In this paper, an effective method is proposed for robust proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control that is easily implementable on commonly used equipment such as programmable logic controller (PLC) and programmable automation controller (PAC). The method is based on a two-loop model following control (MFC) system containing a nominal model of the controlled plant and two PID controllers. Basic features exhibited by the MFC structure are presented, and a technique to tune both component controllers is given. The proposed structures have been implemented in a programmable logic controller and tested on control plants with perturbed parameters. Also, the proposed control system has been checked for its performance in cases when the operation of PID controllers is based on fuzzy logic. Tuning rules for the fuzzy controllers in the presented MFC system have been proposed. Results of tests lend support to the view that the proposed control structures may find wide application to robust control of plants with time-varying parameters.

The paper presents the issue of metamodeling of Domain-Specific Languages (DSL) for the purpose of designing complex mechatronics systems. Usually, one of the problems during the development of such projects is an interdisciplinary character of the team that is involved in this endeavour. The success of a complex machine project (e.g., Computer Numerically Controlled machine (CNC), loading crane, forestry crane) often depends on a proper communication between team members. The domain-specific modelling languages developed using one of the two approaches discussed in the work, lead to a machine design that can be carried out much more efficiently than with conventional approaches. Within the paper, the Meta-Object Facility (MOF) approach to metamodeling is presented; it is much more prevalent in modern modelling software tools than Graph-Object-Property-Relationship-Role (GOPRR). The main outcome of this work is the first presentation of researchML modelling language that is the result of more than twenty ambitious research and development projects. It is effectively used within new enterprises and leads to improved traceability of the project goals. It enables for fully-featured automatic code generation which is one of the main pillars of the agile management within mechatronic system design projects.

The paper deals with robustness to plant parameter perturbations and sensitivity to disturbances of two‐loop control structures containing a model of the controlled plant and two PID controllers. Special attention is paid to high robustness of considered structure to perturbations of the controlled plant in relation to its nominal model and to good reduction of disturbances. On the basis of presented simulation results one can compare properties of the proposed structure with properties of the Smith predictor and classic control system structure with single feedback loop. The proposed model following control structures may find wide application to robust control of parameter‐varying plants.

The following article presents the hybrid control scheme (MFC/IMC) that involves model following control (MFC) and internal model control (IMC) for velocity control of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) with the aim of reducing the influence of torque load disturbance. A brief description of the MFC/IMC algorithm is given, its structure is an expansion of a classical cascade control loop; the PMSM model was linearized in order for it to be applicable to the proposed solution. Numerical analysis of sensitivity for both systems (i.e., the MFC/IMC cascade and the classical one) is given with regards to their robustness to torque load disturbance. The behavior of these two control schemes is then analyzed on a laboratory test stand with various load disturbances introduced to the system; the methodology and the test stand itself are also briefly presented in the article. The results presented in the form of performance indices and graphs prove that the developed MFC/IMC method is an improvement over the classical cascade for velocities near the operating point.

Multi-degree of freedom robust control of the CNC X-Y table PMSM-based feed-drive module: The paper presents results of studies on linear synchronous motors controlled in CNC feed axes through an intelligent digital servodrive. The research includes a conceptual design of an open servodrive control system and identification of dynamic models of a test stand with an open CNC system. Advantages of robust control over the classic one are discussed. A hybrid predictive approach to robust control of milling machine X-Y table velocity is proposed and results of simulation tests are presented. was prepared during the work for the Ministry of Science and Higher Education grant number N N502 336936, (acronym for this project is M.A.R.I.N.E. multivariable hybrid ModulAR motIon coNtrollEr), while its main purpose is the development of new robust position/velocity model-based control system, as well as to introduce the measurement of the actual state into the switching algorithm between the locally synthesized controllers. Such switching increases the overall robustness of the machine tool feed-drive module. The paper is the extended version of material proposed in [10].

The paper presents a methodology of designing a velocity control system for a DC motor servo drive that is widely used in CNC power transmission systems. There are presented both: the algorithm for tuning the velocity controller for a specified value of overshoot and a fuzzy-logic based tuning of PID controller procedure. Usage of a method called PID-OVR, which ensures the assumed overshoot in a control loop, allows one to chose initial settings of the controller. This algorithm is used with assump¬tions that the load of motor is equal to zero and that the elec¬trical Tem and mechanical Tmm parameters (time constants) are known accurately. Since all this parameters are always encumbered with errors and the load torque of motor during its work is greater than zero the initially assumed controller settings may not ensure well enough quality of the velocity regulation. Overshoot and damping factor of a step response in a velocity control loop, both of these parameters are used in a fuzzy-logic based tuning of PID controller procedure. This procedure do not require any active identification experiments to be carried out, thanks to which the control performance is not affected.