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Este trabalho apresenta técnicas de projeto de controle neural e controle difuso para uma plataforma de Stewart acionada hidraulicamente. O modelo dinâmico não linear da plataforma de Stewart com seis graus de liberdade foi desenvolvido no ambiente de sistemas multicorpos ADAMS. Este pacote comercial foi usado para economizar tempo e esforço na modelagem de um sistema mecânico complexo e na programação para obter a resposta no tempo do sistema. A plataforma de Stewart é um manipulador paralelo com alta relação força-peso e acuracidade de posicionamento comparada a manipuladores seriais convencionais. As desvantagens dos mecanismos seriais é que cada articulação suporta o peso da articulação seguinte e mais o objeto a ser manipulado. A plataforma de Stewart tem recebido recentemente considerável interesse de pesquisadores dado o sucesso de suas aplicações e potencial vantagens sobre os manipuladores convencionais. Uma aplicação bastante popular da plataforma de Stewart é o simulador de vôo onde a plataforma executa movimento com acelerações similares àquelas de uma aeronave. Embora muitas pesquisas na literatura tenham dedicado amplo esforço para cinemática, dinâmica e projeto mecânico de manipuladores baseados em plataforma de Stewart, pouca atenção tem sido dada ao problema de controle deste tipo de manipulador. Um esquema de controle difuso e de redes neurais foi adotado para lidar com as não linearidades, distúrbios e incertezas dos parâmetros, e precisão necessária no posicionamento e orientação da plataforma. Redes neurais artificiais e lógica difusa fornecem um paradigma computacional característico e tem demonstrado resultado para uma faixa de problemas práticos onde a técnica computacional convencional não tem sucesso. Em particular, a habilidade do controle neural e do controle difuso para representar mapeamento não linear encoraja o estudo de controle neural e difuso para representar problemas de controle não linear. Resultados de simulação são apresentados, mostrando que as técnicas propostas podem ser usadas na plataforma de Stewart. / This work presents a neural and fuzzy control design technique for a hydraulically driven Stewart platform. The non-linear dynamic model of a Stewart platform with six degrees of freedom was developed in the multibody systems environment ADAMS. This commercial package was used to save time and effort in modelling the complex mechanical system and in the programming to get the time response of the system. The Stewart platform is a parallel manipulator with high force-to-weight ratio and position accuracy compared to conventional serial manipulators. The disadvantage of serial mechanisms is that each link has to support the weigth of all the following links in addition to the object to be supported. The Stewart platform has recently received considerable research interest due to its successful applications and potential advantages over the conventional manipulators. A quite popular application of the Stewart platform is the flight simulator where the platform performs motion with accelerations similar to those of an airplane. Although much of the research in the literature has devoted extensive effort to the kinematics, dynamics and mechanisms design of the Stewart platform-based manipulators, little attention has been paid to the control problem of this type of manipulators. A fuzzy and neural network control scheme was adopted to deal with the nonlinealities, disturbances and uncertainties of the parameters, and required precision in position and orientation the platform. Artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic provide a distinctive computational paradigm and have proven to be effective for a range of practical problems where conventional computation techniques have not succeeded. In particular, the ability of neural and fuzzy control techniques to represent non-linear mappings encourages the study of these techniques to be used for controling complex non-linear control problems. Simulations results are presented, showing that the proposed technique can be used in a Stewart platform.

