Improved model-free fractional-order intelligent proportional–integral fractional-order sliding mode control with anti-windup compensator

In addition to the difficulty of system modeling, every physical system faces actuator saturation, making the real control different from the controller output (desired control input). When this occurs, the controller output does not regulate the system properly and errors occur as a result of incorrect updating. This is known as the windup phenomenon. In the event that the controller is configured to override actuator saturation, it can lead to a failure in the controller’s performance, such as large overshoots, high response time, and even system instability in the worst case. Therefore, in this paper, a new robust model-free controller method is proposed. It is a combination of four nonlinear control techniques, namely model-free controller, fractional-order sliding mode controller, fractional integral–proportional (PI) controller, and anti-windup compensator, which gives rise to the new model-free controller algorithm called hybrid fractional-order intelligent PI fractional sliding mode controller with an anti-windup compensator termed (MF-FOiPI-FOSMC-AW). However, to illustrate the effectiveness of the new proposed MF-FOiPI-FOSMC-AW method, simulation and experimental results compared to classical PI and iPI controllers (with and without an anti-windup compensator) on a hydraulic system are presented in the presence or absence of external disturbances for different types of references. Finally, simulation is conducted through an experimental comparison of the proposed approach with other strategies such as the classical anti-windup PI controller and the anti-windup intelligent PI controller, which is carried out for this purpose.