Adaptive Control with Self-Tuning for Center-Driven Web Winders

Grzegorz Osiski
Institute of Energy Technology, Aalborg University Pontoppidanstrde 101, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark

ABSTRACT
This paper is based on the project written at 9 semester at Aalborg University. It is devoted to the web transport system, center-driven web winders and developing adaptive control with self-tuning based on the least-square method of parameters estimation. Keywords: PID, Web Winder, Self-Tuning, Least-Squares Method, On-Line Parameters Estimation.
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INTRODUCTION
A web transport system, which handles a continuous strip or web material, can be found in many industries such as steel mills, paper mills, plastic and textile industries. The controlled web tension plant including dynamics of a drive, motor, gearbox, roller and the web tension can be described adequately. However, the unknown and changing parameters make the conventional analytical tuning algorithm a difficult task [Ioa95]. Adaptive control begins in 1950s when it was used for the first time in the aerospace industry and later have found particular success in that field. There was an intensive research on adaptive control designed for autopilots for high-performance aircrafts. Commercial application of adaptive control was firstly presented in 1980s. Since then adaptive control market is continuously growing. Primary purpose for using adaptive control was to possess controller with capability to adapt dynamic changes in the process. As written before web transport system is the system used for handling, moving and processing web material such as textile, paper, polymer or metal. The modelling, performance and behaviour of web transport have already been studied for several years. Few years ago, many industrial web transport systems used decentralised PI-type controllers, as described in [Ben08], but recently the quality demand required to develop more complicated and sophisticated type of controller, inter alia, the adaptive control. Web winder might be the initial or the final part of the process. While it is used at the initial step of transporting web material it does not require high control performance to operate properly. But, on the other hand, when web winder is placed at the final part of the whole process, where material is

GENERAL NOMENCLATURE
Symbol , 1 , , , 1 1 , 1 , 1 , Description Web CrossSection Area Drive Friction Coefficient Dancer Friction Coefficient Dancer Position Force of Gravity Paper Thickness Total System Inertia Dancer Spring Constant Web Length Web Length with Dancer Dancer Mass Gear Ratio Winder Roll Radius Web Tension Web Surface Velocity Line Speed Dancer Velocity Strain of the Web Density of the Web Web Stress Torque Generated by Motor Winder Motor Velocity Unit 2 / / 2 2 / / / / /2 /

rolled up, its performance is significant for final product quality. Any kind of a tension error may lead to warping web material or even damaging the web winder. What is more, tension control at this part is one of the most difficult task among the whole process. We need to consider continuous parameters changes i.e. increasing roll diameter, inertia grow and tension variations. Assuming mentioned changes development of static controller would require worst-case approach, which will surely decrease whole process performance and final product quality or even would made it impossible to control web winder while it operates. There are three most common types of the web winders: Center-Driven Web Winder, Surface Web Winder and Turret Winder. Detailed description of all mentioned types might be found in [GEI]. One of the most important thing in the web winder as well as the entire web transport system is the tension measurement. Very good description of the tension control is available in [Dam04]. First method called direct is based on so called Load Cell. Load Cell is an electronic device (transducer) that is used to convert a force into an electrical signal.
Load Cell Tension Sensor

This kind of roll, commonly called dancer, moves dependently on the web tension changes. To simplify dependencies and numerical computations dancer position is almost always threaded as a linear function of the pivot arm angle.

PROBLEM ANALYSYS
This chapter consist plant description and choosing appropriate control structure. Two 0,75 kW motors, manufactured by ATB, are used to drive both winding and unwinding roll. One motor is connected, through gearing, to each of two rolls. Motors are equipped with encoder by means of which rotational velocity can be measured and are controlled by Danfoss MCO305 frequency converters.
Compound gear

Drive belt

Winder roll

Drive belt Motor

Figure 3: Drive Transmission

Idle Rolls

Figure 1: Load Cell

Second type of possible tension measurement is called indirect. It is based on feedback provided by the position of a roll placed at the end of pivot arm.
Idle Rolls

In the project static dancer with additional spring is used for tension feedback. To read about difference between static and active dancer please refer to [Tre99]. Additionally spring was attached to dancer roll axle to extend potentiometer output range. Detailed description of dancer with attached spring can be found in [Lar07]. There are five common strategies to control web winders. Detailed description of all strategies with examples can be found in [Liu99]. As the web winder had already dancer installed the position controlled speed regulated structure will be used. According two [Liu99] this kind of structure ensure the best control performance for 3 rd or higher order models among other structures.

