END-POINT CONTROL OF A FLEXIBLE-LINK MANIPULATOR - THEORY AND EXPERIMENTS

This paper focuses on the tip-position control of a single flexible li nk which rotates in the horizontal plane, The dynamic model is derived using a Lagrangian assumed modes method based on Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, The model is then linearized about an operating point, An out put feedback control strategy that uses the principle of transmission zero assignment achieves tracking for this nonminimum phase linear tim e-invariant system, The control strategy consists essentially of two p arts, The first part is an inner (stabilizing) control loop that incor porates a feedthrough term to assign the system's transmission zeros a t desired locations in the complex plane, and a feedback term to move the system's poles to appropriate positions in the left-half plane, Th e second part is a feedback servo loop that allows tracking of the des ired trajectory, The controller is implemented on an experimental test -bed.