MECH 371: Assignment #1 Due Date: Sept.

25, 2020

Problem 1. A laser printer uses a laser beam to print copy rapidly for a computer. The laser is
positioned by a control input r(t), so that we have

6(s + 50)
Y(s) = R(s)
s2 + 40s + 300

The input r(t) represents the desired position of the laser beam.

(a) If r(t) is a unit step input, find the output y(t)

(b) What is the final value of y(t)?

Problem 2. The ship steering system is represented by the block diagram shown in Figure 1, where
Y(s) is the ship’s course, R(s) is the desired course, and A(s) is the rudder angle. Find the transfer
function Y(s)/R(s).

Problem 3. We desire to balance a rolling ball on a tilting beam as shown in Figure. We will
assume the motor input current i controls the torque with negligible friction. Assume the beam
may be balanced near the horizontal (ϕ= 0); therefore, we have a small deviation of ϕ (t). Find the
transfer function X(s)/I(s), and draw a block diagram illustrating the transfer function showing
f(s), X(s), and I(s).
Problem 4. A load added to a truck results in a force F(s) on the support spring, and the tire flexes
as shown in Figure. The model for the tire movement is shown in Figure. Determine the transfer
function X1(s)>F(s).

Problem 5. Figure shows two pendulums suspended from frictionless pivots and connected at their
midpoints by a spring. Assume that each pendulum can be represented by a mass M at the end of
a massless bar of length L. Also assume that the displacement is small and linear approximations
can be used for sin θ and cos θ. The spring located in the middle of the bars is unstretched when
θ1 = θ2. The input force is represented by f(t), which influences the left-hand bar only.

(a) Obtain the equations of motion, and sketch a block diagram for them.
(b) Determine the transfer function T(s) = θ 1(s)>F(s).

Problem 6. For the open-loop control system described by the block diagram shown in Figure,
determine the value of K such that 𝑦(𝑡) → 1 as 𝑡 → ∞ when r1t2 is a unit step input. Assume zero
initial conditions.