Real-time Control Loop Research Articles

The Impact of Deadline Misses on the Control Performance of High-End Motion Control Systems

In high-end motion control systems, the real-time computational platform must execute tasks from multiple control loops operating at high sampling rates. In recent years, traditional special-purpose platforms have been replaced by general-purpose multiprocessor platforms, which introduce significant fluctuations in execution times. While considering worst-case execution times would severely reduce the sampling rates, accepting deadline misses and assuring that the control system still meets the desired specifications is challenging. In this paper, we provide a framework to model and assert the impact of deadline misses in a real-time control loop. We consider stochastic models for deadline misses and characterize the mean and the variance of closed-loop output variables based on a time-domain analysis. We illustrate the usefulness of our framework in the control of a benchmark motion control experimental setup and in the control of a wafer stage in a lithographic machine.

Real-time dynamic process control loop identification, tuning and optimization software

In today’s globally competitive marketplace, industrial plants are looking at new ways to increase plant efficiency, production rates, safety and reliability. Engineer education, training and plant optimization play a key role in satisfying technological, economical and environmental constraints. Furthermore, control system optimization is the basis for system improvement and advanced process control (APC) implementation.Only a small minority of plants use modern software for controller tuning, simulation, APC or optimization. The reasons are absence of engineering knowledge, unavailability of practical and robust process control software tools for system identification, simulation and parameter optimization and running plants conservatively due to fear of causing shutdowns and plant problems.This paper presents a process control simulator and loop optimizer applied to a temperature control application. This paper also illustrates the application of software for quick and easy multivariable closed-loop system identification using data from a plant’s historian. Such software can tremendously help to improve control education of students and plant personnel.

An Optimal Real-Time Controller for Vertical Plasma Stabilization

Modern Tokamaks have evolved from the initial axisymmetric circular plasma shape to an elongated axisymmetric plasma shape that improves the energy confinement time and the triple product, which is a generally used figure of merit for the conditions needed for fusion reactor performance. However, the elongated plasma cross section introduces a vertical instability that demands a real-time feedback control loop to stabilize the plasma vertical position and velocity. At the Tokamak \`a Configuration Variable (TCV) in-vessel poloidal field coils driven by fast switching power supplies are used to stabilize highly elongated plasmas. TCV plasma experiments have used a PID algorithm based controller to correct the plasma vertical position. In late 2013 experiments a new optimal real-time controller was tested improving the stability of the plasma. This contribution describes the new optimal real-time controller developed. The choice of the model that describes the plasma response to the actuators is discussed. The high order model that is initially implemented demands the application of a mathematical order reduction and the validation of the new reduced model. The lower order model is used to derive the time optimal control law. A new method for the construction of the switching curves of a bang-bang controller is presented that is based on the state-space trajectories that optimize the time to target of the system. A closed loop controller simulation tool was developed to test different possible algorithms and the results were used to improve the controller parameters. The final control algorithm and its implementation are described and preliminary experimental results are discussed.

RTRO–Coal: Real-Time Resource-Reconciliation and Optimization for Exploitation of Coal Deposits

This contribution presents an innovative and integrated framework for real-time-process reconciliation and optimization (RTRO) in large continuous open pit coal mines. RTRO-Coal is currently developed, validated, tested and implemented as part of a multi-national multi-partner European Union funded R&D project. The key concept is to promote a shift in paradigm from intermittent discontinuous to a continuous process monitoring and quality management system in large scale coal mining operations. The framework is based on a real-time feedback control loop linking online data acquired during extraction rapidly with a sequentially up-datable resource model. The up-to-date model is integrated with a real-time optimization of short-term sequencing and production control decisions. Improved decisions are expected to lead to increased resource-and process efficiency and support a sustainable extraction of natural resources. This contribution introduces to the framework, discusses main building blocks and illustrates the value added by the means of selected examples.

