Steady State

Errors
Introduction to Steady State Errors
Static Error Constants
System Types

 The target is to define the errors and

deriving the ways to control them.

Control system design entails trade
offs between desired transient
responses, steady state errors and the
requirement that the system be stable.
Definition steady state errors
it is the difference between the input
and output for a prescribed test input as
t
.

Test Inputs
I
N

D
I
F

R
E

T
I

I
A
T

O
N

Step inputs represent constant

position and examine the ability of a
control system to position itself
w.r.t. a stationary target.

Ramp inputs corresponds to

constant velocity input to a system
and can be used to test the systems
ability to follow a linearly rising
input or equivalently track a
constant velocity target. Example of
satellite tracking system.

parabolic Inputs represent

constant acceleration inputs to
position control systems and can be
used to represent accelerating
targets like missiles.

Sources of Steady State Errors

they mainly arise from non linear

sources like backlash in gears, non

responsiveness of motors unless the
Vin exceeds a threshold.
but only the sources of steady state
errors from the inputs, systems and
input types will be covered.

Steady State errors for a step input having

output 1 as zero error and output 2 having
finite steady state error

For the ramp input output 1 has zero steady

state error and output 2 has a finite error

General Transfer Function

Pole plot for underdamped second

order system

Laplace

Transform

Properties

Prepared by Mrs. Asma Adeel

10

Steady State Errors for Unity Feedback

Systems
Steady State Error in terms of G(s) for closed loop
systems

E(s) = R(s) C(s) & C(s) = G(s) E(s)

Again applying final value theorem as
e( ) = lim s R(s) / 1 + G(s)
s

Now substitute different types of test inputs

step, ramp & parabola.

System Types
The values of the static error constants depend upon
the form of G(s) i.e the number of pure integrations in
the forward path.
System type corresponds to order of n in the
denominator.
or the number of integrations in the forward path.
n=0

type 0 system

n=1 type 1 system

n=2 type 2 system

Step Input R(s) = 1/s

here n1
atleast one pole must be at the origin
atleast one integration in the forward path.
if there are no integrations then n=0 and the
result is the finite steady state error.
so for step input to a unity feedback system
there will be a zero error if there is one
integration in the forward path.
for a simple gain, for the same input the error
is finite.

Step Input R(s) = 1/s

Results:
There will be zero error if and only if there is
atleast one integrator in the signal path.
Adding an integrator means adding a pole into the
system and thus increase its order.
Addition of an integrator always improves the
steady state performance of the system.

Ramp Input R(s) = 1/s2

here n2
atleast two poles must be at the origin
atleast two integration in the forward path.
if there is one integration then n=1 and the
result is the finite or constant steady state error.
if there are no integrations then error would be
infinite become a diverging ramp as output 3.
so for ramp input to a unity feedback system
there will be a zero error if there are two
integration in the forward path.

Ramp Input R(s) = 1/s2

Parabolic Input R(s) = 1/s3

here n3
atleast three poles must be at the origin
atleast three integration in the forward path.
if there is one or less integration in forward
path then the result is infinite.
if there are two integrations then error would
be finite or a constant error.
so for parabolic input to a unity feedback
system there will be a zero error if there are
three integrations in the forward path.
Example 7.2 , 7.3 & skill assessment 7.1
Note: Before finding errors first check system
stability

Parabolic Input R(s) = 1/s3

Impulse Input

Static Error Constants &

System Types

Static Error Constants

Representation for e() for all three inputs determine the
steady state errors where as these limits are called as Static
Error Constants.

Kp = position Constant = lim G(s)

s

Kv = Velocity Constant = lim s G(s)

s

Ka = acceleration Constant = lim s2 G(s)

s 0
As the value of steady state error decreases
static error constant increases.
Example 7.4

Relation between Static Error Constants and

steady state errors
Kp = position Constant = lim G(s)
s

estep() = 1 / 1 + Kp

Kv = Velocity Constant = lim s G(s)

s

eramp() = 1 / Kv

Ka = acceleration Constant = lim s2 G(s)

eparabola() = 1 / Ka

s 0

As the value of steady state error decreases

static error constant increases.
Example 7.4

Relationships between input, system type,

static error constants and steady state errors

Analysis and Design using steady state errors

Static error constants can be used to specify
the steady state error x teristics exactly like
damping ratio, settling time, peak time, and
percent overshoot are used to specify the
transient response of the systems
Position constant Kp, velocity constant Kv,
and acceleration constant Ka can be used to
specify system steady state errors.
Draw the conclusions about the control system if
Kv of a system is 1000?
Skill assessment 7.2, example 7.5 & 7.6

Review

Further Conclusions

Example no. 1
The open loop transfer function of a servo system
with unity feedback is
G(s) = 10 / s ( 0.1s + 1 )
Evaluate the static error constants ( Kp, Kv , Ka) &
corresponding steady state errors for the system.
Obtain the steady state error of the system when
subjected to an input given by
r(t) = a0 + a1t + a2/2 t2

Ans: Kp = , ess( ) = 0
Kv = 1

ess() = 1

Example 2
1. Find the steady state errors for inputs of 5 u(t), 5t u(t) and
5t2 u(t) to the system shown in the figure.

Example 3
A unity feedback system has the following forward transfer
function G(s) = 10( s+20)(s + 30) / s ( s+25) (s+35). Find the
steady state errors for inputs of 15 u(t), 15t u(t) and 15t 2 u(t).
Find the values of static error constants as well.

Example 4
Find the steady state errors via the static error constants for
the following systems.

Example 5
A unity feedback system has the following transfer function.
G(s) = 1000 ( s+8) / (s+7) (s+9). Evaluate:
(a)System type Kp, Kv and Ka.
(b)Find the corresponding steady state errors

Example 6
What information is contained in the specification Kp =1000.

Example 7
A unity feedback system has the following forward transfer
function G(s) = K ( s+12) / ( s+14) ( s+18). Find the value of
K to yield a 10% error in the steady state.

Sensitivity

The degree to which the changes in system

parameters affect system transfer functions and
thus performance is called sensitivity.
A system with zero sensitivity i.e changes in
system parameters have no effect on the
transfer function is said to be ideal.
The greater is sensitivity, the less desirable the
effect of a parameter change.
Feedback in general reduces sensitivity to
parameter changes.

Sensitivity is the ratio of fractional

change in the function to the fractional
change in parameter as the fractional
change of parameter approaches zero.
S F:P = lim
P
S F:P = lim
P

Fractional change in function F

0

Fractional change in parameter p

F/F

0 P/P
S F:P = P F/ F P

EXAMPLE
Find the sensitivity of steady state error to
change in K.

EXAMPLE
Calculate the sensitivity of the closed loop transfer
function to changes in the parameter a? How
sensitivity can be reduced?

EXAMPLE

For the system find the sensitivity of steady

state error to changes in parameter K and
parameter a with ramp inputs?

EXAMPLE

Find the sensitivity of the steady state error to

changes in parameter K and parameter a for the
system with a step input.

 Example 7.3, 7.8

Skill Assessment: 7.1, 7.2, 7.6
Case Studies: 1