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ECE 380 Project 1: Second-Order System Analysis

Objective
The objective of this laboratory is to analyze a second-order system, and to investigate control
configurations for a dc motor.

Assigned Data
Lab session attended: ________________________
Bench Number: ________________________
Data for Section 3: Second-order system Data for Section 4: DC Motor Experiments
analysis
Assigned Plant #: _______ Motor #: ___________

Rx = Ry = _____________ Assigned damping ratio ζ : ____________

R1 = _________________ Gear ratio n: _______

R3 = _________________ Mechanical time constant τ m : ________
C1 = _________________
Motor constant K m : ________

2.1 Prelab Calculations

The plant used in Section 3 is shown in Figure 1, and has the following transfer function:

1
Section numbering used in this template corresponds to that used in the lab manual for Project 1.

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 1
R1
G (s) =
 RC  1
s 2 R1C12 + s 2C1 − x 1  +
 R3  R1
(1)

Figure 1. Second-order plant, G(s)

Show your calculations and results for the damping ratio ( ζ ) and natural frequency ( ω n ) for
G(s).

Formulas that relate the overshoot and peak-time to damping ratio and natural frequency:

(2)

(3)

a) Calculate the open-loop transfer function from R(s) to Y(s) of the system shown in Figure 2,
for K=1 and D(s)=0.

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 Figure 2. Schematic diagram of the second-order system

Estimated bandwidth (show its value and explain how you arrived to it).

The estimated bandwidth will be useful when choosing the start frequency for producing the
Bode plot of the second-order system. Recall from the Intro Lab, that the start frequency
has to be low relative to the expected bandwidth. Hopefully you still remember what
percentage was considered “low” frequency.
Open-loop system low-frequency gain calculation.

b) Calculate the closed-loop transfer function from R(s) to Y(s) of the system shown in Figure 2,
for K=1 and D(s)=0.

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 Estimated bandwidth (show its value and explain how you arrived to it).

Closed-loop system low-frequency gain calculation.

c) Redraw the system shown in Figure 2 as a block diagram for the case when R(s)=0 and
D(s)≠0 in the space provided below (Figure 3). Calculate the closed-loop transfer function from
D(s) to Y(s) for this system when K=1.

Figure 3.

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 Low-frequency gain calculation.

In preparation for Section 4, calculate the transfer function from R(s) to P(s) of the system shown in
Figure 4, where both the TACHO and POSN loop are closed, K1=1, Kp=1.

Figure 4. Position control system

Note By virtue of the convention used in lectures, Laplace transforms are denoted by capital letters,
and time domain variables are denoted by the corresponding small letters. Thus, v(t) and V(s)
represent in this case the velocity signal, whereas p(t) and P(s) represent the position signal. If we
were to refer to the steady-state (ss) values of these signals, we would denote them by vss and pss.

Selected K a value K a = ____________________

Based on the transfer function, calculate the value of K f that will result in the specified damping
ratio for your group.

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3. Second-Order System Identification and Analysis

3.2.1. System Identification from Step Response Measurements

The circuit shown in Figure 2 is used in the open-loop configuration, and the adjustable gain is
set to K = 1.
Input signal: waveform
amplitude
frequency

Table 1. System identification results

Measured Values Calculated Values Based on Measurements
Tp Mp y ss %OS ζ ωn
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

Calculated Values Based on the Analytical

Transfer Function
%OS ζ ωn
( ) ( ) ( )

Error
(%)

Sample calculations:

Discussion of the system identification results:

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3.2.2 Investigation of the Step Response of a Second-Order System
Open-loop System (Figure 2)
Input signal: waveform
amplitude
frequency

Table 2. Open-loop step response for varying gain K

K Tp Mp y ss ess %OS
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

Attach to the report a printout of one of the step responses from Table 2; mark on it the
gain used and all values measured (Figure 5).
Discussion of results from Table 2 and explanation of the trends observed using control
theory.

Closed-loop System (Figure 2)

Input signal: waveform
amplitude
frequency

Table 3. Closed-loop step response for varying gain K

K Tp Mp y ss ess %OS
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

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 Attach to the report a printout of one of the step responses from Table 3; mark on it the
gain used and all values measured (Figure 6).
Discussion of results from Table 3 and explanation of the trends observed using control
theory.

