Partial feedback linearising force-tracking control: implementation and testing in electrohydraulic actuation

The implementation, testing and performance evaluation of a partial feedback linearising force tracking controller on an electrohydraulic actuator is described. The underlying assumptions necessary for the development of the controller are highlighted, and the control law is derived in detail. Performance comparisons are conducted against a linear state feedback with integral controller and a standard PID controller, the latter being the most common industrial solution. Results show that the nonlinear partial feedback linearising controller has improved tracking properties, as might be expected from its use of more modelling and feedback information. Multiple experiments are also conducted to investigate the robustness of the system to certain model parameters; it is shown that the controller tolerates a measurable shift in these parameters.