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MEC 410 – CONTROL SYSTEMS

Course Name: Control Systems
Course Number: MEC 410
Instructor: Dr. Khaled Al-Aribe
Part 3
Mathematical Modeling and Transfer function
 Controller design procedure
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 What is the “mathematical model”?

 Transfer function
 Modeling of electrical & mechanical systems
 Mathematical model
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 Representation of the input-output (signal) relation

of a physical system
 A model is used for the analysis and design of
control systems
 Important remarks on models
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 Modeling is the most important and difficult task in control system

design.
 No mathematical model exactly represents a physical system.
 Do not confuse models with physical systems!
 In this course, we may use the term “system” to mean a mathematical
model.
 Transfer function
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 A transfer function is defined by

 A system is assumed to be at rest. (Zero initial

condition)
 Impulse response
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 Suppose that u(t) is the unit impulse function and system is

at rest.

 The output g(t) for the unit impulse input is called impulse
response.
 Since R(s)=1, the transfer function can also be defined as
the Laplace transform of impulse response:
 Models of electrical elements
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 Modeling example
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 Modeling example (cont’d)
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 Impedance computation
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 Translational mechanical elements
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 Mass-spring-damper system
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 Automobile suspension system
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Automobile suspension system (Cont’d)
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 Torsional pendulum system
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 Example
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 Example (Cont’d)
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 What is DC motor?
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 An actuator, converting electrical energy into rotational

mechanical energy
 Why DC motor?
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 Advantages
 High torque
 Speed controllability
 Portability, etc.
 Widely used in control applications: robot, tape drives,
printers, machine tool industries, radar tracking system, etc.
 Used for moving loads when
 Rapid (microseconds) response is not required
 Relatively low power is required
 How does DC motor work?
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 Model of DC motor
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 Modeling of DC motor: time domain
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 Modeling of DC motor: s-domain
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 DC motor: Block diagram
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 Transfer functions with feedback
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 Ex: Derivation of transfer functions
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 DC motor: Transfer functions (TF)
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 DC motor: Transfer functions (TF) (Cont’d)
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 What is a linear system?
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 Why linearization?
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 Real systems are inherently nonlinear. (Linear systems do

not exist!) Ex. f(t)=Kx(t), v(t)=Ri(t)
 TF models are only for linear time-invariant (LTI, see next
slide) systems.
 Many control analysis/design techniques are available for
linear systems.
 Nonlinear systems are difficult to deal with mathematically.
 Often we linearize nonlinear systems before analysis and
design. How?
 Time-invariant & time-varying
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 A system is called time-invariant (time-varying) if

system parameters do not (do) change in time.
 Example: Mx’’(t)=f(t) & M(t)x’’(t)=f(t)
 For time-invariant systems:
 Linearization of water tank model
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Linearization of water tank model (Cont’d)
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Linearization of water tank model (Cont’d)
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 Linearization of water tank model (Cont’d)
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 Linearization of water tank model (Cont’d)
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 Linearization of a pendulum model
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Linearization of a pendulum model around general
operating point
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 Time delay examples
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 Time delay transfer function
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 The more time delay is, the more difficult to control

 Ex: Mechanical accelerometer
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 Ex: Mechanical accelerometer (Cont’d)
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 Ex: Mechanical accelerometer (Cont’d)
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 Some simple mechanical examples
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 Summary
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 Modeling
 Modeling is an important task!
 Mathematical model
 Transfer function
 Modeling of electrical & mechanical systems