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MF2030 Mechatronics basic course

Final exam
Time:
October 19, 2010, 9:00 13:00
Max total points: 35
Allowed:
Calculators, dictionary (English to mother tongue)
Not allowed:
No other books or notes.
Answers:
Should be given in English, and please write them in an easily readable form and with motivation
and reasoning that can be followed. Be concrete and concise without unnecessary lengthy texts.

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1. Signalconversion:analogtodigitalanddigitaltoanalog(3points)
In mechatronic systems signals are converted between the discrete digital domain and the analog physical domain.
a) What is meant by the resolution of A/D and D/A converters and how is resolution typically specified?
b) What is signal quantization in this context?
c) Pulse width modulation (PWM) produces an output signal which is switched between two levels, typically between
zero and a maximum level. Explain whyPWMoftencanbeusedtoreplaceaD/Aconverter (which actually
directly produces and analog output) and explain whichpropertyofthePWMsignalthatcontrolstheanalog
level.
Solution:
a) (1 p) The resolution is the smallest signal increment that can be represented by the digital signal. It is usually
measured as the number of binary bits corresponding to the full range of the converter, i.e. an 8bit converter has
a signal resolution of the full range divided by 255.
b) (0,5 p) Quantization refers to the fact that the digital signal is no longer a continuous signal but a signal
characterized by steps (or quanta)
c) (1,5 p) If the PWM drives a load which has low pass characteristics (e.g. the dynamics of the process cannot follow
the fast PWM switching) the load will act as following the average (over time) of the PWM signal. It is the so called
duty cycle of the PWM that controls the analogue level. The duty cycle corresponds to the percentage of ontime
in relation to the full period time of the PWM pulse train.

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2. Sensors(3points)
In a development team you are given the task of looking at different possible sensor type selections in the context of
developing an active leveling control of the drivers cabin on a forest harvesting machine. Such a machine does typically not
use any wheel suspension despite the fact that it is operating in very difficult and irregular terrain. Consider the machine
consisting of two main parts, the chassis and the drivers cabin, both assumed to be stiff bodies with the active leveling
system in between. The leveling system is supposed to compensateforrotationaldisturbances around the longitudinal axis
(sideway motions) and lateral axis (back and forth motions) of the machine. The disturbances are caused by interaction with
the irregular ground when the machine is moving in terrain.
a)

Suggest a setofsensortypes of your choice and where (on which body/bodies) you would put them and shortly
howtheywouldbeused. Limit yourself to three sensors.
b) Considering control performance of the leveling system, mention and describe the meaning of three important
selectioncriteria for the sensors. You do not need to do this individually for each sensor.
Hint on a): When using feedback control it is often an advantage to select the measured variable as close as possible to the
actual control objective (keeping the drivers cabin horizontal). When using feed forward control to compensate for
disturbances it is often an advantage to select the measured variable close to the disturbance.
Solution
a) (1,5 p) Inclinometer e.g. for low bandwidth precise control and drift compensation of other sensors
Gyro e.g. on cabin for precise control
Accelerometers e.g. on chassis for quick information of ground disturbances
Angle/position sensors e.g. in between chassis and cabin
b) (1,5 p) Bandwidth, range, linearity, resolution,

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KTH, Machine Design, Mechatronics Lab

3. Sensors(2points)
Describe the operation of an optical angular incremental sensor according to the following
a) How is rotation and directionofrotation detected?
b) In a computer based feedback control system, angular velocity is controlled by using the derivativeof a signal from
an angular incremental sensor. Discuss this derivativeactioninrelationtosensorresolutionandsamplingrate.
Solution
a) (1 p) Rotation is detected by light detecting device detecting light pulses from a light source where the light passes
e.g. through holes in a rotating discs connected to the sensor shaft. The detected light pulses are then counted in
e.g. a microprocessor. The direction of rotation is detected by having two pulse trains separately generated and
detected in the sensor but with a 90 degrees phase shift such that the order of e.g. the rising flanks of the two
pulse trains (which of the pulse trains that is detected first) can be detected by logic and hence the direction of
rotation.
b) (1 p) Taking the derivative of a sampled signal means subtracting one sample of the signal from the previous
sample and dividing by sample time. I the signal resolution is low and the sample time short the resolution of the
derivative signal may be very bad.

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KTH, Machine Design, Mechatronics Lab

4. Basicmodelingelements(4points)
Combine the respective properties energystoringelement or energydissipating element with the four elements
mechanical spring, mechanical damper, electrical inductance and electrical capacitor. Regarding the mechanical elements,
we consider linear rather than rotational elements. For each element, state a constitutiveequation relating the across and
through variable pairs velocity v/force f and voltage u/current i respectively. When relevant, state the equationofthe
storedenergyoftheelements.
Note: Provide the answer in table format with the columns Element, Energystoring/dissipating, Constitutiveequation and
Storedenergy respectively from left to right.

