Control of SIMO Systems in Simulation: The Challenge of the Multiple Axes Actuating Pneumatic Arm

Abstract

In this paper a comparative study of the classical control methods for the testing of a mathematical model, which controls six actuators of a six degrees of freedom robotic arm with a single controller, is illustrated, aiming to the constructive simplification of the system. In more detail, a mathematical model of the system is designed which simulates all mechanical parts, including 5-way directional pneumatic valve, the pneumatic actuators/pistons and the mathematical model of the controller. The purpose of the above is the tuning of a Single Input, Multiple Outputs (SIMO) controller which will direct the motion of the six pneumatic pistons. The thorough analysis of the implementation of the pneumatic system in Matlab/Simulink environment is followed by experimentation and results using Proportional (P), Proportional-Integral (PI), Proportional-Derivative (PD) and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers. The simulation results show the advantages of the above classical control methods on the robotic human arm which imitating human motion and made by a well-known company in the field of pneumatic automation.