Controller gain tuning of a simultaneous multi-axis PID control system using the Taguchi method

Abstract This paper presents a gain-tuning scheme for multi-axis PID control systems using the Taguchi method. A parallel-mechanism machine tool has been selected as an experimental set-up. This machine has eight servodrivers and each servodriver has four controller gains, resulting in a total of 32 controller gains to be tuned. Through a series of `Design of Experiments’ suggested by the Taguchi method, an optimal and robust set of PID controller gains has been obtained. The index of aggregate position and velocity errors has been reduced to 61.4%, regardless of feedrate variation, after the experimental gain tuning.