EE 342 Lab Manual Exp. 7 - 1 Version 4.

4
Ex per i ment 7
St at e Var i abl e Feedbac k



Introduction

This experiment demonstrates the design of control systems using the methods of modern control
theory. If all state variables of a system are accessible or estimable, these may be gain weighted
and summed to provide full state feedback compensation of the system. Theoretically, this
feedback permits the arbitrary placement of the closed loop system poles, programmable via the
feedback gain constants.

In this experiment we will investigate the compensation of the MCSL (without the inverted
pendulum that we attached in Experiment 6) via full state feedback. As in the previous
experiment, the objective is to achieve the best possible step response from the closed loop
system. The feedback of all states of the plant through gain factors will permit the location of the
closed loop system poles at any desired values (within the linear limitations of the system).

Both states of the second order MCSL system (position and velocity) are accessible for feedback
via appropriate transducers. The position state variable is sensed in the form of the position
feedback voltage v
p
. The velocity state variable is sensed in the form of the tachometer
feedback voltage v
T
. These voltages are gain weighted and summed with the input voltage v
i

via the resistances R
2
and R
3
connected to the summing junction of the op amp, and the op amp
feedback resistor R
f
. The state feedback gains K
2
and K
3
are programmed by selection of R
2

and R
3
relative to R
f
. This is illustrated in Figure 1.

The state variable feedback design problem is formulated beginning with the matrix state
equation of the plant. The plant (including the motor, power amplifier and speed reducer) has a
transfer function of the form:

o
o
m
V
K
s s
=

+
|
\

|
.
|
1
(1)
where
= K
K K
N
a m
m

The corresponding differential equation is:

o
m
o o
K v + =
1
(2)
EE 342 State Variable Feedback Experiment 7

EE 342 Lab Manual Exp. 7 - 2 Version 4.4





























Figure 1. Full State Feedback: System Block Diagram and Corresponding Schematic


Define the state variables,
x x x
x
x
o o 1 2
1
2
= = =

(3)
the input variable
u v
o
= (the output of the op amp)

and the output
y
o
=
The state equations are:

x x
x x K u
m
1 2
2 2
1
=
= +

(4)
Plant
(Motor and Power Amp)
x
1
x
2

K
1

K
3

K
2

Position Velocity
+
+
+
Block
Diagram
v
i

y =x
1

+
_
v
p

v
i

R
f

R
3

R
2

R
1

K
T

K
P

K
a

K
s
m
m
m

+
1

1
s

1
N

Plant
v
T

x
2

Velocity
x
1

Position
System
Schematic

EE 342 State Variable Feedback Experiment 7

EE 342 Lab Manual Exp. 7 - 3 Version 4.4
In matrix form,
x Ax b = + u
where

(
(
(
(

=
m
1
0
1 0
A

b =

(
(
(
0
K

The full state feedback control law is:

u K v K v K v
K v K K K K
i p T
i p o T
= + +
= + +
1 2 3
1 2 3

(5)

Note that the tachometer measurement is taken at the motor shaft rather than after the pulley
speed reducer. Therefore,

m o m o
N N Nx = = = = ,

2

Thus,
u K v K K x K K Nx
i p T
= + +
1 2 1 3 2

or in matrix form,
| |
u K K K K N K v
p T i
= +
2 3 1
x (6)

Applying this input to the plant, we get the closed loop system with the modified matrices:

A =

(
(
(
(
0 1
1
2 3
K K K K K K N
p T
m

b =

(
0
1
K K


Since the system matrix is in Controller Canonical Form, the characteristic equation may be
written by inspection of the bottom row of

A:

( )( )
s K K K N s K K K s p s p
T
m
p
2
3 2 1 2
1

|
\

|
.
|
=

(7)
EE 342 State Variable Feedback Experiment 7

EE 342 Lab Manual Exp. 7 - 4 Version 4.4
The values of roots (poles) p
1
and p
2
may therefore be programmed by appropriate selection of
K
2
and K
3
. The objective of this experiment is to use this compensation method to locate the
closed loop system poles p
1
and p
2
such that a desirable step response is obtained.

Recall that for underdamped systems the characteristic equation may be written in terms of the
damping factor and the natural frequency
n
:

( )( )
s s s p s p
n n
2 2
1 2
2 + + = (8)

We select K
2
and K
3
to obtain the desired values of and
n
, which will characterize the step
response of the system.



Procedure

1. Set up the MCSL apparatus the same as in Experiment 2, Configuration 3, including
tachometer feedback viaR R K
T 3
10 = + . Let R R K
f
= =
1
30 . (This sets K
1
1 = .)

2. Using your model parameters from Experiment 1, select appropriate values for K
2
and
K
3
(and therefore R
2
and R
3
) such that = 06 . and
n
is at least as large as that
obtained using cascade compensation in Experiment 5. Report the resistor values and
show all calculations. Limit your resistor selection to reasonable values within the ranges
provided by the decade boxes. Since K
2
effects the steady state gain of the closed-loop
system, try to keep K
2
in the range of 0.5 to 2.0. What are the calculated closed loop
pole locations?

3. Implement your design using the MCSL apparatus and the selected values of the feedback
resistors. Apply a voltage step input of appropriate height and observe the time response
using the digital storage oscilloscope. Note that, depending on the steady state gain you
ended up with, a 6 volt step may be too large, causing the output shaft angle to exceed the
limits of the position sensor pot. Import the data into Sim342 and print the step
response plot. Compare your observations with the expected rise time, settling time, peak
time, and peak overshoot for your design values of and
n
. Report calculated vs.
experimental values of each. Identify each transient response metric on the printed
oscilloscope data plot. Note that since K
p
is negative, v
p
changes in the opposite sense
of v
i
. The steady state output voltage v
p
is equal to
K
K
v
i
1
2
. Derive this relationship.
If zero steady state error is desired (at least theoretically), how might you change K
1
as a
function of K
2
? Would this affect the system response in any way other than scaling the
closed loop gain? If so, how?

EE 342 State Variable Feedback Experiment 7

EE 342 Lab Manual Exp. 7 - 5 Version 4.4
4. Adjust R
2
and R
3
iteratively until the desired step response characteristics are obtained.
To obtain reasonable values of these resistances, first determine the effect of varying each
individually on the steady state v
p
, and
r
and M
p
. Report your final values of R
2
and
R
3
and the corresponding values of K
2
and K
3
. Using Sim342, import and print the
actual step response showing the values of the rise time, peak time, settling time and
peak overshoot. Also report the final experimentally determined closed loop pole
locations.

Compare your experimental with your calculated values of K
2 3
and K . How does the
performance of the state feedback compensation compare with the lead compensation of
Experiment 5?




Prelab Assignment

1. Read the experiment. Review state variable descriptions of linear systems in your EE 302
textbook (Dorf & Bishop, Modern Control Systems, 7
th
ed., Chapter 3). Although the
material in this experiment is intended to be self-contained, it would also be helpful to
review/preview Chapter 11 in the text on The Design of State Variable Systems.

2. Using the design technique described in this experiment, select R
2
and R
3
such that both
poles of your closed-loop system are at s =-2 . Use the model parameter values for your
system. (Find K
2
and K
3
first, then use these to find R
2
and R
3
.)