1

Tuning servo hydraulic

actuators

Prepared by
Satyam Kumar
2 Outline

Introduction
Servohydraulic actuator
Three stage servovalve transfer function
Transfer function of Servo-hydraulic system
Controller
Purpose and objective of testing
Test setup
Tuning
Data acquisition
Test Repetition
Test results
Model development using Matlab simulink
3 Introduction

The servo actuators are devices that are used to introduce motion or
to clamp an object in order to prevent motion.
Open Loop system

Servo actuator
Figure 1: Servo Actuator (open loop system)

Servo actuator is an open loop system controls the linear or rotary

motion of a load in response to an input command
Modulator converts the low power input signal to a high power
output which operates the servo motor
4 Introduction

Closed loop system

Figure 2: Servo system (Closed loop system)

Servo actuator is a part of the servo system which is a closed loop control
system
The input command is provided to the system by the controller
The output signal is measured by force or displacement transducers (e.g.
load cells) to sent feedback to controller
The procedure is continued until the error of the system is minimized
 Servo-hydraulic actuator
5

Component
Servo valve
Cylinder and piston
The servovalve controls the flow of fluid to an actuator
The hydraulic actuator converts Hydraulic power to mechanical
motion
Servovalve
Pedestal Servovalve Spiral Washers
Base Swivel Rod
Swivel Base Manifold End
Load cell

Figure 3: Servo Hydraulic Actuator

6
Servovalve

Figure 4: Servo valve

7 Servovalve

The servovalve is the final control element in a closed loop servo-hydraulic system
Servovalve ports the fluid into the appropriate side of actuator chambers
Mechanism: Three stage servovalve
Electric current (input) Torque motor armature Rrotation of the pilot flapper
Differential pressure in the pilot stage Flow of hydraulic fluid in the second stage
Movement of second stage spool Flow of hydraulic fluid in the third stage
Position of third stage spool Flow of the high pressure hydraulic fluid in the
Actuator load chamber
The servovalve signal command before it sent to first stage is processed by controller
(Inner loop)
ei(t) vc(t) x3sa(t) Where,
In laplace notation: ei(t) : error signal
vc(t) : Servovalve command signal
ei(s) vc(s) x3sa(s) x3sa(t) : Conditioning feedback signal
8 Three stage servovalve transfer
function
Relationship between electrical signal representing the position of the third stage
spool x3s(t) and the feedback signal x3sa(t):

x3sa(t) Kdf x3s(t) Where, Kdf is displacement feedback Gain

In Laplace transform :
x3sa(s) Kdf x3s(s)
Inner loop error signal:

Output signal of the inner loop Vci(t) : ei(s) vc(s) Kdf x3sa(s)

Where, pi (ei(t)) and Di (ei(t)) are inner loop proportional gain and derivative
gain vci(t) pi(ei(t)) Di(ei(t))
Output signal in Laplace Notation:

vci(s) pi(ei(s)) S Di(ei(s)) ( pi S Di)(ei(s))

9 Three stage servovalve transfer
function

Inner loop is processed by PD controller, Transfer function of PD controller:

vci(s) i
PD(s) K pro sKi der
ei(s)
Where,
e(s) inner loop error signal
Vci(s) output signal
Kipro proportional gain
Kider derivative gain
Substituting expression of transfer function output signal of inner loop :

vci(s) (Ki pro sKider)(vc(s) kx

df 3s(s))

Error signal
10 Three stage servovalve transfer
function

Relationship between the conditioned servovalve command vci(t) and pilot stage
servovalve :
Pp(t) = K1vci(t)
Where,
Pp is differential pressure in the pilot stage
K1 is flapper gain
Relationship between the pressure drops induced across the pilot stage and the
displacement of the main stage spool :
x3s (t)= k2 Pp(t)
Where,
x3s is the third stage spool displacement,
k2 is the second stage gain factor,
Pp the pressure drop across pilot stage spool
11 Three stage servovalve transfer
function

Relationship between the conditioned servovalve command and the piston of the third
stage spool :
x3s (t)= k1 k2 vci(t)
In Laplace Notation :
x3s (s)= k1 k2 vci(s)
Relationship between fluid flow from the main stage to the actuator :
qs(t) = Kxm x3s (t)
In Laplace Notation :
qs(s) = Kxm x3s (s)
Where,
Kxm flow-gain coefficient,
qs hydraulic high pressure fluid flow
12 Three stage servovalve transfer
function

Relationship between servovalve command and servovalve flow to the Actuator:

qs(t) = Kxm k1 k2 vci(t)
In Laplace Notation :
qs(s) = Kxm k1 k2 vci(s)
Final Output
vci(s) = (Kipro+ Skider)(vc(s)-k1 k2 vci(s))

Proportional and Error signal

derivative gain

KproSKder
vci s vc s
i i

Ki pro SK der
qs s Kxm vc s
i

1KKK
df 1 2(K pro SK der)
i
1 KdfK1K2(K pro SK der)
i
i i

qs(s) = H(s) Vc(s) Where H(s) is 3 stage servovalve transfer function

13 Oil flow in the Actuator

The differential equation governing the actuator piston :

V
qs(t) Axt(t) Fa(t) KleFa(t)
4 A

Flow generated by Compression

Where,
Leakage of
Displacement of of oil actuator sil
piston
Velocity of the table;
A The effective piston area.
Fa(t) Force into the actuator.
V Volume of the actuator load chamber;
Is the bulk modulus of the oil
Kle The proportionality factor for leakage (in seals, etc)
14 Oil flow in the Actuator

