MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

ME 304 – Control Systems
Spring 2025

Prepared by: Nuri KAFALI Due date: 10/04/2025 @23:59

Mail: [email protected] Submission Method: ODTUClass (pdf file)
You are expected to provide

✓ clear explanation of each step of your solution and numbered pages,

✓ units,
✓ well annotated, scaled plots (title, axis labels, grid, legend), not random hand sketches,
✓ source code attached to your solution if you use a software package in your calculations.
✓ Whenever requested transfer function, write the transfer functions in the standard rational form:
𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑛 +𝑎𝑛−1 𝑠𝑛−1 + .....+𝑎1 𝑠+𝑎0
𝑏𝑚 𝑠𝑚 +𝑏𝑚−1 𝑠𝑚−1 + .....+𝑏1 𝑠+𝑏0
✓ file name format: ME304_HW_HomeworkNumber_StudentNumber

Your grades are subjected to these items as well as your calculations.

HOMEWORK 5
Problem 1

𝑔⃗

Figure 1. Plant of the Control System

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 The schematic representation of the plant dynamics is shown in Figure 1. The system consists
of a block and a link, connected through different types of joints:
• The block is connected to the ground via a prismatic joint, allowing it to move only in
translation along a specified direction, without any rotation. The displacement of the
block is denoted as y.
• The link, with a mass of m and center of mass located at point G, is connected to the
block through a revolute joint at point o. The total length of the link is 2L, and the
distance from o to G is given as L.
• The moment of inertia of the link about point o is given as 𝐼𝑜
• The revolute joint includes both a torsional spring and a damper. The torsional spring
creates counterclockwise moment on link with magnitude of mgL when 𝜃 = 0.
• The damper provides viscous friction, characterized by a viscous friction coefficient b.
• The torsional spring has a stiffness coefficient k.
• The angle of the link, 𝜃, is assumed to remain small for linearization purposes.
• The system is controlled by applying a torque T at the revolute joint, acting in the
direction indicated in Figure 1.
This setup forms a dynamical system, where the applied torque influences the angular motion
of the link while the block’s translational movement introduces an additional disturbance into the
system’s dynamics.
a) Derive the equation of motion of the link by drawing appropriate free body diagram in
time domain. After deriving the equation of motion, by taking initial conditions as zero,
transform the equation of motion to Laplace domain, and determine the transfer
functions of 𝐺𝜃𝑇 (𝑠) and 𝐺𝜃𝑦 (𝑠). Lastly, identify the transfer functions 𝐺𝑢 (𝑠) and 𝐺𝑑 (𝑠)
in the block diagram below.

b) The rotation angle of the link is to be controlled using an open-loop controller. Design
a simple open-loop control system that ensures the disturbance is rejected while
allowing the link’s rotation angle to follow a given reference value, assuming that y is
precisely known. Finally, represent this control scheme by drawing the corresponding
block diagram.

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 c) Since the assumption that y is precisely estimated is quite hard to realize, the rotation
angle of the link is desired to be controlled using a combined closed loop control system.
The block diagram of the combined control system is located below. The angle 𝜃 is
measured by using an ideal sensor, and y is measured using a sensor with sensor
dynamics 𝐻𝑦 (𝑠). What is the transfer function 𝐻(𝑠)? For this combined control system,
design 𝐺𝑟 (𝑠) and 𝐺𝑑∗ (𝑠) such that system can reject the disturbances and follow the
input signal.

Problem 2
Shown in the figure is a simplified model of a particular hydraulics press. The hydraulic valve
is supplied with a constant pressure flow source, 𝑃𝑠 . The valve spool regulates the flow rate through the
actuator chamber by changing its position. The actuator piston with mass m and area A, compresses the
load, which is modeled as a pure spring with constant k. The hydraulic fluid is compressible, and
pressure tank capacity is given as C related with 𝛥𝑝̇ .

Figure 2. Simplified Model of a Particular Hydraulics Press

Throughout the problem consider small Δ variations around a particular steady state operating
point. The linearized valve flow rate is expressed as follows.
𝑞𝑣 = 𝐾1 𝛥𝑢 − 𝐾2 𝛥𝑝
Where,
𝛥𝑢: 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑜𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
Δ𝑝: 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

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 a) Write the elemental, structural and transducing equations (whichever applies) for each
component in the given table in both time domain and Laplace domain.

Time Domain Laplace Domain

Components
Elemental/ Elemental/
Structural Structural
Transducing Transducing

Valve 𝑞𝑣 = 𝑓𝑚 = 𝑄𝑣 = 𝐹𝑚 =

Actuator 𝑞𝐴 = 𝑞𝑐 = 𝑄𝐴 = 𝑄𝑐 =

𝑓𝐴 = 𝐹𝐴 =

Mass 𝑓𝑚 = 𝐹𝑚 =

Spring 𝑓𝑘 = 𝐹𝑘 =

Compressibility 𝑞𝑐 = 𝑄𝑐 =

b) Find the transfer function, 𝐺Δ𝑌Δ𝑈 , between the actuator position Δy and the valve spool
position Δu. Also, draw the block diagram in a format similar to the given one below.

c) Consider the case where a feedback lever, with known connection lengths e and f , is
added as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Simplified Model of a Particular Hydraulics Press with Feedback Lever

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 i. Write the spool position equation as follows.
Δ𝑢 = (____)Δ𝑥 − (____)Δ𝑦
ii. Complete the block diagram below.

∆𝑌(𝑠)
iii. Derive the transfer function 𝐺∆𝑌∆𝑋 = ∆𝑋(𝑠).

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