2D interpolation and extrapolation of discrete magnetic measurements with toroidal harmonics for equilibrium reconstruction in a tokamak

We present a method based on the use of toroidal harmonics and on a modelization of the poloidal field coils and divertor coils for the 2D interpolation and extrapolation of discrete magnetic measurements in a tokamak. The method is generic and can be used to provide the Cauchy boundary conditions needed as input by a fixed domain equilibrium reconstruction code like Equinox (Blum et al 2012 J. Comput. Phys. 231 960–80). It can also be used to extrapolate the magnetic measurements in order to compute the plasma boundary itself. The proposed method and algorithm are detailed in this paper and results from numerous numerical experiments are presented. The method is foreseen to be used in the real-time plasma control loop on the WEST tokamak (Bucalossi et al 2011 Fusion Eng. Des. 86 684–8).

Evaluating ITER remote handling middleware concepts

Remote maintenance activities in ITER will be performed by a unique set of hardware systems, supported by an extensive software kit. A layer of middleware will manage and control a complex set of interconnections between teams of operators, hardware devices in various operating theatres, and databases managing tool and task logistics. The middleware is driven by constraints on amounts and timing of data like real-time control loops, camera images, and database access.The Remote Handling Study Centre (RHSC), located at FOM institute DIFFER, has a 4-operator work cell in an ITER relevant RH Control Room setup which connects to a virtual hot cell back-end. The centre is developing and testing flexible integration of the Control Room components, resulting in proof-of-concept tests of this middleware layer. SW components studied include generic human-machine interface software, a prototype of a RH operations management system, and a distributed virtual reality system supporting multi-screen, multi-actor, and multiple independent views. Real-time rigid body dynamics and contact interaction simulation software supports simulation of structural deformation, “augmented reality” operations and operator training.The paper presents generic requirements and conceptual design of middleware components and Operations Management System in the context of a RH Control Room work cell. The simulation software is analyzed for real-time performance and it is argued that it is critical for middleware to have complete control over the physical network to be able to guarantee bandwidth and latency to the components.

Speeding up liquid crystal SLMs using overdrive with phase change reduction

Nematic liquid crystal spatial light modulators (SLMs) with fast switching times and high diffraction efficiency are important to various applications ranging from optical beam steering and adaptive optics to optical tweezers. Here we demonstrate the great benefits that can be derived in terms of speed enhancement without loss of diffraction efficiency from two mutually compatible approaches. The first technique involves the idea of overdrive, that is the calculation of intermediate patterns to speed up the transition to the target phase pattern. The second concerns optimization of the target pattern to reduce the required phase change applied to each pixel, which in addition leads to a substantial reduction of variations in the intensity of the diffracted light during the transition. When these methods are applied together, we observe transition times for the diffracted light fields of about 1 ms, which represents up to a tenfold improvement over current approaches. We experimentally demonstrate the improvements of the approach for applications such as holographic image projection, beam steering and switching, and real-time control loops.

Magnetorheological valve in servo applications

In this article, the servo property of a high-performance magnetorheological valve will be evaluated by closing the pressure feedback loop. The magnetorheological valve developed in this study has two separately controllable fluid flow channels and is especially designed for high-frequency applications. A state space model of the magnetorheological valve from the control signal to the pressure output will be identified, and the identified model is used for tuning a proportional–integral–derivative controller and for simulation of the closed-loop system. Finally, the controller will be implemented to a control computer, and the pressure output will be controlled in a real-time control loop. By analyzing the dynamic and static performance of the magnetorheological servo valve, it can be stated that the magnetorheological valve has a good potential for high-frequency pressure and force control applications.

Feedback control of Layerwise Laser Melting using optical sensors

Layerwise Laser Melting (LLM) is a layerwise production technique enabling the production of complex metallic parts. Thin powder layers are molten according to a predefined scan pattern by means of a laser source. Nowadays constant process parameters are used throughout the build, leading for some geometries to an overly thick feature size or overheating at downfacing surfaces. In this paper a monitoring and control system is presented which enables monitoring the melt pool continously at high speed throughout the building process. The signals from the sensors can be incorporated in a real-time control loop, in this way enabling feedback control of the process parameters. In this paper the experimental set-up will be first shown. Next the dynamic relation between the melt pool and the process parameters is identified. Finally the proof of concept for feedback control is demonstrated with experimental results.

Human mammalian cell sorting using a highly integrated micro-fabricated fluorescence-activated cell sorter (microFACS).