In Laplace notation :
V
qs(s) H(s)xc(s) SAxt(s) S Fa(s) KleFa(s)
4 A
The Actuator force-mass acceleration relationship
Fa(t) mxt(t)
In Laplace notation:
Fa(s) S2mxt(s)
Relationship Between Servovalve command and Actuator Displacement:

V 2
qs(s) H(s)xc(s) SAxt(s) S S mxt(s) KleS2mxt(s)
4 A
15 Transfer function of Servo-hydraulic
system

Relationship between Servovalve command and Actuator Displacement:

H(s)
xt(s) G(s)vc(s) vc(s)
Vm
s3( ) KleS2m SA
4 A

G(s) is transfer function of servohydraulic system :

The open Loop Transfer function Gopen in terms of open loop frequency and damping

Kt 1
Gopen(s)
A s2[s( Vm ) s mKle 1]
4 A A

Where,
H(s) =K1k2Kxm = Kt
16 Transfer function of Servo-hydraulic
system

G(s) is the transfer function of the servo hydraulic system can be expressed by:

Ko
Gopen(s) 2
s[s (1/ 2o)s 2(0 / o)s 1

Where,
Frequency o of the open loop : 2o =4A2/mv (V is the volume of actuator
chamber)
o = mkle0/2A
Gain Ko of open loop Kt/A
17 Controller

It makes comparison between measured signal (Transducers) and reference signal

Error is minimized by adjusting the process control inputs

Derivativ
Derivativ
ee
External
comman
Proportion
d al
Error
Integral

PID
Control

Figure 5: Servo valve with PIDF controller

18 Controller

Components of servovalve command ;

Components due to PID gain
Components due to delta pressure gain
Feed forward gain (Directly added to command signal)
Servovalve command xc(t) = (t) + xf(t) + xd(t)
PID control transfer function:
HPID = (s) 1
Kpro k int s.kder
Tuning is done by adjusting proportional gain, integral
e(s) gain andsderivative gain
respectively

Figure 6: Adjustment of proportional gain

19 Purpose and objective of testing

The purpose of the experiment is to tune and operate a servo controlled seismic actuator
Tuning is adjustment of control parameters to certain optimum value for the desired
system response
Stability is required in response and process should not oscillate
Controller is tuned in such a way that response lag of system should be minimum
Tuning is done by Flextest software for displacement feedback control
Objective of tuning is minimize the error between input and the obtained signal
Tuning is done by square wave and triangular wave is used to checked for adequacy

Figure 7: Working principle of Servo-hydraulic actuator

20 Purpose and objective of testing

Figure 8: Tuning for square wave input

Figure 9: Tuning for triangle wave input

21 Test-set-up

A Rigid Reaction frame ( for lateral load) was used to mount the actuator .
Actuator used was servo controlled

Table 1: Technical detail of servo hydraulic actuator

Model Force Stroke Servovalv Servo Servovalv Peak

rating (inch) e type controlled e Gpm velocity
(Kips)
MTS 5.5 6-10 inch MTS 407
244.12S
LVDT and Load cell are integrated in actuator
Servo controller is used to send command to the actuator
Input, output and error is monitored by MTS flex test GT software
22

Figure 11: MTS 244. 12S actuator and components

Figure 10: Reaction Frame
23 Tuning process

Actuator tuning is done through group of gain controls:

P: Proportional Gain, determines amount of error signal used in feedback loop
I: Provides the Integral of the error signal, used for system low frequency
response.
D: Adds the Derivative of the feedback instrument, used to reduce overshoot
in a dynamic system.
F: Feed forward creates a new command signal that phase leads the original
command.

Figure 12: Effect of feed forward gains

24 Tuning

Tuning in displacement control mode:

It uses a LVDT sensor in actuator to get the actual feedback
In displacement control mode, specimen is not required for tuning
It uses a square signal for tuning
If the gain is too low, actuator doesnt move but if the gain is too high it moves
quickly producing noise
Tuning in force controlled mode:
It uses load cell as a sensor to get the actual feedback
Specimen is required for tuning
It uses a square signal for tuning
25 Data acquisition
Data acquisition was done using MTS Flex test GT software
program command, actual feedback and error were being plotted simultaneously on screen

Figure 12: Data acquisition system

26 Test Repetition

Table 2: Test Repetition

Test Input Amplitude Frequency Gain

No. Gain Type Gain Value

1 Square 0.2 inch 0.1 Hz P 27.448 V/V

Waveform
I 5.128 rps
D 4.0126ms

2 Triangular 0.2 Inch 0.1 Hz P 27.448 V/V

Waveform
I 5.128 rps
D 4.0126ms
27 Test Results ( Time History)

Figure 13 : Command (Input) signal and Actual Figure 14 : Error in signal between Command
(Output) displacement for square waveform in (Input) signal and Actual (Output) displacement for
displacement feedback actuator tuning square waveform in displacement feedback actuator
tuning.
28 Test Results ( Time History)

Figure 15 : Command (Input) signal and Actual Figure 16 : Command (Input) signal and Actual
(Output) displacement for square waveform in (Output) displacement for triangular waveform
displacement feedback actuator tuning. in displacement feedback actuator tuning.
29 Model Development of an actuator
using simulink
Transfer function of servo hydraulic actuator was calculated as:

5000
G(s)
s3 100s2 10000s
A nominal value of parameter o =100 Hz, o =0.40 and Ko=0.5 was taken for calculation

Figure 18 : Optimum PID gain and error for square loading in displacement control mode
30 Conclusion

There is a difference between the desired command and actual command that is
sent to actuator due to its own dynamic properties
Error between program command and sensor feedback can be minimized using
tuning techniques consisting different gain modes
If the actuator is tuned for the square waveform input signal, the error between the
output and input signal for other input waveforms are observed to be greatly
minimized