Modeling and Control of a Permanent Magnet DC Motor: A Case Study for a Bidirectional Conveyor Belt’s Application

Direct current (DC) motors are widely used in various applications because of their operational advantages and ease of control compared to those of other rotating machines. This study focuses on regulating the operation of a bidirectional conveyor powered by a permanent magnet DC motor driven by a full H-bridge power converter. The mechatronic system, comprising a conveyor, a DC motor, and a power converter, is modeled using first-order differential equations. For control design purposes, a simplified actuator model is derived, treating the conveyor load as an external disturbance. A linear control scheme, based on classical control theory, is proposed to ensure that the actuator velocity tracks the reference input. To improve the disturbance rejection, particularly against variations in mechanical loads, an extended state observer is incorporated. Simulation tests validated the proposed control scheme, highlighting the functionality and tradeoffs of its internal components.