QFT Based Robust Control of a Single-Link Flexible Manipulator

Abstract

This article presents the application of multi-input multi-output (MIMO) quantitative feedback theory (QFT) to the control of a single-link flexible manipulator. The manipulator employs an actuation scheme comprised of a DC motor that provides spatially discrete actuation and a surface bonded piezoelectric ceramic that provides spatially distributed actuation. The efficacy of the sequential MIMO QFT methodology for articulating flexible structure control is investigated using the flexible manipulator testbed, with the control system designed to achieve rapid, rest-to-rest positioning of the manipulator tip in the presence of significant parametric and non-parametric structured uncertainty. Numerical simulations and experiments are employed to validate the synthesised control system and the combined discrete-distributed actuation scheme. Conservatisms in the MIMO QFT methodology are identified and partly alleviated using recent theoretical and design improvements.

Keywords

Active vibration control flexible manipulator piezoelectric quantitative feedback theory robust control

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