PD Position Control According to

Specifications

This Workbook and the VIs provided are designed for the second generation black Quanser QNET
2.0 DC Motor Board for NI ELVIS II(+) . Second generation VIs can be identified by the small black
symbol in the upper right corner of the VI. These VIs will not work for blue first generation boards.

Topics Covered
• QNET DC Motor position control.

• Proportional-derivative (PD) compensator.

• Designing control according to specifications.

Prerequisits
• QNET DC Motor Qualitative PD Position Control laboratory experiment.
• Modeling and Qualitative PI Speed Control

QNET DC MOTOR Workbook - INSTRUCTOR v 2.0

1 Background
Control of motor position is a natural way to introduce the benefits of derivative action. In this experiment a
proportional-integral-derivative controller is designed according to specifications. The closed-loop PID control block
diagram is shown in Figure 1.1.

Figure 1.1: DC Motor PID closed-loop block diagram

The two-degree of freedom PID transfer function inside the PID block in Figure 1.1 is
∫ t
u = kp (bsp r(t) − y(t)) + ki (r(τ ) − y(τ ))dτ + kd (bsd ṙ(t) − ẏ(t)) , (1.1)
0

where kp is the position proportional control gain, kd is the derivative control gain, ki is the integral control gain, bsp
is the set-point weight on the reference position r(t), and bsd is the set-point weight on the velocity reference of r(t).

The dotted box labeled Motor in Figure 1.1 is the motor model in terms of the back-emf motor constant km , the
electrical motor armature resistance Rm , and the equivalent moment of inertia of the motor pivot Jeq . The direct
disturbance applied to the inertial wheel is represented by the disturbance torque variable Td and the simulated
disturbance voltage is denoted by the variable Vsd .

1.1 PD Control Design

The behavior of the controlling the motor position is first analyzed using a PD control. By setting ki = 0 in the PID
control equation Equation 1.1 and taking its Laplace transform, the PD transfer transfer function is

u = kp (r − y) + kd s(bsd r − y). (1.2)

Combining the position process model

Θm (s) K
= (1.3)
Vm (s) s(τ s + 1)
with the PD control Equation 1.2 gives the closed-loop transfer function of the motor position system

K (kp + bsd kd s)
Gθ,r (s) = . (1.4)
τ s2 + (1 + Kkd )s + Kkp

Similarly to PI speed control, the standard characteristic equation s2 + 2sζωn + ωn2 can be achieved by setting the
proportional gain to
ω2 τ
kp = 0 , (1.5)
K
and the derivative gain to
−1 + 2ζω0 τ
kd = . (1.6)
K

QNET DC MOTOR Workbook - INSTRUCTOR 2

1.2 Peak Time and Overshoot
The standard second-order transfer function has the form

Y (s) ωn2
= 2 , (1.7)
R(s) s + 2ζωn s + ωn2

where ωn is the natural undamped frequency and ζ is the damping ratio. The properties of its response depend
on the values of the ωn and ζ parameters. Consider when a second-order system, as shown in Equation 1.7, is
subjected to a step input given by

R0
R(s) = (1.8)
s

with a step amplitude of R0 = 1.5. The system response to this input is shown in Figure 1.2, where the red trace is
the response (output) y(t) and the blue trace is the step input r(t).

Figure 1.2: Standard second-order step response.

The maximum value of the response is denoted by the variable ymax and it occurs at a time tmax . For a response
similar to Figure 1.2, the percent overshoot is found using

100 (ymax − R0 )
PO = . (1.9)
R0

In a second-order system, the amount of overshoot depends solely on the damping ratio parameter and it can be
calculated using the equation ( )
− √ πζ
1−ζ 2
P O = 100e . (1.10)

QNET DC MOTOR Workbook - INSTRUCTOR v 2.0

From the initial step time t0 , the time it takes for the response to reach its maximum value is

tp = tmax − t0 . (1.11)

This is called the peak time of the system and it depends on both the damping ratio and natural frequency of the
system. It can be derived analytically as
π
tp = √ . (1.12)
ωn 1 − ζ 2

Generally speaking, the damping ratio affects the shape of the response while the natural frequency affects the
speed of the response.

1.3 Position Control Virtual Instrument

Tracking a reference position square wave using PID control is first examined in this laboratory. Then, disturbance
effects using PD and PID are studied through direct manual interaction or a simulated using a control switch in the
VI. The LabVIEW™ virtual instrument for position control is shown in Figure 1.3.