We demonstrate a high performance microfabricated FACS system with highly integrated microfluidics, optics, acoustics, and electronics. Single cell manipulation at a high speed is made possible by the fast response time (approximately 0.1 ms) of the integrated PZT actuator and the nozzle structure at the sorting junction. A Teflon AF-coated optofluidic waveguide along the microfluidic channel guides the illumination light, enabling multi-spot detection, while a novel space-time coding technology enhances the detection sensitivity of the microFACS system. The real-time control loop system is implemented using a field-programmable-gate-array (FPGA) for automated and accurate sorting. The microFACS achieves a high purification enrichment factor: up to approximately 230 fold for both polystyrene microbeads and suspended human mammalian cells (K562) at a high throughput (>1000 cells s(-1)). The sorting mechanism is independent of cell properties such as size, density, and shape, thus the presented system can be applied to sort out any pure sub-populations. This new lab-on-a-chip FACS system, therefore, holds promise to revolutionize microfluidic cytometers to meet cost, size, and performance goals.

Chatter prevention and improved finish of workpiece for a milling process

This paper presents how real-time chatter prevention can be realized by feedback of an acoustic cutting signal. The efficacy of the proposed adaptive spindle speed tuning algorithm is verified by intensive experimental simulations. A pair of microphones, perpendicular to each other, is used to acquire the acoustic cutting signal resulting from milling chatter. A real-time feedback control loop is constructed for spindle speed compensation in such a way to ensure that the milling process is within the stability zone of the stability lobe diagram. The acoustic chatter signal index (ACSI) and the spindle speed compensation strategy (SSCS) are proposed to quantify the acoustic signal and actively to tune the spindle speed respectively. By converting the acoustic feedback signal into the ACSI, an appropriate spindle speed compensation rate (SSCR) can be determined by the SSCS based on a real-time chatter level or the ACSI. Accordingly, the compensation command, referred to as added-on voltage (AOV), is applied to increase/decrease the spindle motor speed. By employing the commercial software MATLAB/Simulink and the dSpace DS1104 interface module to implement the controller, the proposed chatter prevention algorithm is practically verified by intensive experiments. By inspection on the precision and quality of the workpiece surface after milling, the efficacy of the real-time chatter prevention strategy via acoustic signal feedback is further assured.

The technology and science of steady-state operation in magnetically confined plasmas

The steady-state operation of magnetically confined fusion plasmas is considered as one of the ‘grand challenges’ of future decades, if not the ultimate goal of the research and development activities towards a new source of energy. Reaching such a goal requires the high-level integration of both science and technology aspects of magnetic fusion into self-consistent plasma regimes in fusion-grade devices.On the physics side, the first constraint addresses the magnetic confinement itself which must be made persistent. This means to either rely on intrinsically steady-state configurations, like the stellarator one, or turn the inductively driven tokamak configuration into a fully non-inductive one, through a mix of additional current sources. The low efficiency of the external current drive methods and the necessity to minimize the re-circulating power claim for a current mix strongly weighted by the internal ‘pressure driven’ bootstrap current, itself strongly sensitive to the heat and particle transport properties of the plasma. A virtuous circle may form as the heat and particle transport properties are themselves sensitive to the current profile conditions. Note that several other factors, e.g. plasma rotation profile, magneto-hydro-dynamics activity, also influence the equilibrium state.In the present tokamak devices, several examples of such ‘advanced tokamak’ physics research demonstrate the feasibility of steady-state regimes, though with a number of open questions still under investigation. The modelling activity also progresses quite fast in this domain and supports understanding and extrapolation.This high level of physics sophistication of the plasma scenario however needs to be combined with steady-state technological constraints. The technology constraints for steady-state operation are basically twofold: the specific technologies required to reach the steady-state plasma conditions and the generic technologies linked to the long pulse operation of a fusion device. The first includes specific additional heating and current drive methods (through externally launched radio-frequency waves or energetic atoms), fuelling and pumping methods, dedicated plasma diagnostics as well as software technologies required for mandatory real time control loops, involving such actuators and sensors. The second class of technologies, generic to any magnetic fusion device, includes the superconducting magnet technologies, in order to provide a stationary confinement magnetic field, the actively cooled plasma facing components (PFCs) handling either radiated or convected power fluxes (often in excess of several tens of MW m−2), dedicated diagnostics monitoring the interfaces (e.g. infrared survey of PFCs), etc. The detailed specifications of all elements must comply with a reactor-relevant environment, in terms of operational parameters as well as lifetime.The paper presents a summary of the present status and understanding of the technology and science of steady-state operation in magnetically confined plasmas, as well as the forthcoming work programme dedicated to the vast R&D programme undertaken in this domain, in particular within the European fusion framework.