Este trabalho apresenta técnicas de projeto de controle neural e controle difuso para uma plataforma de Stewart acionada hidraulicamente. O modelo dinâmico não linear da plataforma de Stewart com seis graus de liberdade foi desenvolvido no ambiente de sistemas multicorpos ADAMS. Este pacote comercial foi usado para economizar tempo e esforço na modelagem de um sistema mecânico complexo e na programação para obter a resposta no tempo do sistema. A plataforma de Stewart é um manipulador paralelo com alta relação força-peso e acuracidade de posicionamento comparada a manipuladores seriais convencionais. As desvantagens dos mecanismos seriais é que cada articulação suporta o peso da articulação seguinte e mais o objeto a ser manipulado. A plataforma de Stewart tem recebido recentemente considerável interesse de pesquisadores dado o sucesso de suas aplicações e potencial vantagens sobre os manipuladores convencionais. Uma aplicação bastante popular da plataforma de Stewart é o simulador de vôo onde a plataforma executa movimento com acelerações similares àquelas de uma aeronave. Embora muitas pesquisas na literatura tenham dedicado amplo esforço para cinemática, dinâmica e projeto mecânico de manipuladores baseados em plataforma de Stewart, pouca atenção tem sido dada ao problema de controle deste tipo de manipulador. Um esquema de controle difuso e de redes neurais foi adotado para lidar com as não linearidades, distúrbios e incertezas dos parâmetros, e precisão necessária no posicionamento e orientação da plataforma. Redes neurais artificiais e lógica difusa fornecem um paradigma computacional característico e tem demonstrado resultado para uma faixa de problemas práticos onde a técnica computacional convencional não tem sucesso. Em particular, a habilidade do controle neural e do controle difuso para representar mapeamento não linear encoraja o estudo de controle neural e difuso para representar problemas de controle não linear. Resultados de simulação são apresentados, mostrando que as técnicas propostas podem ser usadas na plataforma de Stewart. / This work presents a neural and fuzzy control design technique for a hydraulically driven Stewart platform. The non-linear dynamic model of a Stewart platform with six degrees of freedom was developed in the multibody systems environment ADAMS. This commercial package was used to save time and effort in modelling the complex mechanical system and in the programming to get the time response of the system. The Stewart platform is a parallel manipulator with high force-to-weight ratio and position accuracy compared to conventional serial manipulators. The disadvantage of serial mechanisms is that each link has to support the weigth of all the following links in addition to the object to be supported. The Stewart platform has recently received considerable research interest due to its successful applications and potential advantages over the conventional manipulators. A quite popular application of the Stewart platform is the flight simulator where the platform performs motion with accelerations similar to those of an airplane. Although much of the research in the literature has devoted extensive effort to the kinematics, dynamics and mechanisms design of the Stewart platform-based manipulators, little attention has been paid to the control problem of this type of manipulators. A fuzzy and neural network control scheme was adopted to deal with the nonlinealities, disturbances and uncertainties of the parameters, and required precision in position and orientation the platform. Artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic provide a distinctive computational paradigm and have proven to be effective for a range of practical problems where conventional computation techniques have not succeeded. In particular, the ability of neural and fuzzy control techniques to represent non-linear mappings encourages the study of these techniques to be used for controling complex non-linear control problems. Simulations results are presented, showing that the proposed technique can be used in a Stewart platform.

This work focuses on modeling and real-time control of a motion simulator for dynamic testing of a two-axis gyro-stabilized head mirror used in modern tanks. For this purpose, a six-degree-of freedom Stewart Platform which can simulate disturbances on the stabilized head mirror during operation of the tank is employed. Mathematical models of the Stewart Platform are constructed using MATLAB and ADAMS. Control system infrastructure is constructed and real-time control system elements are employed. Controller tuning is achieved by using the developed mathematical models in MATLAB. These parameters are applied in the real-time control system and fine tuning is achieved. Accuracy of the motion simulator is tested by mounting an Inertial Measurement Unit on the Stewart Platform. Further control system strategies are discussed by means of simulation.

Goal of the thesis is to show the possibilities of using ordinary hobbyist RC servos and means of their control by a computer. For demonstration of the capabilities of servos, we have created Stewart platform which is using hobbyist servos to position the platform. In the thesis there is explained principle of the inner working of a servo, their properties, abilities and also means of their control by a computer. In practical chapters of the thesis there is documented process of designing and implementing of functional Stewart platform along with specific properties of this platform which influence its design. This platform is also reviewed and based on the results we will show technical properties of the platform, advantages and disadvantages of using ordinary hobbyist servos to control the platform. Design of the platform and its documentation is created with respect to intent to make the ddesign, source codes, documentation available to public on wepages focused on aggregating of instructables and tutorials to make usage of outputs possible in practice.