Figure 1.3: Virtual instrument for DC motor position control

See Wikipedia for more information on motion control, control theory and PID.

QNET DC MOTOR Workbook - INSTRUCTOR 4

2 In-Lab Exercise
1. A-2 Calculate the expected peak time tp and percentage overshoot P O given

• ζ = 0.60,
• ω0 = 25.0 rad/s.

Optional: You can also design a VI that simulates the DC motor first-order model with a PD control and have
it calculate the peak time and overshoot.

Answer 2.1
Outcome Solution
A-2 Substituting the ζ above in Equation 1.10 yields

P O = 9.45 %. (Ans.2.1)

Using Equation 1.12, the peak time equation with the ω0 and ζ given above equates to

.tp = 0.16 s (Ans.2.2)

You can also run the DCMC_Position_PD_CD_Instructor.vi to simulate the step response
and find the peak time and percentage overshoot.

2. A-2 Assuming the model steady-state gain is K = 26 V/rad and time constant is τ = 0.145 s, calculate the
proportional and derivative control gains kp and kd , respectively, to meet the specifications above.

Answer 2.2
Outcome Solution
A-2 Substituting the model parameters and natural frequency given above into Equation 1.5
generates the proportional control gain

kp = 3.486 V/rad. (Ans.2.3)

The derivative control gain is obtained by applying the model parameters with the natural
frequency and damping ratio specifications to Equation 1.6

kd = 0.129 V/(rad/s). (Ans.2.4)

You can also run the DCMC_Speed_PI_CD_Instructor.vi to find the PI gains. It also
generates the set-point weight parameter.

3. Open the QNET DC Motor Position Control.vi. Make sure the correct Device is chosen.
4. Run the VI. You should see the DC motor rotating back and forth.

5. In the Signal Generator section set:

• Amplitude (rad) = 0.50
• Frequency (Hz) = 0.40
• Offset (rad) = 0.00

6. In the Control Parameters section, set the PD gains to the values found in Step 2. The PD controller is
implemented with bsd = 0.

QNET DC MOTOR Workbook - INSTRUCTOR v 2.0

7. B-5, K-2 Capture the position response found in the Position (rad) scope and control signal used in the Voltage
(V) scope.

Answer 2.3
Outcome Solution
B-5 If the experimental procedure is followed correctly, the measured QNET DC Motor
closed-loop position step response should be similar to Figure Ans.2.1.

K-2 The closed-loop position response when using the PD control gains Equation Ans.2.3 and
Equation Ans.2.4 with bsd = 0 is shown in Figure Ans.2.1.

(a) Motor Position (b) Motor Voltage

Figure Ans.2.1: Measured PD position control response.

8. K-1, B-9 Measure the peak time and percentage overshoot of the measured position response. Are the
specifications satisfied?

Answer 2.4
Outcome Solution
K-1 Looking at the two cycles in the response in Figure Ans.2.1, the peak of transient occurs
about 0.125 seconds after the rising edge of the step, thus

tp = 0.1 s. (Ans.2.5)

As shown in Figure Ans.2.1, when tracking the square reference the motor position does not
go over 0.52 rad, so the overshoot is approximately less than

P O = 2.0 %. (Ans.2.6)

Note that there is a steady-state error of ≈ 3 %. This is due to relatively small error signal
that results in an input voltage in the deadband of the DC Motor. Adding an integral gain
would increase the tracking performance, see the laboratory experiment on Tracking and
Disturbance Rejection.

B-9 The specifications computed in Equation Ans.2.1 and Equation Ans.2.2 are satisfied.

9. B-2 What effect does changing the specification zeta have on the measured position response and the
generated control gains?

QNET DC MOTOR Workbook - INSTRUCTOR 6

 Answer 2.5
Outcome Solution
B-2 Increasing the damping ratio ζ decreases the overshoot of the response but increases the
peak time (slows down the response). In term of control gains, as ζ is increased the
derivative gain kd increases (there is no effect on the proportional gain kp ).

10. B-2 What effect does changing the specification ω0 have on the measured position response and the
generated control gains?

Answer 2.6
Outcome Solution
B-2 Increasing the natural frequency ω0 decreases the peak time (i.e. the response becomes
faster) and has no major effect on the percent overshoot. In term of control gains, as ω0 goes
up both kp and kd increase.

11. Stop the VI by clicking on the Stop button.

QNET DC MOTOR Workbook - INSTRUCTOR v 2.0

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QNET DC MOTOR Workbook - INSTRUCTOR 8