3.2.3. Investigation of the Frequency Response of a Second-Order System

a) Bandwidth Measurement (Figure 2)
The estimated value of the bandwidth from the prelab comes is useful here, as it is the basis for
an informed choice of frequency range when generating the frequency response.
Input signal: waveform
amplitude
frequency range

Table 4. Bandwidth measurement results

Expected Experimental Theoretical or Error
low-frequency Bandwidth Simulated ( )
gain (dB) ( ) Bandwidth ( )
Open-loop
Closed-loop
Attach both experimental frequency responses: open-loop (Figure 7) and closed-loop
(Figure 8); each plot should have the bandwidth marked on it.
Include also Matlab frequency response plots: open-loop (Figure 9) and closed-loop
(Figure 10); each plot should have the bandwidth marked on it.
Discussion of results from Table 4.

Comment on why it is desirable to be able to change the bandwidth.

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b) Disturbance Rejection
The closed-loop configuration with K=1 and the assigned Rx, Ry values are maintained. The input
D(s) is applied at the second summer. Attach the experimental frequency response of this system
(Figure 11), with the cursor positioned at the value of the bandwidth determined in a) for
closed-loop configuration.
Comment qualitatively on which frequency ranges present better disturbance rejection and why.

Through Matlab simulations, observe if and explain how the disturbance rejection changes with
increases in the gain K. Attach this plot (Figure 12) to the report and discuss the results. You may
place multiple curves on the same axes by using the hold command.

Comment on how the closed-loop disturbance rejection compares to the open-loop disturbance
rejection of this particular system.

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4. Analysis of a Real Process
The system shown in Figure 4 has two nested loops. The inner loop is referred to as the velocity
loop, since its output is the motor’s angular velocity. The outer loop is referred to as the position
loop.

4.2.1. Velocity Control System

The velocity control system (the inner loop from Figure 4) is isolated for this part of the
experiment. The magnitude of the input can be adjusted from the REF knob.
Gain settings (record gain value):
K a _dial = 8 K a = _______________
K f _dial = 10 K f = _______________

What happens when the polarity of the input signal is reversed?

Record in Table 5 the input voltage (VREF) for which motor velocity saturation is reached.
Table 5. Velocity loop results
Velocity loop configuration VREF v
( ) ( )
Velocity loop open (TACHO
removed)
Velocity loop closed (TACHO
inserted)
Wondering what v is? Read the explanations on page 5 of this template.
Why does the motor velocity reach saturation?

Using the system transfer function, justify qualitatively the experimental observations recorded in
Table 5.

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4.2.2. Position Control System
a) Qualitative Analysis
Input signal VEXT waveform
amplitude
frequency

Position closed-loop configuration (TACHO jumper removed, POSN jumper inserted)

Table 6. Experimental data obtained by varying K a
Ka Tp Mp p ss %OS ess
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

Wondering what pss is? Read the explanations on page 5 of this template.
Explain experimental observations based on data from Table 6.

Position and velocity closed-loop configuration (TACHO and POSN jumpers inserted)
Table 7. Experimental data obtained by varying K f while maintaining K a fixed
Ka Kf Tp Mp p ss %OS ess
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (%) ( )

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 Explain experimental observations based on data from Table 7. Comment on the effect of
adding velocity-feedback to a system with position-feedback.

b) Numerical Analysis
System configuration: both the position and velocity loops are closed (TACHO and POSN jumpers
inserted).
Table 8. Gain values used in the numerical analysis experiment
Dial Value Physical Value
Ka

Kf

Attach to this report a plot of the experimental step response, Figure 13 , with M p and p ss values
marked on it. Attach a Matlab step response for the same system, Figure 14, and compare the
results.

Table 9. Results of the numerical analysis experiment

Tp Mp p ss %OS ζ
( ) ( ) ( ) (%) ( )
Experimental Results
Matlab Results
Error ( % )

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Comment on the accuracy of your results from Table 9.

5. References

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