TEL306/03 Control Systems Course Assignment 2 (CA 2 – 25%)

Evidence of plagiarism or collusion will be taken seriously and the University

regulations will be applied fully. You are advised to be familiar with the University’s
definitions of plagiarism and collusion.
Instructions:

1. This is an individual assignment. No duplication of work will be tolerated. Any

plagiarism or collusion may result in disciplinary action, in addition to ZERO
mark being awarded to all involved.
2. You are to submit online of your answers in OAS system and it is your
responsibility to submit your Assignment correctly and timely. OAS system
doesn’t allow re-submission of assignment. Marks will be awarded for correct
working steps and answer.
3. The total marks for Assignment 2 is 100 and contributes 25% towards the total
grade.
4. Assignment 2 covers the topics in Units 1, 2 & 3.
5. Assignment 2 consists of 3 lab exercises, where the VisSim software will be
used.
6. You must prepare and submit a lab report to OAS, that is no less than 10 pages
long and no more than 15 pages long after the lab exercises. This lab report
will be counted as your Assignment 2.
7. Your assignment must be word processed (single spacing) and clearly laid
out. Any additional appendices or attachments must be placed at the end of the
submitted document and must be referred to in the main body of the
assignment, or it will not be read by the marker. Marks will be deducted for hand
written and/or photo snap shots assignments.
8. All files or documents submitted must be labelled with your WOU ID and name.
9. Answer all parts in English. All working steps and calculations must be shown
clearly. A rubric will be used to assess your lab work. You can find the rubric
at the last page of this document.
10. The use of Turnitin is not required for this Assignment.
11. You are required to sign and attach the TMA Declaration Form as the front
cover page of your Assignment 2 before uploading your Assignment 2 into
OAS.

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TEL306/03 Control Systems Pre-lab Exercises

Note: This pre-lab exercises serve the purpose of familiarizing you with the
VisSim software, which you will be using for the lab exercises.

Introduction to VisSim/Embedded Controls Developer

VisSim/Embedded Controls Developer is a visual environment for model-based

development of embedded systems. Using VisSim/Embedded Controls Developer, it
is easy to create working models of your control and system under control. VisSim is
a block diagram language for creating complex nonlinear dynamic systems. To create
a model, simply drag blocks in the workspace and connect them with wires. Then click
the Go button to initiate your simulation. The response is instantaneous.

By combining the simplicity and clarity of a block diagram interface with a high-
performance mathematical engine, VisSim provides fast and accurate solutions for
linear, nonlinear, continuous time, discrete time, SISO, MIMO, multi-rate, and hybrid
systems. With VisSim's wide selection of block operations and expression handling,
complex systems can be quickly entered into VisSim. Using VisSim, step response,
system dynamic and etc will be plotted automatically. Furthermore, thiswill simplify
analysis and design of a control system.

The main objective of this lab exercise is to introducing VisSim to students so

that students will be able to use VisSim to simulate and get better idea about transient
response from a control block diagram.

The VisSim Environment

VisSim’s user interface consists of the basic elements, illustrated in Figure 1
below.

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Constructing a general control system block diagram

To create a new block diagram, click the left mouse button to select the desire block
diagram either on block diagram toolbar or block diagram window. Below are some
of the common block diagram which often used in control system.

• Tranfer function - executes a single-input single-output linear transfer function

i.) To create transfer function, click -> Linear System -> transferFunction
on the block diagram window then drag the block into the workplace.
ii.) Double click on transfer function block then set Polynomial coefficients
(Transfer function).

A transfer function
𝑛(𝑠)
𝐺(𝑠) =
𝑑(𝑠)

is characterized by the numerator n(s) and denominator d(s). For example

8𝑠 3 + 16𝑠 + 4
𝐺(𝑠) =
10𝑠 5 + 20𝑠 3 + 2𝑠 2 + 4
Polynomial Coefficients
Numerator : 8 0 16 4
Denominator : 10 0 20 2 0 4

• Gain - multiplies the input signal by the gain amount

i.) To create gain, click -> Arithmetic -> gain on the block diagram
window then drag the block into the workplace.
ii.) Double click on the gain block then set the desire Gain value.

