THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON HYDRAULIC SERVO POSITION CONTROL SYSTEM WITH GENERALIZATION PULSE CODE MODULATION CONTROL

Liu Rong, Wang Xuanyin, Tao Guoliang, Ding Fan The State Key Lab. Of Fluid Power Transmission and Control, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027 Sd19908019@sfp.zju.edu.cn or liur.zju@263.net

ABSTRACT
In this paper, the hydraulic servo position control system with generalization pulse code modulation (GPCM) control is studied. The flow rate of the GPCM control system is controlled by a series of N solenoid on-off valves which are calibrated having different flow, and are activated by N bits binary pulse codes. In traditional PCM control, the flow rates of valves are arranged increasing accord with binary, so the minimal and maximum flow rates are limited, then precision of the system are limited. The flow rates of valves are set according to special modulation code in GPCM (generalized pulse code modulation), and response speed and precision of the system are improved. The method how to determine minimum-opening area of valves is worked out by analyzing stability of the GPCM system by nonlinear theory. The experiment results show that the GPCM control system can satisfy requirements of response speed and precision of hydraulic system.

switching valve can achieve high precision. It is a cheap scheme and can satisfy many purposes. There are different forms of pulse modulation: amplitude (PAM), width (PWM), frequency (PFM) and code (PCM). Of these, the PWM form is more popular in the research and application area at present. However, in PWM control, for high reproducible frequency and stability, it requires very high speed on/off valves. In comparison with PWM control, PCM control modulation period is shorter than PWM control using same valves. So it is possible using common on/off valves to consist of electro-hydraulic servo control system and decrease cost of system.

2 GPCM FLOW CONTROL STRATEGY

The PCM flow control regulate average flow rates by using a set of valves with the sizes of their opening area in a binary ratio 1:2:4:8.... The minimal and maximal flow rates of system are defined by quality of valves. So there is constraint between the speed regulation range and control precision. For this reason, we proposed the generalization pulse code modulation (GPCM) control
y F A2 V2 A1 V1 K

1 INTRODUCTION
The electro-hydraulic control system has played an important role in industrial automation. Following development of electronics and computer technology, it enters a new phase with advent of direct digital flow control. This technique involves the direct control of pressure or flow rates by using a train of pulse flows, which are transformed by switching valves. It can obtain control accuracy using cheap on/off valves by modulation technology. Computer sends the pulse control signals. It is convenient to combined switching valve into a system with computer (microprocessor) and do not need D/A card. The on/off valve has simple structure and is insensitive to oil pollution. This system procedure simplifies the design of electro-hydraulic element and improves the overall reliability of electrohydraulic control system. Theoretical and practical researches show that hydraulic control system using

Ps v0 v1 v2

Pc Qc v3 v4 v5

S0

S1

S2

S3

S4

S5

Fig.1Schematic diagram of GPCM servo position control circuit strategy. The basic principle of GPCM control is similar

Project supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (59805016) and the National 863/Robot (863-521-9934-05)

to PCM control, as shown in Fig.1. Their difference is pulse code modulation method. The main ideas of GPCM control are valves maintaining minimum opening S0 determined by control precision and a series of valves opening area set with special coding manner to increase maximum orifice area. For instance, there are four byte on/off valves set. If we regulate flow rate by PCM control, their opening area ratio is 2 0 : 2 1 : 2 2 : 2 3 , and its total throttle is 15S0. In other hand, we set flow rate by GPCM control and their opening area ratio is 2 0 : 2 1 : 2 2 : 2 4 (here we suppose first three valves is set by binary and last one is set by quaternary). We obtain the total throttle is 23S0. Fig.2 shown the function between output code and orifice area with PCM control and GPCM control. The X-axis denotes code output, and Y-axis denotes effective orifice area. All these show that GPCM control can extend flow rate range under condition of maintaining control precision and overcome the drawbacks of PCM control. As shown in Fig2, although GPCM (PCM) valves throttle area is discrete, it is approximately proportional to input signal (the GPCM valves proportional coefficient is variable). So the cheap on/off valves can replace proportional valves at some occasion. Furthermore, GPCM valves can direct control by digital signal and drive circuit is simple.
15S0 14S0 13S0 12S0 11S0 10S0 9S0 8S0 7S0 6S0 5S0 4S0 3S0 2S0 1S0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

determines the drive speed. Usually the maximum flow rate can be directly quantified from maximum speed. But the minimum flow rate is influenced by several factors, such as control precision and sampling period. So how to obtain an appropriate minimum orifice is key problem to use GPCM control. According to valve and cylinder flow equations and force-balanced equation of the cylinder, the mathematics model of position control system with GPCM control (shown in Fig.1) can be constructed. For light load hydraulic servo cylinder, its inherent frequency is high and the frequency of input signal of GPCM system is low, so the valve-controlling cylinder can be simplified as Y (s) k q A = (1) Uc s
K q flow gain of on-off valves ( m 3 / s ),

