Brief description: 

This experiment consists of a rigid link (pendulum) rotating in a vertical plane. The rigid link is attached to a pivot arm, which is mounted on the load shaft of a DC-motor. The pivot arm can be rotated in the horizontal plane by the DC-motor. The DC-motor is instrumented with an encoder and a tachometer. In addition, an encoder is mounted on the pivot arm to measure the pendulum angle. The principal objective of this experiment is to balance the pendulum in the vertical-upright position and to position the pivot arm. Since the plant has two degrees of freedom but only one actuator, the system is under-actuated and exhibits significant nonlinear behavior for large pendulum excursion.

Usage: Undergraduate controls laboratory, design projects in graduate controls-oriented courses, and graduate student research.

Past experience: 

In previous years, students have designed and implemented stabilizing linear quadratic regulator and integrator-based, linear quadratic, set-point tracking controller.

Future Plans:

Energy-based (passivity-based) control, nonlinear switching control, etc.

Supplier: 

Quanser Consulting Inc.