• Summing Junction – produces the sum of two signed input signals

i.) To create summing junction, click -> Arithmetic -> summingJunction
on the block diagram window then drag the block into the workplace.
ii.) The sign of the input signals can be toggle(switch from positive to negative and
vice versa) by holding down the CTRL key and clicking the right mouse button
over the connector tab.

• Step input - creates a unit step signal

i.) To create summing junction, click -> Signal Producer -> step on the
block diagram window then drag the block into the workplace.
ii.) Double click on the step input block to change the amplitude of the step input

• Plot - displays simulation data graphically in customizable plots

i.) To create summing junction, click -> Signal Consumer -> plot on the
block diagram window then drag the block into the workplace.
ii.) By default, the plot will show simulation time start at 0sec and end at 4sec. To
change simulation time, click simulation at menu bar then select simulation
properties change the desire simulation start and end time.

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Pre-Lab Exercise 1:
Construct a block diagram as shown in Figure 2 by using VisSim simulation.
Determine the rise time and peak time from the simulation output.

R(s) =
+ C(s)

Figure 2

Rise time

Figure 3Rise time

Peak time

Figure 4Peak time

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Theoretical calculation :

Overall transfer function :

𝐶(𝑠) 16
= 2
𝑅(𝑠) 𝑠 + 2𝑠 + 16

Therefore 𝜔𝑛 2 = 16, 𝜔𝑛 = 4
1
2𝜀𝜔𝑛 = 2, 𝜀 =
4

𝜔
𝜋−𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 ( 𝑑 )
𝜀𝜔𝑛
𝑇𝑟 = = 0.6755
𝜔𝑛

𝜋
𝑇𝑝 = 𝜔 = 1.11
𝑑

Theoretical calculation Simulation result (sec)

(sec)
Tr 0.6755 0.634
Tp 1.11 1.092

Minor differences can occur between results obtained from theoretical calculations
and simulations. This is caused by the number of decimals used in the
calculations.

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Pre-Lab Exercise 2:
Construct the four basic types of filter, i.e. lowpass, highpass, bandpass and bandstop
filters with second order transfer functions using block diagram in Figure 5. Given ωo=1
and Q=2.5.

Activity 1:
Identify the locations of the poles and zeros and determine the step response and
frequency response using VisSim simulation. Thus, fill in the blanks in Table 1.
Comment on the results.

Input Output

Figure 5

Table 1
Filter Location Location of Type of Rise Peak
N ( s) of poles Filter Time Time
zero(s)
1 𝜔0 2

2 𝜔0
𝑠
𝑜

3
𝑠2
4 𝑠 2 + 𝜔0 2

Activity 2:
By using filter no. 4 in Table 1, move the zeros towards the location of the poles while
maintaining the magnitude of the zeros unchanged. The final location of the zeros will
be the same as the location of the poles.
Determine the frequency response and the root locus plot using VisSim simulation.
Comment on the results.

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TEL306/03 Control Systems Assignment 2 Lab Exercise 1 – Performance of
the Control System

1. Given the system shown in Figure 1, determine

+ +
R(s)
C(s)

- -

Figure 1

a. The overall transfer function.

b. The damping ratio, when the percentage of overshoot in the unit-step
response is 10%.
c. The Values of K and Kf, when the peak time is 1.5 sec.
d. The rise time.
e. The settling time for 2% and 5%.
f. Compare the peak time and rise time by using VisSim simulation.

2. By using Routh Hurwitz tabulation method, determine whether the unity feedback
system of Figure 2 is stable if

140
𝐺(𝑠) =
(𝑠 + 1)(𝑠 + 2)(𝑠 + 3)(𝑠 = 4)

a. How many poles are in the right half-plane, left-half in the system.
b. Verify the system stability by using VisSim simulation.

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TEL306/03 Control Systems Assignment 2 Lab Exercise 2 – Filter Design

If a process/plant, such as a mechanical system, has high-frequency vibration

modes, then a desired closed-loop response may be difficult to obtain. These high-
frequency vibration modes can be modeled as part of the plant’s transfer function
by pairs of complex poles near the imaginary axis. In a closed-loop configuration,
these poles can move closer to the imaginary axis or even cross into the right half-
plane. Instability or high-frequency oscillations superimposed over the desired
response can result.
One way of eliminating the high-frequency oscillations is to cascade a notch filter
with the process/plant. The notch filter has zeros close to the low-damping-ratio
poles of the plant as well as two real poles. Other cascade compensators can now
be designed to yield a desired response.