2p S 0 the area of valve with minimum effective cross section U c pulse code modulation output signal A action area of cylinder piston k q = Cd S0 The block diagram of GPCM control system is shown in Fig.3. Due to the solenoid has hysteresis quality, and common solenoid valve switching on/off time is up to 50ms, the effects of valve lag can not be ignored. Regarded the solenoid valve as first order link, its 1 transfer function is , and Tv is time constant. Tv S + 1

23S 0 21S 0 19S 0 17S 0 16S 0

7S0 5S0 3S0 1S0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

a. PCM control b. GPCM control Fig.2 The functions between output code and integrative orifice area We designed an electrohydraulic position servo system with GPCM control to replace proportional servo control system shown in Fig.1. Its actuator is asymmetric cylinder and will serve as robot driver. The GPCM valve consists of six switching valves and one reversing valve.

yr

GPCM Control

1eTS U c S

1 TS+1 s

kq A y s

Fig.3 Block diagram of GPCM control system From Fig.2, it can be seen the GPCM controller is a multi-step Bang-Bang controller, and then the system is a multi-step Bang-Bang control system. Following error decreasing, the controller outputs reduce. Because there is a minimum flow rate corresponding to minimum moving speed of the piston of cylinder, the position system has an error threshold. The minimum flow effects the position precision, so error limit is a dominant factor to determine the minimum opening area of the GPCM valve. The position precision and stability depend on the lowest piston speed determined by minimum flow rate. Therefore we just take into account the situation that the

3 DETERMINE MINIMUM OPENING AREA OF GPCM VALVE

Before using GPCM control system, opening area of the all switching valves that compose GPCM valve must be determined. The flow rate of GPCM valve is also decided by valves operation pressure and opening. The minimum flow rate determines the stability and control precision of system, and the maximum opening area

system run in the minimum flow rate, and the system can be regarded as a single step Bang-Bang system. The Bang-Bang actuator has hard nonlinearity, therefore the feedback control system will encounter limit cycle. The limit cycle tends to cause poor position accuracy and stability, because the limit cycle results in constant oscillation. Therefore, a deadband is used to avoid the problem of the limit cycle. The dead zone inevitably brings about steady-state position error, so the deadband is set according to position accuracy. The reduced block diagram of system is shown in Fig.4. Here, is the maximum permission error, and T is sampling period of digital control system. When the position error is less than , the GPCM controller exports zero and cylinder stop moving.

yr

1 -1

1eTS S

kq A (TsS+1S )

Fig.4 Block diagram of the reduced system For the nonlinear system, it is difficult to obtain analytic answer, so the phase portrait is used to analyze nonlinear system in qualitative. The dead zone can be described as: u = 1, e > ; (2) u = 1, e < ; u = 0, | e |< .

II a

III

II a

III

e
a'

c' e b b' b e

is so long that the system will jump over dead zone from area I to area II. This exerts heavy influence on stability and will bring about limit cycle. Therefore, the control accuracy and stability of the GPCM system relate to deadband (position accuracy range), velocity (decided by flow rate), hysteresis and sampling frequency. Based on the phase portrait, theoretical study on minimum orifice area is done. For simplifying deductive procedure, the first order inertial link is regarded as pure delay, and delay time is Ts. It is feasible because the time constant is small. When the system operates near the setpoint, the GPCM controller output is 1 and running speed of piston is the minimum. Here the velocity is kq V = Vmin = (3) A From phase portrait Fig.5, we can obtain a necessary condition for steady is that there must have sampling point during deadband when trajectories move from zone to zone II or from II to . If it does not satisfy this condition, it is obvious that the system will constantly oscillate between area I and II. So we draw a conclusion: V min T < 2 (4) It is supposed that there is a switching signal at same time when the trajectories of the system drop into dead area in the phase plane. The switching will lag to output signal due to response delay and the delay time is Ts . The displacement of piston in the course of switching is V min Ts . For the system can ultimately stop in deadband to avoid limit cycle, the essential condition for stability is V min Ts < (5) The sampling period of the system is must larger than valve switch on/off time. Otherwise the valve can not work normally. Here the period is determined to be equal to twice switching time Ts . Considered the condition T = 2Ts , from the above two inequalities we draw a formula: V min Ts < . Because V min = change to 2p A< (6) So we draw the conclusion that the minimum orifice area should satisfy: A S0 < (7) 2p C d Ts C d S 0 Ts kq A and k q = C d S 0 2p , the formula