A new approach to identifying the elastic behaviour of a manufacturing machine

The dynamic solicitations imposed on modern production machines make the rigid body hypothesis obsolete in mechanical design. To increase productivity while ensuring effector trajectory quality, numerical control of the machine has to integrate the elastic deformations of machine parts. To reach this objective, the elastic behaviour of the machine has to be accurately predicted by a simple but efficient elastic model. This model should involve low-cost computation to be implemented in a real-time control loop, and also necessitates an accurate identification process to attain the required precision. The paper proposes to model the elastic behaviour of the machine using an efficient mass–spring–damper model. The main contribution lies in a new approach to accurately identifying the elastic model parameters. Instead of using modal analysis, the new approach is based on time domain identification using a specific metrological device. The measurement system developed and described in this paper is based on combined computer vision and inertial sensor data. First, the displacements of points of interest on the machine part are tracked and measured by a standard digital camera (0.8 Mega pixels and 30 frames/s). A subpixelar detector allows us to reach a level of accuracy equal to 30 μm (maximum error) for a displacement up to 300 mm away from the sensor, but 30 Hz image sampling does not provide enough information to get all details of the overall movement. So secondly, accelerometers are added to get the required information to over-sample the vision data without additional error; by doing so the effective sampling frequency increases from 30 Hz to 15 kHz. The proposed identification method is applied to a real industrial system; the results obtained in elastic deformation prediction are quite satisfactory and validate the new approach proposed in this paper.

Nulling interferometry: performance comparison between Antarctica and other ground-based sites

Detecting the presence of circumstellar dust around nearby solar-type main sequence stars is an important pre-requisite for the design of future life-finding space missions such as ESA's Darwin or NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF). The high Antarctic plateau may provide appropriate conditions to perform such a survey from the ground. We investigate the performance of a nulling interferometer optimised for the detection of exozodiacal discs at Dome C, on the high Antarctic plateau, and compare it to the expected performance of similar instruments at temperate sites. Based on the currently available measurements of the turbulence characteristics at Dome C, we adapt the GENIEsim software (Absil et al. 2006, A&A 448) to simulate the performance of a nulling interferometer on the high Antarctic plateau. To feed a realistic instrumental configuration into the simulator, we propose a conceptual design for ALADDIN, the Antarctic L-band Astrophysics Discovery Demonstrator for Interferometric Nulling. We assume that this instrument can be placed above the 30-m high boundary layer, where most of the atmospheric turbulence originates. We show that an optimised nulling interferometer operating on a pair of 1-m class telescopes located 30 m above the ground could achieve a better sensitivity than a similar instrument working with two 8-m class telescopes at a temperate site such as Cerro Paranal. The detection of circumstellar discs about 20 times as dense as our local zodiacal cloud seems within reach for typical Darwin/TPF targets in a integration time of a few hours. Moreover, the exceptional turbulence conditions significantly relax the requirements on real-time control loops, which has favourable consequences on the feasibility of the nulling instrument.

Lightweight diode laser spectrometer CHILD (Compact High-altitude In-situ Laser Diode) for balloonborne measurements of water vapor and methane

A new lightweight near-infrared tunable diode laser spectrometer CHILD (Compact High-altitude In-situ Laser Diode spectrometer) was developed for flights to the stratosphere as an additional in situ sensor on existing balloonborne payloads. Free-air absorption measurements in the near infrared are made with an open-path Herriott cell with new design features. It offers two individual absorption path lengths optimized for CH4 with 74 m (136 pass) and H2O with 36 m (66 pass). New electronic features include a real-time gain control loop that provides an autocalibration function. In flight-ready configuration the instrument mass is approximately 20 kg, including batteries. It successfully measured stratospheric CH4 and H2O profiles on high-altitude balloons on four balloon campaigns (Environmental Satellite validation) between October 2001 and June 2003. On these first flights, in situ spectra were recorded from ground level to 32,000-m altitude with a sensitivity of 0.1 ppm [(parts per million), ground] to 0.4 ppm (32,000 m) for methane and 0.15-0.5 ppm for water.