Angle Measurement Pivot Arm

Figure 2: Dancer

MODELING
Entire system was divided into smaller parts, each consisting independent component of the Web Winder. All parts were finally merged into one complex block diagram form and shown as a state space representation. Details about modelling can be found in two following publications [Lar07] and [Liu99]. Modelling part was initialized by choosing appropriate model of the web material. Three common models can be used to describe for the stress and strain relations in the web materials: Maxwell Model, Kelvin-Voigt Model and Standard Linear Solid Model. While no permanent deformation is included to modelling web materials [Liu99], therefore The Kelvin-Voigt model is chosen due to its simplicity and accuracy while describing dynamic response of web materials. In this model, stress , strain and their rates of change with respect to time t are governed by equations of the form: = + () (1)

1 = 1 1 +

(4)

Combining all equation together, using Laplace transformation will initial condition that no web strain exist at the first moment: (0) = 0 and transforming received expression we are provided with the web tension transfer function: + = 1 +

(5)

Where the system input is equal to 2 1 , the tension, T, is consider as the system output. As the modelling of the web material was finished, now the dancers dynamic will be shortly described. The following figure presents dancer modelled by means of ideal spring, viscous damper and dancer mass.

Where is web material elastic modulus and is web dampening coefficient. Next, the web tension dynamic was modelled.

1 1 , 1 , 1 , 1 , 1 , 1 , 1

Figure 5: Dancer Model

, , , , , ,

Figure 4: Web Tension Dynamic

Motion equation, using Newtons law, can be then written as: 2 = + + Then simple block diagram can be created:
+

(6)

By means of mass continuity definition, since the stretched material does not change its mass: = (2)

And the mass conservation law that states that the mass change of the web material between lead roll and winder depends on difference between mass that enters and exists control volume: 2 = 1 1 1 (3)

1 +

Figure 6: Dancer Dynamic Block Model

Assuming that web material is very stiff , 1, the following approximation was made:

This chapter will be finished by modelling the drive train. Short description how the torque influences

1ref

+-

Position Controller

++

+ -

PI
Speed Controller

Web Winder

Figure 7: Block Diagram of Speed Regulated Position Controlled Winder

on the web velocity will be presented. The motor is consider as a black box with one input and one output. The standard motor model, described by the following equation, will be used: = + (7)

CONTROL DEVELOPEMENT
Controller scheme used in this project is based on Adaptive Self-Tuning Regulator (STR). The adaptive controller is being composed of two loops. The inner loop covers basic feedback to the controller while outer loop is responsible for the adjusting controller parameters. Outer loop consists on-line parameters estimator and design calculations. This kind of controller automatically tunes its parameter to obtain the desired behaviour of the closed-loop system. Controller Design block is responsible for an on-line solution to a design problem for a system with known parameters. There are various methods which may be solved by control design block. Most popular are PID, Pole placement and LQR controller. In our case we will automatically tune the PID controller located inside one of the Danfoss VLTs. First, to perform this operation, we will use Least Square Methods to estimate process parameters and then the Ziegler-Nichols ultimate gain and period method will be taken to count optimal PID gains.

Using dependencies between rotational and linear velocity the web velocity can be described by the equitation: = (8)

Combining two previous equation block model was created:

1 +

Figure 8: Drive Train Model

2 1
1 +

1
+ 1 +

-+

1 +

Drive Train

Web Tension Zone

Figure 9: Combined CDWW Model

Dancer Roll

All derivatives of LSM methods used for an on-line identification, described in details in [Bob05], consider process as the following discrete transfer function:

i-th step and the i represents estimated process output. Solving this equation results in:
k = k1 + Ck1 k 1 + T Ck1 k k k 1

(15)

( 1 ) ( 1 )

(9)

Where and are the polynomials order and is the system delay. The estimated output, (), is computed based on previous process inputs, (), and outputs (). This relation may be described by the equation: = 1 1 + 1 1 + + To simplify it can be presented as: = k 1 Where: (11) (10)

According to the previous equation vector of parameters is updated during every step. Also the covariance matrix, , is updated as defined by the following rule: = 1 Ck1 k T Ck1 k 1 + T Ck1 k k (16)

Please note the initial value of covariance matrix, C, determines the influence of initial parameters vector to the whole identification process. In the real time simulation the self-tuning regulator can be presented as:
Process Parameters Specifications

= 1 , , , 1 , ,

(12)

Controller Design

Estimator

k = 1 , , , 1 , ,

(13)

Reference

Where vector contains values of the process estimation computed in the previous step and k contains values of present input and output. Both vectors are used in all variations of Least Squares Method. Pure recursive LSM has one crucial disadvantage. Each input and output has the same weight during whole identification. However, the process parameters vary in time and it is quite obvious that newer signals should affect estimated output more that older ones. Here only pure LSM will be shortly presented. Other methods only adds forgetting coefficients or special adoption laws. For detail description please refer to [Bob] or [Bob05]. Least Square Methods are based on minimisation of the following function:

Controller

Process

Figure 10: Self-Tuning Controller

While tuning the speed loop the indentified function is presented below: 1 = 1 1 = 1 + 1 1 (17)

Then the closed loop tuning circuit:

+ -

Gs z

Figure 11: Close Loop Tuning Circuit

Is described by the following transfer function: = 1 + = + (18)