a) b) Fig.5 The system phase portrait

The phase portrait for the system is given in Fig.5. It is divided into three parts by two switching lines, and all of points in c-c line in area III are singular point. According to the phase portrait shown in Fig5.a, the system will stop at certain point in c-c whatever it start from any point. But the system response lags behind input, the phase portrait change. Besides the hysteresis, there is sampling time influence. During a period the controller output is invariable, so when the system enter the deadband the output is may not equal to zero and the system maintains movement status. If sampling period

4 EXPERIMENT

The GPCM flow control system is tested on test bed to proof whether the system characteristics coincide with theoretical study results. The position system, which consists of the GPCM valve, is used on 3DF joints robot to control robot arm motion. The structure of 3DF spraying robot is shown in Fig.6. The movement of spraying gun is controlled through controlling three joint angles. Its three actuators are cylinders. We substitute the GPCM valve for proportional valve to control the cylinder motion and experiment with it to examine correctness and practicability of GPCM system.

deadband decreasing, the adjustment time to stable state increases. It coincides with theoretical research results. The actual position precision is up to 0.2~0.3mm.

5 CONCLUSION
This paper presents a method how to decide the minimum opening area of the GPCM valve. It is essential to stability of the system. By analysis of stability of the GPCM control system making use of nonlinear theory, the formula of minimum opening is worked out. The experiment results verify the method is suitable and also indicate that the GPCM control is feasible and satisfy stability requirement. Further research is needed in order to learn the modulation manner of the GPCM valve. The control rule of the GPCM system is also needed study.

REFERENCE
[1] Hirohisa Tanaka, Electro-hydraulic PCM Control, The Journal of Fluid Control, 1988(17) 2: 34~46 [2] Wang Xuanyin, etc, Fluid modulation technology and its application in fluid servo control, MACHINE TOOL & HYDRAULICS, 2000(4):7~9 (in Chinese) [3] Wang Xuanyin, Yue Jiguang, The Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Research on The Pneumatic Servo System with Generalized Pulse Code Modulation, JOURNAL OF ASTRONAUTICS, 1999(2) (in Chinese) [4] Wang Xuanyin, et al, The Theoretical Study of Hydraulic Position System with Pulse Code Modulation Control, Journal of Zhejiang University (natural Science), Vol.31, Supplement, 1997: 381~385 (in Chinese) [5] Li Hongren, Hydraulic Control System, Peking, National Defense Industry Publish, 1986 (in Chinese) [6] Chintae Chot and Jong Shik Kim, Robust Control of Positioning System with a Multi-step Bang-Bang Actuator, Mechatronics Vol.6, No. 8: 867~880, 1996, Elsevier Science Ltd [7] Lawrence Perko, Differential Equations and Dynamical System, Springer, 1998 [8] Wu Qi, Automatic Control Theory, Tsinghua University Publish House, Peking, 1992: 270~297 (in Chinese)

Fig.6 Schematic diagram of 3DF robot experimental system For GPCM control system is as shown in Fig.3. It is a light load system, so set the system pressure as 2MPa. Change the dead zone from 1 to 0.7mm during experiment. The other parameters are as following: A = 8.76 10 4 m 2 C d = 0.65 , Ts = 50ms , = 883Kg / m 3
35 35

30

30

25

= 1.0mm

25

= 0.9mm

20

20

15

15

10

10

0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

a)
35 30

b)
35 30

25

25

20

= 0.8mm

20

= 0.7mm

15

15

10

10

0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

c) Fig.7 Step response

d)

A series of the step responses of the system experiment curve are shown in Fig.7. Following the