The Ph.D. thesis is focused on using the fuzzy logic for control of a parallel manipulator based on a Stewart platform. The proposed mechanism makes possible to simulate the physiological movements of the human body and observe degradation processes of the cord implants. Parallel manipulators such as a Stewart platform represent a completely parallel kinematic mechanism that has major differences from typical serial link robots. However, they have some drawbacks of relatively small workspace and difficult forward kinematic problems. Generally, forward kinematic of a parallel manipulators is very complicated and difficult to solve. This thesis presents a simple and efficient approach to design simulation model of forward kinematic based on Takagi-Sugeno type fuzzy inference system. The control system of the parallel manipulator id based on state-space and fuzzy logic controllers. The proposed fuzzy controller uses a Sugeno type fuzzy inference system (FIS) which is derived from discrete position state-space controller with an input integrator. The controller design method is based on anfis (adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system) training routine. It utilizes a combination of the least-squares method and the backpropagation gradient descent method for training FIS membership function parameters to emulate a given training data set. The proposed fuzzy logic controllers are used for the control of a linear actuator. The capabilities of the designed control system are shown on verification experiment.

Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The world's astronomy community is working together to build the largest and most sensitive radio telescope in the world namely: the SKA (Square Kilometre Array). It will consist of approximately three thousand dishes which will each require accurate positioning. The Square Kilometer Array has a testbed called the Phased Experimental Demonstrator (PED) in Observatory, Cape Town. A hexapod positioning mechanism is required to position a 3.7 m radio telescope which forms part of an array of seven radio telescopes. This thesis details the design process of the hexapod system. The design consists of the mechanical design of the joints and linear actuators, a kinematic and dynamic model, a controller and a user interface. In order to verify the design for the PED hexapod a scaled prototype was designed, built and tested. The hexapod's repeatability as well as ability to track a path was tested using an inclinometer. The tests confirmed the design feasibility of the PED hexapod and also highlight issues that require care when constructing the full scale hexapod, such as the amount of play in the platform joints. The designed full scale hexapod will have an error angle less than 0.13°, a payload capacity of 45 kg, withstand wind speeds of 110 km/h and cost R160 000. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die wêreld se sterrekundige gemeenskap is besig om saam te werk om die grootste en mees sensitiewe radioteleskoop in die wêreld te bou, naamlik: die SKA (Square Kilometre Array). Dit sal uit ongeveer drie duisend skottels bestaan wat elkeen akkurate posisionering benodig. Die SKA het 'n toetssentrum, genaamd die “Phased Experimental Demonstrator” in Observatory, Kaapstad. 'n Sespoot posisionering meganisme word benodig om die 3.7 m radioteleskoop te posisioneer, wat deel vorm van 'n stelsel van sewe radioteleskope. Hierdie tesis beskryf die proses om die sespoot stelsel te ontwerp. Die ontwerp bestaan uit die meganiese komponent van die koppelings en lineêre aktueerders, 'n kinematiese en dinamiese model, 'n beheerder, asook 'n gebruikersintervlak. 'n Geskaleerde prototipe is ontwerp, gebou en getoets om die ontwerp te verifieer. Die platform se herhaalbaarheid sowel as akkuraatheid om 'n pad te volg was getoets met 'n oriëntasie sensor. Die toetse het probleme uitgelig wat versigtig hanteer moet word gedurende die konstruksie van die volskaalse sespoot, veral die hoeveelheid speling in die koppelings. Die volskaalse sespoot ontwerp het 'n hoek fout van minder as 0.13°, 'n ladingsvermoë van 45 kg en kan 'n windspoed van 110 km/h weerstaan en kos R160 000.

