The Time Response

First and Second Order Systems.

M.V. Iordache, EEGR3523 Mechatronics, Spring 2021, LeTourneau University

Control Systems Design
Involves several steps:
1. Find models for plant, sensors, actuators.
2. Select control structure, based on specifications (feedforward,
feedback, …).
3. Select controller type (PID, lead, lag, …).
4. Design controller.
5. If specification cannot be satisfied, go to step 2.
6. Tune controller parameters based on system simulation.
7. Tune controller parameters on the real plant.
Specifications
So far we have studied
• Stability
any bounded input → bounded output.
• Steady state error
how much the steady state may deviate from its prescribed value under
constant disturbances.
At this time we will consider
• Time Response Specifications
 tp (peak time)

Typical Time ts (2% settling time)

Response
Parameters
• Settling time 𝑡𝑠
• Peak time 𝑡𝑝
• Percent 𝑀𝑝 peak magnitude
Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠
overshoot (PO).
• Steady-state 𝑀𝑝 − Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠
value 𝑦𝑠𝑠 𝑃. 𝑂. = 100 ⋅
Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠
Mechatronics—Time Response
First Order Systems
Ideal response (proportional to input)

Actual response

• Assume that the input of a first order system changes in steps.

• The output will not overshoot (𝑃𝑂 = 0%) and will have no peak time.
• The settling time describes the response.
 2% of Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠1 First Order Systems

𝑡𝑠 Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠1 Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠2
𝑡𝑠

2% of Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠2

A first order system is described by a transfer function of the form

𝐴
𝐻 𝑠 =
𝑠+𝑝
where 𝐴 and 𝑝 > 0 are constants of the system. The 2% settling time is
4
𝑡𝑠 ≃
𝑝
First Order Systems
A first order system is described by a transfer function
𝐴
𝐻 𝑠 =
𝑠+𝑝
where 𝐴 and 𝑝 > 0 are constants. The 2% settling time is
4
𝑡𝑠 ≃
𝑝
Proof outline: An input that changes in steps is a sum of (delayed) step inputs.
The response of 𝐻(𝑠) to a single step input of amplitude 𝑚 and delay 𝑡0 is:
𝐴⋅𝑚
𝑦 𝑡 = 1 − 𝑒 −𝑝(𝑡−𝑡0 )
𝑝
When 𝑡 − 𝑡0 = 𝑡𝑠 , the output is at 2% from the steady state.
𝐴 𝐴 −𝑝𝑡
ln 0.02 4
1 − 0.02 = 1−𝑒 𝑠 ⇒ 𝑡𝑠 = − ≃
𝑝 𝑝 𝑝 𝑝
First Order Systems—Examples
• Let 𝑣 be the velocity of a vehicle and 𝜏 the torque of the motor. The
𝑉 𝑠
transfer function corresponds, approximately, to a first order
𝑇 𝑠
system.
• Common operational amplifiers can be approximated by first-order
systems.
• An RL or RC circuit.
First Order Systems—Example

0.1
Assume 𝐺 𝑠 = .
Find a controller that ensures that the settling time to a step
𝑠+5
input is 10 times smaller than the settling time of the plant.
𝐶𝐺 0.1𝐶
• The closed-loop transfer function is 𝐶𝐿 𝑠 = = .
1+𝐶𝐺 𝑠+5+0.1𝐶
• Let 𝐶 𝑠 = 𝑘. For stability, 5 + 0.1𝑘 > 0.
4
• If 𝐶 𝑠 = 𝑘, the closed-loop is a first-order system. Therefore, 𝑡𝑠 ≃ .
5+0.1𝑘
4
• The settling time of the plant to a step input is 𝑡𝑠𝑝 ≃ = 0.8 sec.
5
• 𝑡𝑠 = 0.1𝑡𝑠𝑝 ⇒ 𝑘 = 450. The answer is 𝐶 𝑠 = 450.
 First Order Systems

If 𝐶 𝑠 = 𝑘 and 𝐺(𝑠) is a first order system, lim 𝑡𝑠 = 0.

𝑘→∞
Consequently, any settling time can be achieved with a high enough value of 𝑘!
From a practical viewpoint, large values of 𝑘 will create several issues:
• Instability: Plants are only approximately first-order systems. Because of neglected
high frequency poles, a large enough gain will lead to instability.
• Actuator saturation:
• Consider a unit step input. Assume 𝑦 0 = 0.
• At time 𝑡 = 0, when the step is applied, 𝑟 0 = 1, so 𝑒 0 = 1 and 𝑢 0 = 𝑘.
• Practical actuators cannot apply the control 𝑢 0 = 𝑘 unless 𝑘 is small enough.
 Second Order Systems
Ideal response (proportional to input)
Actual response

• They can overshoot when the input changes in steps.

