Experimental optimal control of servo-pneumatic with sliding mode and GA-fuzzy-PID-PWM

Due to the inherent nonlinearity of pneumatic systems, achieving accurate control of pneumatic actuators remains a challenging task. This study compares three control strategies-PID control, fuzzy control, and sliding mode control-used to guide the motion of pneumatic actuators driven by on/off solenoid valves. The primary objective is to evaluate and compare the performance of each controller in the context of servo-pneumatic systems, highlighting their respective advantages and disadvantages. On/off solenoid valves, which reduce system costs, are utilized in this study. Since these valves can only process on/off signals, pulse width modulation (PWM) is employed to modulate the input signal, adjusting the duty cycle and performance time of the valves. Initially, the governing equations for the actuator and valves are presented, followed by an introduction to each controller. The pulse width modulation algorithm is then discussed, which regulates the control signal to the valve’s duty cycle and performance time. Finally, simulation results are provided, comparing the controllers and illustrating their strengths and weaknesses.