Automatic error elimination between outputs of n identical simple-integral plants with different initial conditions

In this paper automatic error elimination between outputs of n identical simple-integral plants with different initial conditions is studied, with two distinct objectives: (a) to make all identical steady-state outputs time integral of any common input x(t); (b) to make all identical steady-state outputs track perfectly a reference, or command, input r(t) with the use of only ONE controller H(S) for all the n plants. In both cases the problem can be viewed as one of synchronization. Sections 3–6 of the paper are devoted to part (a) and § 7 to part (b). Achievement of objective (b) relies heavily on the results obtained for fulfilment of objective (a). Various points discussed in the text are demonstrated by means of three examples.