• Two important parameters: the settling time and the percent overshoot.
Second Order Systems
2% of Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠1

𝑡𝑠
Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠1 Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠2

𝑡𝑠

2% of Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠2

• The 2% settling time is the time until the output stays within ±2% of
the step from its previous steady-state value.
Second Order Systems
• Consider a second-order system described by a transfer function
𝐴
𝐻 𝑠 = 2
𝑠 + 2𝜁𝜔𝑛 𝑠 + 𝜔𝑛2
• 𝐴 is a constant.
• 𝜁 is the damping ratio. It is dimensionless.
• 𝜔𝑛 > 0 is the natural frequency. It is measured in rad/s (like the 𝑠 variable).
• If 𝜁 ≤ 0, the system is unstable.
• If 0 < 𝜁 < 1, the step response will overshoot.
• If 𝜁 ≥ 1, the step response will resemble the response of a first order
system; it will have no overshoot.
• If 𝜁 = 1, the system is said to be critically damped.
Second Order Systems
• Assume 0 < 𝜁 < 1.
• The unit-step response is
𝐴 𝑒 −𝜁𝜔𝑛 𝑡
𝑦 𝑡 = 2 1− sin 𝜔𝑑 𝑡 + 𝜑
𝜔𝑛 1 − 𝜁2
where
• 𝜔𝑑 = 𝜔𝑛 1 − 𝜁 2 is the damped natural frequency.
• 𝜑 = cos−1 𝜁.
Second Order Systems
𝑡𝑝 (peak time)
• Assume 0 < 𝜁 < 1.
𝑡𝑠 (2% settling time)
• The 2% settling time is:
4
𝑡𝑠 ≈
𝜁𝜔𝑛
• The percent overshoot is:
𝜋𝜁 𝑀𝑝 peak magnitude
𝑃. 𝑂. = 100 ⋅ exp − Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠
1 − 𝜁2 𝑀𝑝 − Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠
𝑃. 𝑂. = 100 ⋅
Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠
• The peak time is:
𝜋
𝑡𝑝 =
𝜔𝑑
Second Order Systems—Examples
• Let 𝑥 be the position of a vehicle and 𝜏 the torque of the motor. The
𝑋 𝑠
transfer function corresponds, approximately, to a second order
𝑇 𝑠
system.
• A block connected to a spring.
• An RLC circuit.
Second Order Systems—Example
20
Find the percent overshoot and the settling time of 𝐻 𝑠 = .
4𝑠2 +2𝑠+1
𝐴
• First, let’s write 𝐻(𝑠) in the form 2.
𝑠 2 +2𝜁𝜔𝑛 𝑠+𝜔𝑛

20 20/4
=
4𝑠 2 + 2𝑠 + 1 𝑠 2 + 0.5𝑠 + 0.25

• We infer 2𝜁𝜔𝑛 = 0.5 and 𝜔𝑛2 = 0.25.

• Therefore, 𝜁 = 0.5 and 𝜔𝑛 = 0.5 rad/s.
• Since 0 < 𝜁 < 1, the following formulas may be used:

4 𝜋𝜁
𝑡𝑠 ≈ = 16 sec and 𝑃. 𝑂. = 100 ⋅ exp − = 16.3%
𝜁𝜔𝑛 1−𝜁 2
Second Order Systems—Example

Find 𝜁 and 𝜔𝑛 .
Note that any of the five edges could be used to find 𝜁 and 𝜔𝑛 .
Second Order Systems—Example

Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠
𝑡𝑝

𝑀𝑝

100
Since Δ𝑦𝑠𝑠 = 3 and 𝑀𝑝 = 3.5, it follows that 𝑃. 𝑂. = .
6
𝜋𝜁
Now 𝑃. 𝑂. ≠ 0 ⇒ 0 < 𝜁 < 1. Therefore, 𝑃. 𝑂. = 100 ⋅ exp − . This implies 𝜁 = 0.495.
1−𝜁 2
𝜋 𝜔𝑑
From 𝑡𝑝 ≃ 0.2 s and 𝑡𝑝 = we find 𝜔𝑑 = 5𝜋 rad/s ⇒ 𝜔𝑛 = = 18.1 rad/s.
𝜔𝑑 1−𝜁 2
Second Order Systems—Example

0.2
Assume 𝐺 𝑠 = , 𝐶 𝑠 = 𝑘, and 𝐻 𝑠 = 1 + 𝑘𝑑 𝑠. Find 𝑘 and 𝑘𝑑 so that
𝑠2
the system responds to a step input with 𝑃. 𝑂. = 5% and 𝑡𝑠 = 1 s.
• Using the formulas
4 𝜋𝜁
𝑡𝑠 ≈ and 𝑃. 𝑂. = 100 ⋅ exp −
𝜁𝜔𝑛 1−𝜁 2
4
we obtain 𝜁 = 0.69 and 𝜔𝑛 ≈ rad/s.
0.69
• This corresponds to second order system
𝐴 𝐴
2 2 = 𝑠 2 + 8𝑠 + 33.6
𝑠 + 2𝜁𝜔𝑛 𝑠 + 𝜔𝑛
Second Order Systems—Example

• The closed-loop transfer function is

𝑌 𝐶𝐺 0.2𝑘
= = 2
𝑅 1 + 𝐶𝐺𝐻 𝑠 + 0.2𝑘𝑘𝑑 𝑠 + 0.2𝑘
• It should equal
𝐴
𝑠 2 + 8𝑠 + 33.6

• It follows that 0.2𝑘𝑘𝑑 = 8 and 0.2𝑘 = 33.6.

• Therefore, 𝑘 = 168 and 𝑘𝑑 = 0.238.