Modeling, Simulation, And Control Of A Real System

We have developed a preliminary laboratory sequence in our introductory linear control systems class that combines modeling a real system, developing a control system design based on this model, and then implementing the designed controller on the real system. After our first time through this new sequence we have found three educational benefits: the students realize that (1) their models are only approximate descriptions of the real systems, (2) even though the models are only approximate, feedback control can compensate for these modeling errors, and (3) real motors have limits on gains, which must be included in their design.