1. Given the following transfer function in Figure 3, determine

a. The step response of the system, thus the overshoot, settling time and steady
state error.
b. The root-locus plot of the system and comment the stability.

2. Design and apply a notch filter to achieve a better step response and stability.
Compare and comment on the results of before and after the filter is applied to
the system.

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TEL306/03 Control Systems Assignment 2 Lab Exercise 3 - Robotic Arm
Simulations

Robotic arms are commonly used especially in the heavy industry such as automobile
manufacturing factory. Along the production line, one of the robotic armis required to
have a bandwidth of at least 1 Hz and a phase margin (PM) of 45o. Thesystem is with
the process transfer function as shown below in Figure 4:

Required Tasks
1. Determine a suitable value for the gain, K, and suggest a suitable phase
compensator, Gc(s).
2. Justify your suggestion of the phase compensator.
3. Obtain the transfer function for the phase compensator by using VisSim simulator
software.

Design Procedure
The general procedures for designing a phase compensator is given below:

1. Determine the gain, K, to satisfy the requirement such as the steady state error
tolerance and the bandwidth needed.
2. Construct Bode plot and measure the PM.
3. Determine the values of α and ∅m. Refer unit materials for the choice of phase
compensator.
4. Calculate the frequency at which the maximum phase lead to be located, ωm.
5. Calculate the τ value.
6. Substitute the α and τ values into the phase compensator transfer function.
7. Redraw the Bode plot and check if the PM fulfil the requirement. If not, the
procedures are repeated by appropriate adjustment to the gain, K, and phase
allowance of the ∅m.

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 RUBRIC FOR ASSESSING LAB REPORTS
1 2 3 4

Beginning or Developing Accomplished Exemplary Score

incomplete
Introduction Very little Some introductory Introduction is Introduction
background information, but still nearly complete, complete and well-
(5%) information missing some major missing some minor written; provides all
provided or points points necessary
information is background
incorrect principles for the
experiment

Experimental Missing several Written in paragraph Written in paragraph Well-written in

procedure important format, still missing format, important paragraph format,all
experimental some important experimental details experimental details
(10%) details or not experimental details are covered, some are covered
written in minor details
paragraph format missing

Results: Figures, graphs, Most figures, graphs, All figures, graphs, All figures, graphs,
tables contain tables OK, some still tables are correctly tables are correctly
data, figures, errors or are poorly missing some drawn, but some drawn, are
graphs, constructed, have important or required have minor numbered and
tables, etc. missing titles, features problems or could contain
captions or still be improved titles/captions.
(25%) numbers, units
missing or
incorrect, etc.

Discussion Very incomplete or Some of the results Almost all of the All important trends
incorrect have been correctly results have been and data
(30%) interpretation of interpreted and correctly interpreted comparisons have
trends and discussed; partial but and discussed, only been interpreted
comparison of data incomplete minor improvements correctly and
indicating a lack of understanding of are needed discussed, good
understanding of results is still evident understanding of
results results is conveyed

Conclusions Conclusions Conclusions All important All important

missing or missing regarding major conclusions have conclusions have
(10%) the important points are drawn, but been drawn, could been clearly made,
points many are misstated, be better stated student shows good
indicating a lack of understanding
understanding

Spelling, Frequent grammar Occasional Less than 3 All grammar/spelling

grammar, and/or spelling grammar/spelling grammar/spelling correct and very
sentence errors, writing style errors, generally errors, mature, well-written
structure is rough and readable with some readable style
immature rough spots in writing
(15%) style

Appearance Sections out of Sections in order, All sections in order, All sections in order,
and order, too much contains the minimum formatting generally well-formatted, very
formatting handwritten copy, allowable amount of good but could stillbe readable
sloppy formatting handwritten copy, improved
(5%) formatting is rough
but readable

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