Optimal design for mechanism, guidance and control system by multiple design point approach

In this paper we propose an optimal design methodology for the mechanism, guidance and control law of dynamic systems. Optimization under operating conditions is necessary for design of dynamic systems. This design means to optimize not only mechanical parameters of the system, but also guidance inputs and control law of the controller. From another point of view, the designed system and controller are required to be robust for uncertainties of operating conditions. The guidance and control systems must satisfy the requirements under different operating conditions. The design methodology, proposed in this paper, uses multiple design points for robustness of the controller. The mechanical parameters of the system, feedforward input variables and feedback gains of the controller are designed simultaneously to minimize the same criterion. This design methodology is applied to a manipulator system which carries objects whose mass is not accurately known. The results show that the proposed design methodology produces a guidance controller which is robust for uncertainties of operating conditions.