Optimal construction and control of flexible manipulators: a case study based on LQR output feedback

A mechatronic approach is studied here to design the mechanical system and controller concurrently for a robotic flexible manipulator. There is no coupling effects among these components which exit in traditional sequential design and this concurrent development leads to the global optimal performance. A linear quadratic regulator with output feedback is used to compare the results obtained from the traditional approach and this mechatronic approach. Using the mechatronic approach, optimal beam shapes as well as the associated optimal controllers for different feedback structures and for different objective functions can be achieved. Numerical results have indicated substantial improvements on performance.