Design of Model-Based Gain Scheduling Controllers for Nonlinear Systems

Abstract

The design of controllers for nonlinear systems has always been a challenge due to their complex dynamic structures that have ill-defined models with inherent uncertainties. This article investigates the implementation of PID controllers, using a gain scheduling technique that allows dynamic tuning of their gains. The methodology introduced in this paper is model-based, where sub-models for the system to be controlled are created, based on the output, as a scheduling parameter. Dominant dynamics of the nonlinear models are encapsulated into a linearized version that has a dynamic nature to effectively cover the whole range of operation. A pole-placement technique is used to design the PID dynamic gain. The proposed technique is shown to be effectively applied to robotic manipulators, process industry, and automotives.