Integrated centering control of inertially actuated systems

Abstract Inertially actuated systems are often hindered by the requirement that the actuator or controller be explicitly designed so that the actuator's proof mass never exceeds the available stroke length. When the actuator's proof mass reaches the end of its stroke a destabilizing input is created, which reduces performance. An integrated centering controller design that balances control effort with proof mass centering is presented. This approach enables the creation of controllers with reduced potential for stroke saturation. The controller developed is verified numerically for a buckling stabilization problem and experimentally for a vibration control example.