A temperature-based feedback control system for electromagnetic phased-array hyperthermia: theory and simulation

A hybrid proportional-integral-in-time and cost-minimizing-in-space feedback control system for electromagnetic, deep regional hyperthermia is proposed. The unique features of this controller are that (1) it uses temperature, not specific absorption rate, as the criterion for selecting the relative phases and amplitudes with which to drive the electromagnetic phased-array used for hyperthermia and (2) it requires on-line computations that are all deterministic in duration. The former feature, in addition to optimizing the treatment directly on the basis of a clinically relevant quantity, also allows the controller to sense and react to time- and temperature-dependent changes in local blood perfusion rates and other factors that can significantly impact the temperature distribution quality of the delivered treatment. The latter feature makes it feasible to implement the scheme on-line in a real-time feedback control loop. This is in sharp contrast to other temperature optimization techniques proposed in the literature that generally involve an iterative approximation that cannot be guaranteed to terminate in a fixed amount of computational time. An example of its application is presented to illustrate the properties and demonstrate the capability of the controller to sense and compensate for local, time-dependent changes in blood perfusion rates.

Design of an active vibration dummy of sitting man

Objective. The determination of vibration transmission through vehicle seats today is still performed with small groups of test subjects. This method suffers from several severe disadvantages, in particular poor repeatability and objectivity due to varying test conditions and limited group sizes. Replacing test persons with a vibration dummy helps to solve this problem. Design. The active vibration dummy simulates the dynamic behaviour of sitting man expressed in terms of the driving point impedance for arbitrary body masses and excitation signals. Methods. The dummy is realized as a mechatronic system basing on a single degree of freedom setup. A real-time control loop of mass accelerations (and thus acting forces) fits the active dummy to the desired driving point impedance data set. Model and controller parameters are determined by a parameter-identification technique giving meaningful results for arbitrary impedance data sets. Results. The prototype shows excellent agreement with the target data under laboratory conditions. Body mass and excitation level can be varied over the full range of car seat test requirements. Relevance The determination of vibration transmission through vehicle seats should be possible without human experiments. An active vibration dummy with adjustable vibration behaviour expressed by the vertical driving point impedance covering the entire scope of car seat tests (masses/excitation intensities) is presented. With the dummy, improved seat test procedures could be established, leading to design improvements and therefore to prevention of whole-body vibration injuries.

A feedback scheduler for real-time controller tasks

The problem studied in this paper is how to distribute computing resources over a set of real-time control loops in order to optimize the total control performance. Two subproblems are investigated: how the control performance depends on the sampling interval, and how a recursive resource allocation optimization routine can be designed. Linear quadratic cost functions are used as performance indicators. Expressions for calculating their dependence on the sampling interval are given. An optimization routine, called a feedback scheduler, that uses these expressions is designed.

A separation principle for hybrid control system design

Presented here is a method, based on automatic control system design practice, for the synthesis of hybrid control systems, controllers that contain both real-time feedback loops and logical decision-making components. In the proposed framework, the overall design task is separated into three component parts: (1) design of the real-time control loops, (2) synthesis of the decision-making logic, and (3) construction of appropriate Boolean/real-time translation routines. This is an effective partitioning of the control system design task, as shown through two examples: (1) control of a highly flexible structure and (2) a robotic manipulator control task. This framework was found to be compatible with expert system-based intelligent control systems and can employ expert system techniques when necessary or effective.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

DISTRIBUTED DATA COMMUNICATION NETWORKS FOR REAL-TIME PROCESS CONTROL

The paper deals with the performance analysis of network access protocols for distributed data communication and control systems (DDCCS) in chemical and processing plants. The selection of an appropriate data highway protocol is an important step in the DDCCS network design for large-scale processes because the real-time feedback control loops are subject to time-varying delays resulting from data latencies and possible mis-synchronism between system components. SAE token ring, SAE linear token bus, and MIL-STD-1553B protocols have been analyzed in view of the DDCCS network design requirements. The results of closed loop control system simulations are presented to demonstrate how data latency generated by the network access protocols could degrade the dynamic performance of the controlled process.