<p align="justify">Many different active control techniques can be used to control the vibrations of a mechanical structure: they however require at least a sensitive signal amplifier (for the sensor), a power amplifier (for the actuator) and an analog or digital filter (for the controller). The use of all these electronic devices may be impractical in many applications and has motivated the use of the so-called shunt circuits, in which an electrical circuit is directly connected to a transducer embedded in the structure. The transducer acts as an energy converter: it transforms mechanical (vibrational) energy into electrical energy, which is in turn dissipated in the shunt circuit. No separate sensor is required, and only one, generally simple electronic circuit is used. The stability of the shunted structure is guaranteed if the electric circuit is passive, i.e., if it is made of passive components such as resistors and inductors.</p> <p align="justify">This thesis compares the performances of the electric shunt circuits with those of classical active control systems. It successively considers the use of piezoelectric transducers and that of electromagnetic (moving-coil) transducers.</p> <p align="justify">In a first part, the different damping techniques are applied on a benchmark truss structure equipped with a piezoelectric stack transducer. A unified formulation is found and experimentally verified for an active control law, the Integral Force Feedback (IFF), and for various passive shunt circuits (resistive and resistive-inductive). The use of an active shunt, namely the negative capacitance, is also investigated in detail. Two different implementations are discussed: they are shown to have very different stability limits and performances.</p> <p align="justify">In a second part, vibration isolation with electromagnetic (moving-coil) transducers is introduced. The effects of an inductive-resistive shunt circuit are studied in detail; an equivalent mechanical representation is found. The performances are compared with that of resonant shunts and with that of active isolation with IFF. Next, the construction of a six-axis isolator based on a Stewart Platform is presented: the key parameters and the main limitations of the system are highlighted.</p>

Nos últimos anos, tem havido grande interesse em estudar manipuladores paralelos, aplicados principalmente em simuladores de voo, com seis graus de liberdade. O interesse em estruturas cinemáticas paralelas é motivado por sua alta rigidez e excelente capacidade de posicionamento em relação às estruturas cinemáticas seriais. Além disso, como os atuadores são posicionados em uma base, eles podem ser aplicados em cargas pesadas e ainda apresentam baixo consumo de energia, tendo em vista que vários atuadores atuam simultaneamente no mesmo corpo. A presente tese apresenta o projeto de três controladores, sendo eles, o controlador H infinito com realimentação de saída, o controlador PID e o controlador Fuzzy, com isto, esta metodologia poderá ser empregada na construção de um futuro simulador de voo. O modelo dos atuadores foi obtido através de uma entrada degrau de tensão nos motores, medindo os seus deslocamentos através dos encoders acoplados, individualmente, a cada um dos respectivos eixos dos motores. Sabendo-se a relação de transmissão do mecanismo de movimento entre o motor e cada haste dos atuadores obtém-se o deslocamento de cada haste a partir da rotação de cada motor medida pelo correspondente encoder e com isso obtém-se o modelo matemático de cada atuador em conjunto com seu sistema de transmissão. Entretanto, na prática, cada atuador é ligeiramente diferente dos outros, o que leva a comportamento e desempenho diferentes entre si. Isso afeta o comportamento da plataforma fazendo com que a trajetória final desejada não possa ser seguida adequadamente, algo que é extremamente necessário em simuladores de voo. Assim, uma das contribuições importantes deste trabalho é, em primeiro lugar, apresentar uma metodologia de padronização das respostas dos atuadores de modo a que todos eles tenham no final, um comportamento igual o mais próximo possível, particularmente em termos de velocidade e de posicionamento. Com os dados da cinemática e da dinâmica da plataforma compondo o modelo completo do sistema foram realizadas várias simulações que aplicadas na plataforma de Stewart real validaram o modelo e mostraram a eficiência das técnicas de controle aplicadas no controle de posição e orientação da plataforma. Para validar o projeto da Plataforma de Stewart como uma possível base de movimento de um simulador de voo, foi