Spring

Storing

F ky or F kv

Damper

Dissipating

F kv

Inductance

Storing

Capacitor

Storing

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1 2
ky
2

uL

di
dt

1 2
Li
2

iC

du
dt

1 2
Cu
2

KTH, Machine Design, Mechatronics Lab

5. Actuatormodeling(6points)
A rotational DCmotor has input voltage U, winding resistance R (), winding inductance L (H), torque constant Km (Nm/A),
backemf constant Kemf (Vs/rad), and rotor inertia J (kgm2).
a)

Derive the differentialequations governing the dynamic behavior of the electrical and mechanical parts of the
motor. Consider motor voltageasinputangularvelocityasoutput.
b) Give the corresponding statespacemodelof the motor and load on the form:

x Ax Bu
y Cx
where x is the state vector, u is the input and y is the output.
c)

Draw a blockdiagrammodel of the complete motor with voltage as input and angular velocity as output. Assume
anexternaltorqueTisactingontheshaftandincludeTintheblockdiagrammodel.
d) In many cases the dynamicsrelatedtothecurrentbuild up in the rotor winding can be neglected explain why!
Solution
a)

di 1
(U i Ri K emf )
dt L
K
m i
J

b)

x1 i

x x 2


x Ax Bu
x1 R L K emf L 0 x1 1 L


0
0 x 2 0 U i
x 2 K m J




y Cx
0 0

y 0 1

x1

x 2

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Ui
1/J

c)
d) This d
dynamic is typ
pically very fasst due to the low inductancce in the moto
or winding. Thee rest of the syystem typicallly
has slower
s
dynamics; hence thee response of tthe system in terms of e.g. aangular velociity and positio
on will follow
the slow
s
dynamicss (i.e. it cannott follow the faast dynamics of
o the windinggs). Therefor th
he motor wind
ding dynamicss
can b
be neglected.

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nics Lab

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6. Modeliing(7points)

C
Consider the mechanical
m
syystem depicted
d above and consisting
c
of a linear dampeer d (Ns/m) and linear springg k (N/m) in
parallel conneected to a masss m (kg) with position y (m) and resting on
o a horizontaal and friction free surface. A force input F
is acting on th
he mass.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.

EEstablish the d
differentialeq
quationmodeel of the system
m.
W
Which
is the order
o
of the syystem?
D
Draw
a blockd
diagram model of the systeem with force as input and m
mass position as output.
E
Establish
the ccorrespondingg statespacem
model.
G
Given
a state sspace model o
of a dynamic ssystem, how do
d you get thee correspondin
ng transferfun
nctionmodel??
G the answ
Give
wer as a genera
alsolution to any state space model.
E
Establish
thettransferfuncttionmodelofthespecificsyystem.
S
Sketch
the steepresponse (m
mass position as a function o
of time) of thee system up untilsteadysta
ate for the tw
wo
c
casesoflowa
andhighdamp
ping.
D
Derive
the steeadystatevallueofthemasssposition.

SSolution

a)

1
( F ky dy )
m

b) 2nd o
order
c)

d)

x1 y,

x2 y

1 0
0
d x 1 F
x k
m m m
y
e) G( s ) C ( sI
s A) 1 B
u
M
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f)

G (s)

1
ms ds k
2

g)

h) y ss

F
k

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7. Filters((2points)
In many mech
hatronic system
ms a filter is in
nstalled betweeen the senso
or and control computer.
a) Whatt is this particular filter calleed and why is it needed?
b) Whatt filteringprop
perties does ssuch a filter haave?
c) Sketcch such a filter built from paassive electriccal componentts and indicatee which are input terminalss and which arre
output terminals.
andwidthofth
hefilterbech
hosen in relatio
on to sampling frequency o
of the controlleer?
d) How should the ba
SSolution
a) Antialiasing filter (low pass filerr) to hinder higher frequenccy signals thatt can be misintterpreted afteer sampling
b) Low pass character

c)
d) Loweer than the sam
mpling frequeency divided b
by 2

M
Mechatronics basic course

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gn, Mechatron
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8. Dynam
micresponsse(4pointss)
a)

Sketcch the timereesponsetoastepinput of an underdamp


ped second orrder system w
with steady state gain of 0.1
and rresonance frequency of 0.5 Hz.
b) Indiccate in the response curve and
a defineoveershoot,peakktime,risetim
meandsettling
gtime.
c) For the system you
u sketched in a) indicate in a pole/zeropllane approxim
mately and in principle
p
wherrethepolesa
are
locatted (without cconsidering an
ny numerical vvalues).
d) I you where to con
ntrol the systeem with state ffeedback, indiicate whereyo
ouwouldmovvethepoles in
n order to
reduceovershootiing substantiaally but otherw
wise keep the system as it iss.
SSolution
a)

0.1

b) See ffigure text


c) and d
d)

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9. Controlstructurees(4pointss).
PID control is a very commo
on control stru
ucture, not on
nly in mechatrronic systems.
Describe the PID control structu
ure usingahig
ghlevelblockdiagram with
h four blocks: tthe system to be controlled
d,
P
the Ipaart and the Dpart.
the Ppart,
b) Explaain the roleoffeachcontrolllerpart.
a)

SSolution

a)
b) P: Co
ontrol signal proportional to
o output errorr. Reduces the influence of d
disturbances.
I: Con
ntrol signal prroportional to the time integgral of the outtput error. Reduces (or elim
minates) steady state errors
D: Co
ontrol signal p
proportional to
o the derivativve of the output error. Increeases the dam
mping of the syystem, reduces
oscilllatory behavio
or.

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Mechatronics basic course

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