=
=1

2 i

(14)

This function represents sum of prediction errors squares where is the process output during the

To perform Ziegler-Nichols methods we have to consider discrete system stability described by the unity circle.

real device by means of the dSpace environment, though simulations presented in this paper were done in the Simulink software.
1

Figure 12: Unity Circle

4,5 4 3,5 3 2,5 2 1,5 1 0,5 0 0 20 40 Time(seconds) Figure 13: Model Step Response
Bode Diagram From: tau To: d 20

Amplitude

+ = 0 1 + 1
1

(19)
-60 0

Phas e (deg)

+ 1

=0

(20) (21)

+ 1 + 1 = 0 So finally the ultimate gain is expressed as: = 1 1 1

Magnitude (dB)

To determine ultimate gain we need that at least one root of the characteristic equation will be placed at unity circle and all other roots have to be stable, placed inside circle. However, we are tuning controller for the first order system , so there is only one possibility to achieve it. The system must have real root placed at = 1.

60

-20 -40

-45 -90

-135 -180 -3 10 10 -2 Frequenc y (Hz ) 10 -1 10 0

(22)

Figure 14: Bode Plot of the CDWW

According to [Bob], in the 1st order systems ultimate period should be taken as 2 , where the sampling time refers to the identification interval. However, for higher orders special function is used. PI controller gains will be counted based on Ziegler-Nichols Tuning Chart [Ast95]: P control PI control PID control 0.5 0.45 0.6 0.8 0.5 0.125

Before further simulations the dampening coefficient, , will be removed from the equations. According to [Liu98], and assuming that web material is stiff, the influence of this coefficient is visible only above 400. When considering the Bode plots its effect is placed far outside operational area.
0,14 0,12 0,1 0,08 0,06 0,04 0,02 0 0 10 Time(seconds) Figure 15: Position response of speed regulated position controlled winder with PI controller 20 30

Table 1: Ziegler-Nichols Tuning Chart[Ast95]

The position controller was designed as the PID controller, tuned by using expert rules. Of course future work will consider this controller as a selftuning controller.

PRACTICAL TEST
While submitting this paper an intensive work was being performed to run the designed structure at the

Amplitude

0,225 0,2 0,175 0,15 0,125 0,1 0,075 0,05 0,025 0 0 10

ACKNOWLEGMENT
The author would like to thank the supervisors for invaluable help and the effort inserted to make this project working.

Amplitude

With adaptation

Without adaptation [Ast95]

REFERENCES
Astrom, K. J., & Wittenmark, B. (1995). Adaptive Control. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Benlatreche, A., Knittel, D., & Ostertag, E. (2008). Robust decentralised control strategies for largescale. Elsevier. Bobal, V., & Chalupa, P. (2005). Digital Self-tuning Controllers: Algorithms, Implementation and Applications. Zlin: Springer. Bobal, V., & Chalupa, P. Self-tuning Controllers Simulink Library. Zlin, Czech Republic: Department of Control Theory, Faculty of Applied Informatics, Thomas Bata University in Zlin. Damour, J. (2004). The Mechanics of Tension Control. GE Industrial Control Systems. Winder Systems Systems, Concepts, Terminology. GE. Ioannou, P. A., & Sun, J. (1995). Robust Adaptive Control. Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA: PrenticeHall, Inc. Larsen, J. S., & Jensen, P. K. (2007). Adaptive Control with self-tuning for Center-Driven Web Winders. Aalborg Univerisity: Master Thesis. Liu, Z. (1999). Dynamic Analysis of Center-Driven Web Winders controls (Vol. 2). West Enterprise, WI, USA.

20

30

40

50

[Ben08]

Time(seconds) Figure 16: Comparison of position response with and without tuned controller [Bob05]

The previous figure shows an example how selftuning controller can improve process performance. An hypothetic situation was simulated where both controllers with stable, but not optimal, initial gains were simulated. One with self-tuning algorithm with very fast sampling time: 0.1. For detailed results and tests of different controller types for position loop please refer to the semester project this paper was based on.

[Bob]

[Dam04] [GEI] [Ioa95]

[Lar07]

CONCLUSION
Almost all processes has parameter that vary in time, thus only self-tuning or adaptive controllers can offer unchanged performance during whole operational time. Self-tuning controllers are getting more and more popular every year. Now with prepared tools, that can be used without limitations, and very well developed theory, they can be found not only in industrial processes but also in less advanced applications. Simple structures that STR posses, in comparison to very advanced ones as Model Identification Adaptive Control or Model Reference Adaptive Control, offer possibility to be widely understand without advanced knowledge and references. At the end I would like to recommend the selftuning simulink library [Bob] and book [Bob05] for everyone who will ever deal with any kind of SelfTuning Regulator. It is a great tool with over 30 different types of ready to use controllers, that can be directly implement on the Real Time Workshop.

[Liu99]