implementada a dinâmica longitudinal e lateral de um Boeing 747-100, e com o auxilio de um sensor inercial Xsens® MTi-G, foram realizadas as medições dos ângulos de Euler da Plataforma. Os resultados obtidos pelos três controladores foram satisfatórios e ilustram o desempenho e a robustez da metodologia proposta. / In recent years there has been great interest in studying parallel manipulators, mainly applied in flight simulators, with six degrees of freedom. The interest in parallel kinematic structures is motivated by its high stiffness and excellent positioning capability in relation to serial kinematic structures. Furthermore, since the actuators are positioned on a base, they can handle heavy loads and also have low power consumption, considering that several actuators act on the same platform. This thesis presents the design of three controllers, which are, H-infinity controller with output feedback, PID controller and Fuzzy controller, so that this methodology can be employed in building a future flight simulator. The actuators models were obtained by a step voltage input to the engines and measuring their displacements by the encoders that are coupled to each of the respective axes of the motors. Knowing the relation from the motion transmission mechanism between the motor and the spindle of each actuator, the displacement of each spindle is obtained from the rotation of each motor measured by the corresponding encoder and thus we obtain the mathematical model of each actuator together with its transmission system. However, in practice, each actuator is slightly different from others, which leads to different behavior and performance of each. This affects the behavior of the platform making the final desired trajectory cannot be properly followed something that is extremely necessary in flight simulators. Thus, one of the important contributions of this work is first to present a methodology to standardize the actuators responses so that they all have in the end a behavior equal a close as possible, particularly in terms of velocity and positioning. With the kinematics data and platform dynamics composing the complete system model, several simulations applied to the real Stewart Platform validate the model and show the effectiveness of control techniques applied to control the position and orientation of the platform. In order to validate the Stewart Platform design as a possible base for a motion flight simulator, the longitudinal and lateral dynamics of a Boeing 747-100 model were implemented, and with the aid of an inertial sensor Xsens® MTi-G, measurements of the Euler angles of the platform were performed. The results obtained by the three controllers were satisfactory and illustrate the performance and robustness of the proposed methodology.

Este trabalho apresenta o controle de posição e orientação de um modelo não linear de Plataforma de Stewart com seis graus de liberdade construído no ambiente de sistemas multicorpos ADAMS® desenvolvido pela Mechanical Dynamics, Inc. O modelo não linear é exportado para o ambiente SIMULINK® desenvolvido pela MathWorks, Inc., onde o controle de posição e orientação é realizado a partir da linearização do modelo e a aplicação de um sistema seguidor com realimentação de estados. Utililiza-se, também o SIMULINK® para implementar a dinâmica de um sistema servoválvula e cilindro hidráulico com um servocontrole de pressão e assim simular o comportamento dinâmico de um simulador de vôo com acionamento hidráulico. A utilização destes pacotes comerciais visa obter uma economia de tempo e esforço na modelagem de sistemas mecânicos complexos e na programação para obtenção da resposta do sistema no tempo, além de facilitar a análise de várias configurações de Plataformas de Stewart / This work shows the position and orientation control of a non-linear model of a Stewart platform with six degree of freedom developed in the multibody systems environment ADAMS® (Mechanical Dynamics, Inc.). The non-linear model is exported to SIMULINK® (MathWorks, Inc.), where the position and orientation control is accomplished using the linear model and applied as a tracking-system with state-feedback. The SIMULINK® is also used to implement the dinamics of the servovalve and hydraulic cylinder with pressure-control servo and so simulate the dynamic behavior of the flight simulator with hydraulic drive. These commercial packages are used seeking to save time and effort in the modeling of complex mechanical systems and in the programming to get the time response of the system, facilitating the analysis of several Stewart Platforms configurations.