Practice problems for endsem exam
Subject: Mechatronics (MMD 508)
1. Consider the system shown in Fig. 1. An armature-controlled dc servomotor drives a
load consisting of the moment of inertia JL. The torque developed by the motor is T.
The moment of inertia of the motor rotor is Jm. The angular displacements of the motor
rotor and the load element are 𝜃𝑚 and 𝜃, respectively. The gear ratio is 𝑛 = 𝜃⁄𝜃𝑚 .
Obtain the transfer function Θ(𝑠)⁄𝐸𝑖 (𝑠).
Fig. 1
2. Plot the root loci for closed-loop control systems with the following open-loop transfer
functions:
K ( s 4) K K ( s 0.2)
i) G( s) , ii) G( s) , iii) G( s) 2 ,
( s 1) 2
s( s 1)(s 4s 5)
2
s ( s 3.6)
K ( s 0.5) K
iv) G ( s) 3 2 , v) G( s) 2 ,
s s 1 ( s 2s 2)(s 2 2s 5)
K ( s 1)
vi) G( s) 2
( s 2s 2)(s 2 2s 5)
If the value of gain K is set equal to 1, where are the closed-loop poles located?
K ( s 2 6s 10)
3. Show that the root loci for a control system with G( s) , H ( s) 1 are
s 2 2s 10
arcs of the circle centered at the origin with radius equal to 10 .
4. Plot root-loci for the systems shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3
Fig. 2 Fig. 3
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5. Consider a unity feedback system with feed-forward transfer function
K ( s 1)
G( s) 2 , K 0 . Sketch a root-locus and comment on the stability for the
s 2s 3
system with the variation of K.
K s z
6. A unity feedback system has the open-loop transfer function, G s
s p 2
Where z and p are real and z > p. Show that the root locus of the system is a circle with
centre at s = -z and radius equal to (z-p).
7. Derive the transfer function Z(s)/Y(s) of the hydraulic system shown in Fig. 4. Assume
that the two dashpots in the system are identical ones.
Fig. 4
8. An electromechanical system is shown in Fig. 5. Considering the force exerted on the
plunger is proportional to the current, obtain a state space model for the system. Assume
the displacement of the plunger is measured.
Fig. 5
9. Consider the model for a space vehicle control system shown in Fig. 6. Design a suitable
compensator Gc(s) such that the damping ratio and the undamped natural frequency
n of the dominant closed-loop poles are 0.5 and 2 rad/s, respectively. Finally obtain
the closed-loop transfer function for the compensated system.
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Fig. 6
10. Explain the principle of the brushless d.c. permanent magnet motor.
11. Explain the principles of operation of the variable reluctance stepper motor.
12. If a stepper motor has a step angle of 7.5°, what digital input rate in pulses per second
is required to produce a rotation of 10 rev/s?
13. A permanent magnet d.c. motor has an armature resistance of 0.5 Ω and when a voltage
of 120 V is applied to the motor it reaches a steady-state speed of rotation of 20 rev/s
and draws 40 A. What will be (a) the power input to the motor, (b) the power loss in
the armature, (c) the torque generated at that speed?
14. If a d.c. motor produces a torque of 2.6 Nm when the armature current is 2 A, what will
be the torque with a current of 0.5 A?
15. For the transistor circuit shown in Fig. 7, find the pertinent transistor voltage and current
if VIN is (i) 0.1 V, (ii) 1.0 V, and (iii) 5 V. Consider 250 , and assign usual values
for VBE and VCE.
Fig. 7
K ( s 2)
16. The open-loop transfer function of a unity feedback system is: G( s)
5(3s 2 10s a)
Find the value of a and K so that the system response oscillations are at a frequency of
2 rad/s.
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17. Find a state feedback gain matrix that will place the eigenvalues of the following system
at the new locations 𝜆1 = −4 and 𝜆2 = −5 .
18. Find the z-transform of the unit step function, us t .
19. Find the z-transform of the ramp function: f t t us t .
20. Find the z-transform of the exponential function: f t e at , where a is a real constant.
21. Find the z-transform of f t sin t
2 .
k
22. Find the z-transform of: f k 1
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