Design and Evaluation of Self-Tuning Fuzzy PID Controller with Reference Model for Ball and Beam Mechanism

Abstract

—Fuzzy Logic controller is one of the popular techniques in control system. However, the accuracy depends on numbers and the design of membership functions. Further, the output does not always fulfill specific design requirements. In this study, Fuzzy PID controller with first-order reference model had been designed and evaluated. The proposed new structure is able to guide fuzzy mechanism to produce desired output response as specified by the first-order model such as the time constant, rise time and settling time. The study was implemented on a ball and beam system to control the position of the ball while rolling on a beam. The control of a ball and beam system is challenging because it is an open-loop unstable system as the ball will continuously moves on the beam without control. The study also compares the results acquired from Fuzzy PID and Fuzzy PI plus PD against the proposed Fuzzy PID with first-order reference model controller. The evaluation covers for a pole starting from 0 until 1.0 for the first-order model. As a results, the proposed controller is able to produce an output response as specified where the fastest response was acquired when pole is set to 0.9. Whereas the Fuzzy PID and Fuzzy PI plus PD always produce the same transient response during step input test.