1.      Platform Introduction

Linear motors can be regarded as a structural variant of rotating motors. With the rapid development of automatic control technology and microcomputers, linear-motion drive devices consisting of a traditional rotating motor and a transformation mechanism can no longer satisfy the requirements of modern control systems. Compared with rotating motors, linear motors have the advantages of a simple structure, high positioning precision, fast reaction speeds, high sensitivity, and good servo performance. 

Linear motor control technology studies can be basically classified into three aspects: 

1. Traditional Control Technology; 
2. Modern Control Technology; 
3. Intelligent Control Technology.

This platform uses the gantry-type XYZ-style linear-motor as the controlled object and provides a fast control prototype verification platform based on Matlab Simulink design. This system is simple-structured, easy to operate, and particularly suitable for control-specialty postgraduates’ scientific research development and use. Common control methods include: self-adaptation control, sliding mode variable structure control, robust control and intelligent control. It mainly combines fuzzy logic and neural networks with existing mature control methods such as PID and H∞ control for mutual complementation to achieve better control performance.       

2.      Platform Features

1. Modular Design: Adopts the idea of modular design with a clear system structure;
2. Gantry-Type XYZ-Style Linear-Motor: As the controlled object, the gantry-type XYZ-style linear-motor adopts a high-precision linear drive module to achieve accurate speed and position closed-loop control, and its resolution can reach 1um;
3. User-Friendly Development Environment: The system supports the design of linear motor control algorithms based on Matlab Simulink and supports the smooth transition from digital simulation to motor physical control;
4. Excellent Platform Timeliness: The controller adopts the solution of X86 hardware running on the VxWorks real-time system, and its timeliness can reach the 100us level;
5. Diverse Debugging Methods: During experiments, the platform provides various development debugging methods, such as online modification of any control parameter, online monitoring of any system variable, and real-time storage, offline playback and data export of all observation data.

3.      Experimental Contents 

• Motor Control System Equipment Knowledge Experiment: Knowledge about the motor/driver/simulator/power supply and other hardware equipment and system cable connections;
• Linear Motor Control Interface Test Experiment: Including analog output, position measurement, theoretical algorithm analysis, and actual verification
• Linear-Motor Open/Closed-Loop Control Experiment;
• PID Parameter Debugging Experiment;
• Comprehensive Motor Position Experiment Based on PI Control: Sine position following, current waveform monitoring, etc.;
• Innovative Experiment: The platform allows users to develop their own complex control algorithms for verification experiments.

4.      Model Selection and Configuration