
s
ss
t t
+


%-
Test Inputs
.t is useful to determine the steady-state error of the system for
three standard test inputs (step, ramp and parabola' for a unity
feedback system (*(s'+)'.
!aeform Name /hysical
interpretation
Time
function
0aplace
Transform
Step Constant
/osition
)
s
)
1amp Constant
elocity
t
%
)
s
/arabola Constant
acceleration
%
%
)
t
&
)
s
To e$plain how these test signals are used, let us assume a
position control system, where the output position follows a
commanded input position (for e$ample, the 2#3'. Step inputs
represent constant position and therefore are useful in
determining the ability of the control system to position itself
with respect to a stationary target (for e$ample, another 2#3
module'.
1amp inputs, with their linearly increasing amplitude, represent
constant-elocity inputs to a position control system. They can
be used to test a system4s ability to follow a linearly increasing
input, or e5uialently, to track a constant elocity target (for
e$amples, ships refueling at sea'.
%6
7inally, parabolas, whose second deriaties are constant,
represent constant-acceleration inputs to position control
systems and can be used to represent accelerating targets to
determine steady-state error performance (an accelerating
missile, or ship'.
Unity Feedback System, Step Input of Magnitude A (U(s)
A!s)
' , ( ) ' ( )
' 8 (
lim
,
G
A
s G
s A s
e
s
ss
+

.t is the form of the loop transfer function 9(s' that determines

the steady-state error.
.n order to hae :ero steady-state error, we must hae:

' ( lim
,
s G
s
The loop transfer function can be written in general form as:

+
+

Q
k
k
N
M
i
i
p s s
z s K
s G
)
)
' (
' (
' (
!here denotes the product of factors. Therefore, the loop
transfer function as s approaches :ero depends on the number of
integrations, N (or the number of poles at the origin'. .f N is
greater than :ero, then 9(,' approaches infinity, and the steady-
state error approaches :ero. The number of integrators is often
called the type number of a system and is simply e5ual to N.
%;
Therefore, for a type :ero system, N + ,, and the steady-state
error is:


+

M
i
Q
k
k i
ss
p z K
A
G
A
e
) )
8 )
' , ( )
This e$pression is finite and yields a finite error.
The constant
' , ( ' ( lim
,
G s G
s

is denoted by "
p
and is called the
position error constant.
' ( lim
,
s G K
s
p

The steady-state error for a unity feedback system, with a step

input of magnitude < is gien by:
p
ss
K
A
e
+

)
.n summary, for a step input to a unity feedback system, the
steady-state error will be :ero if there is at least one pure
integrator in the forward path. .f there are no integrations, then
there will be a non:ero finite error.
Unity Feedback System, #amp Input (U(s) A!s
$
)
' (
lim
' (
lim
' ( )
' 8 (
lim
, ,
%
,
s sG
A
s sG s
A
s G
s A s
e
s s s
ss

<gain, the steady-state error depends on the number of

integrations N. 7or a type- :ero system, N + ,, and the steady-
state error is infinite.
7or a type-one system, the error is:
%=

'

+
1
]
1

Q
k
k
M
i
i
s
ss
p s s z s K s
A
e
) )
,
' ( 8 ' (
lim
That is:
v k i
s
ss
K
A
p z K
A
e

8
lim
,
!here "
%
is designated as the %elocity error constant. The
elocity error constant can be computed as:
' ( lim
,
s sG K
s
v

!hen the transfer function possesses two or more integrations,

N %, the steady-state error will be :ero. !hen N + ), a steady-
state error e$ists, howeer, the steady-state elocity of the
output is e5ual to the elocity of the input.
Unity feedback system, parabola input (U(s) A!s
&
)
!hen the system input is u(t' + <t
%
8%, the steady-state error is
gien by the e$pression:
' (
lim
' ( )
' 8 (
lim
%
,
&
,
s G s
A
s G
s A s
e
s s
ss


+

The steady-state error is infinite for :ero or one integrators

(N + , or N + )'. 7or two integrators, (N + %', we obtain:
a k i
s
ss
K
A
p z K
A
e

8
lim
,
!here "a is designated as the acceleration error constant.
The acceleration error constant can be computed as:
' ( lim
%
,
s G s K
s
a

%>
!hen the number of integrators e5uals or e$ceeds three, then
the steady-state error of the system is :ero.
Control systems are often described in terms of their type
number and the error constants, ?
p
, ?

and ?
a
. "efinitions for
the error constants and the steady-state error for the three inputs
are summari:ed in the table below.
Number of
integrators in
9(s', type
Number
Step, r(t' + <,
1(s' + <8s
.nput
1amp, <t,
<8s
%
/arabola
<t
%
8%
<8s
&
,
p
ss
K
A
e
+

)
.nfinite .nfinite
)
,
ss
e
v
K
A
.nfinite
%
,
ss
e
,
a
K
A
'(ample) Mobile #obot
The steering control for a mobile robot is represented in the
following block diagram:
The steering controller, 9)(s', is
The steady-state error of the system for a step input when ?
%
+ ,
and 9
)
(s' + ?
)
is therefore:
%@
where
)
KK K
p

!hen ?% A ,, we hae a type-one system,
&,
s
K s K
s G
% )
)
' (
+

and the steady-state error is :ero for a step input.

.f the steering command is a ramp input, then the steady-state
error is:
v
ss
K
A
e
where
% )
,
' ( ' ( lim KK s G s sG K
s
v

The transient response of the ehicle to a triangular wae input

when:
s
K s K
s G
% )
)
' (
+

is shown below.
The transient response clearly shows the effect of the steady-
state error, which may not be obBectionable if ?
v
is sufficiently
large.
*on-Unity Feedback Systems
&)
.n general, control systems may not hae unity feedback
(*(s' )' because of compensation used to improe
performance, or because of the physical model for the system.
7or a system in which the feedback is not unity, the units of the
output, C(s', are usually different from the output of the sensor.
7or e$ample, a speed control system is shown below where the
constants in the system account for the conersion from one set
of units to another (here we conert rad8s to olts'.
#ne can always form an e5uialent unity feedback system from
a general non-unity feedback system by using the following
block diagram manipulation.
Forming an e+ui%alent unity feedback system from a general
non-unity feedback system
&%
&&
<t step (b', 9 + 9
)
9
%
and * + *
)
89
)
. <t step (c' Bust remember
to add a D) and a E) loop.
&-