MPC Control and LQ Optimal Control of A Two-Link Robot Arm: A Comparative Study

Hierarchical multiloop MPC scheme for robot manipulators with nonlinear disturbance observer

This paper addresses the robust enhancement problem in the control of robot manipulators. A new hierarchical multiloop model predictive control (MPC) scheme is proposed by combining an inverse dynamics-based feedback linearization and a nonlinear disturbance observer (NDO) based uncertainty compensation. By employing inverse dynamics-based feedback linearization, the multi-link robot manipulator was decoupled to reduce the computational burden compared with the traditional MPC method. Moreover, an NDO was introduced into the input torque signal to compensate and correct the errors from external disturbances and uncertainties, aiming to enhance the robustness of the proposed controller. The feasibility of the proposed hierarchical multiloop MPC scheme was verified and validated via simulation of a 3-DOF robot manipulator. Results demonstrate that the proposed controller provides comparative accuracy and robustness and extends the existing state-of-the-art algorithms for the trajectory tracking problem of robot manipulators with disturbances.

Optimal design of model predictive controller based on transient search optimization applied to robotic manipulators

Due to nonlinearity and uncertainty of the robotic manipulator, the design of the robot controller has a crucial impact on its performance of motion and trajectory tracking. In this paper, the linear parameter varying (LPV) - model predictive controller (MPC) of a two-link robot manipulator is established and then the controller's optimal parameters are determined via a newly developed meta-heuristic algorithm, transient search optimization (TSO). The proposed control method is verified by set point and nonlinear trajectory tracking. In the test of set-point tracking, the LPV-MPC scheme optimized by TSO has better performance compared to the computed torque controller (CTC) schemes tuned by TSO or other metaheuristic algorithms. In addition, good performances can also be observed in the tests of nonlinear trajectory tracking via the LPV-MPC scheme by TSO. Moreover, the robustness of the method to structural uncertainty is verified by setting a large system parameter deviation. Results reveal that we achieved some improvements in the optimization of MPC of the robot manipulator by employing the proposed method.

A Computationally Efficient Model Predictive Current Control of Synchronous Reluctance Motors Based on Hysteresis Comparators

Model predictive current control (MPCC) has recently become a powerful advanced control technology in industrial drives. However, current prediction in MPCC requires a high number of voltage vectors (VVs) synthesizable by the converter, thus being computationally demanding. Accordingly, in this paper, a computationally efficient MPCC of synchronous reluctance motors (SynRMs) that reduces the number of VVs used for prediction is proposed. By making the most of the simplicity of hysteresis current control (HCC) and integrating it with the MPCC scheme, only four out of eight predictions are needed to determine the best VV, dramatically reducing algorithm computations. The experimental results show that the execution time can be shortened by 20% while maintaining the highest control efficiency.

A Novel, Oriented to Graphs Model of Robot Arm Dynamics

Robotics is an interdisciplinary field and there exist several well-known approaches to represent the dynamics model of a robot arm. The robot arm is an open kinematic chain of links connected through rotational and translational joints. In the general case, it is very difficult to obtain explicit expressions for the forces and the torques in the equations where the driving torques of the actuators produce desired motion of the gripper. The robot arm control depends significantly on the accuracy of the dynamic model. In the existing literature, the complexity of the dynamic model is reduced by linearization techniques or techniques like machine learning for the identification of unmodelled dynamics. This paper proposes a novel approach for deriving the equations of motion and the actuator torques of a robot arm with an arbitrary number of joints. The proposed approach for obtaining the dynamic model in closed form employs graph theory and the orthogonality principle, a powerful concept that serves as a generalization for the law of conservation of energy. The application of this approach is demonstrated using a 3D-printed planar robot arm with three degrees of freedom. Computer experiments for this robot are executed to validate the dynamic characteristics of the mathematical model of motion obtained by the application of the proposed approach. The results from the experiments are visualized and discussed in detail.

A Computationally Efficient Model Predictive Control of Six-Phase Induction Machines Based on Deadbeat Control

Model predictive current control (MPCC) has recently become a viable alternative for multiphase electric drives, because it easily exploits the inherent advantages of multi-phase machines. However, the prediction in MPCC requires a high number of voltage vectors (VVs), being therefore computationally demanding. In that regard, this paper proposes a computationally efficient MPCC of an asymmetrical six-phase induction machine drive (ASIMD) that reduces the number of VVs used for prediction. By using the characteristics of the deadbeat control (DB), the proposed method obtains a reference voltage vector (RVV), where its position will serve as a reference and integrates the MPCC scheme. Only 4 out of 13 predictions are needed to determine the best VV, dramatically reducing the algorithm computation. Experimental results for a six-phase case study compare the standard MPCC with the suggested method, confirming that deadbeat model predictive current control (DB-MPCC) shows that the execution time can be shortened by 48.8% and successfully improve the motor performance and efficiency.

A Critical Review of Control Techniques for Flexible and Rigid Link Manipulators

There is a high demand for developing effective controllers to perform fast and accurate operations for either flexible link manipulators (FLMs) or rigid link manipulators (RLMs). Thus, this paper is beneficial for such vast field, and it is also advantageous and indispensable for researchers who are interested in robotics to have sufficient knowledge about various controllers of FLMs and RLMs as the controllers’ concepts are elaborated in detail. The paper concentrates in critically reviewing classical controllers, intelligent controllers, robust controllers, and hybrid controllers for both FLMs and RLMs. The advantages and disadvantages of the aforementioned control methods are summarized in this paper; it also has a detailed comparison for the controllers in terms of the design difficulty, performance, and the suitability for controlling FLMs or RLMs.

Tuning and Feasibility Analysis of Classical First-Order MIMO Non-Linear Sliding Mode Control Design for Industrial Applications

Model-based control techniques have been gaining more and more interest these days. These complex control systems are mostly based on theories, such as feedback linearization, model predictive control, adaptive and robust control. In this paper the latter approach is investigated, in particular, sliding mode (SM) control is analyzed. While several works on the description and application of SM control on single-input single-output systems can easily be found, its application on multi-input multi-output systems is not examined in depth at the same level. Hence, this work aims at formalizing some theoretical complements about the necessary conditions for the feasibility of the SM control for multi-input-multi-output systems. Furthermore, in order to obtain the desired performance from the control system, a method for parameter tuning is proposed in the particular case in which the relative degree of the controlled channels is equal to one. Finally, a simple control problem example is shown with the aim of stressing the benefits derived from the application of the theoretical complements described here.