An Interval Approach for Robust Parameterization of Controllers for Electric Drives

Uncertain models, e.g., due to component variations and measurement errors during system identification, in combination with the desire to be able to provide guarantees regarding system performances a priori, represent major challenges for users when designing controllers on the basis of models. The aim of this publication is to mitigate this obstacle in the design. For this purpose, criteria of classical control engineering are combined with interval arithmetic in general and the SIVIA algorithm in particular. Thereby, the approach is valid for linear dead time systems. The algorithm evaluates performance criteria for closed interval-bounded sets of parameter values in a single iteration. When overestimation prevents a definite result, the size of the parameter set is recursively reduced by bisecting the evaluated set. The application of the methodology to the controller design for an electromechanical linear actuator shows that the approach not only contributes to theory but can also simplify the practical controller design, especially in the area of electric drives.