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SEE 2113

Question 1

a) Explain the following control terminologies with the aid of respective plotting:
i) Stability.
ii) Steady-state error.
iii) Time constant for a first order step response.
iv) Settling time for a second order step response.
(8 marks)

b) For the block diagram shown in Figure Q1(b), determine the relationship between
the output variable C(s) and the input variable R(s) by analyzing the system’s
variables.
(7 marks)

x(s)
G3(s)

R(s) +
+ + p(s) C(s)
G1(s)
q(s)
_
y(s)

G2(s)

Figure Q1(b)

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c) For the electrical network shown in Figure Q1(c), determine the relationship
between the output voltage Vo(s) and the input voltage Vi(s).
(6 marks)

L1

Vi(t) R L2 Vo(t)

Figure Q1(c)

d) The following lines in a MATLAB program are written:

num = 5;
den = [1 3 12];
step(num,den)

Sketch the response obtained when the above program is run and state the type of
the response.
(4 marks)

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Question 2

a) Give a brief explanation of a control system.

(4 marks)

b) A car equipped with a cruise control system can maintain its speed according to a
driver’s set speed, despite the presence of any disturbances (for example, different
road condition, etc.). Explain whether this is an open loop or a closed loop control
system. Draw the corresponding block diagram describing its operation.
(7 marks)

c) In the analysis and design of a control system, three criteria, namely the transient
response, the steady state response and the stability, should be considered.
Describe briefly those criteria in the analysis and design of a control system, as
mentioned above.
(6 marks)

d) Figure Q2(d) shows the unit steps responses for the systems A, B and C. Based on
the description in question 2(c) above, discuss the performance of each system.
Hence, which system has the best performance? Give reason to support your
choice.
(8 marks)

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Step Response
1.4
A

1.2

0.8
Amplitude

0.6

0.4
C

0.2

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time (sec)

Figure Q2(d)

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Question 3

a) i) Define what is meant by a transfer function.

(3 marks)

ii) How can we change a differential equation into another form of equation
in the s-domain?
(1 mark)

iii) What assumption is made concerning the initial conditions when dealing
with a transfer function?
(1 mark)

b) Figure Q3(b) is a representative of a situation involving the vibration of machines

containing unbalanced components. M1 and M2 are the masses, K1 and K2 are the
spring constants, B1 and B2 are the coefficients of viscous damping.

The parameters M2, K2, and B2 may be chosen so that the main mass M1 does not
vibrate in response to foundation vibration.

Assuming that the gravitational acceleration is neglected,

i) Obtain a set of differential equations describing the dynamics of the
system.
(5 marks)

ii) Transform the differential equations in s-domain and re-write them in

matrix form.
(5 marks)

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F(t)

Figure Q3(b)

θ 1 (s)
c) Find the transfer function, T ( s) , for the rotational system shown in Figure
Q3(c).
(10 marks)

Figure Q3(c)

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Question 4

a) i) What are the three familiar forms that subsystems are normally connected
in a block diagram?
(3 marks)

ii) What are the two basic components in a signal flow graph?
(2 marks)

b) Find the overall transfer function for the system shown in Figure Q4(b) using the
block diagram reduction method.
(10 marks)

G2

R(s) + C(s)
+ G1 G3 +

H2 + H1

G4

Figure Q4(b)

c) Change the block diagram in Figure Q4(b) into an equivalent signal flow graph.
Hence, obtain the overall transfer function using the Mason’s Rule.
(10 marks)

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Question 5

a) Explain the meaning of “step response of a system”.

(2 marks)

b) An open loop control system is shown in Figure Q5(b), where the R(s) is a unit
step input and C(s) is the system’s output.

R(s) 50 C(s)
s2  s  2

Figure Q5(b)

i) Identify the system order and type, plot the system’s poles on an s-plane, and
state the type of the output response.
(4 marks)

ii) If a negative feedback with H (s)=5 s+6 is added into the system,
does the stability of the system change? What would be the type of the
output response now?
(6 marks)

c) Figure Q5(c) shows the unit step response of an unknown open loop control
system. From this response, obtain the transfer function of the system.
(4 marks)

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c(t)

1.0

0.5

0.1
t(sec)
0.1 0.2 0.5 0.7 1.0 1.5

Figure Q5(c)

d) For the system shown in Figure Q5(d), find K so that for an input of 2u(t), there
will be a 0.01 error in the steady-state output response.

Note:
u(t )=0 for t<0
=1 for t≥0
(9 marks)

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R(s) + K C(s)
-
-
 s  2 s  1
5s  6
K

Figure Q5(d)

PK-UTM-FKE-(O)-05

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Solutions

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Q2)

a)

A control system consists of subsystems and processes/plant for the purpose of

controlling the output of the plant.
A control system provide an output or response for a given input.

Control system
Input, Output,
Desired response Actual response
4

b)

c)

Transient response: A control system responds to an input by undergoing a transient

response before reaching a steady-state response. Several criteria are considered to
determine the performance of system’s transient response: Rise time, settling time,
overshoot, peak time. 2

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Steady-state response: The response determine the steady-state error of a control

system. It is desirable to have a zero steady-state error and thus, the actual response
= desired response. 2

Stability: It is important to design a control system which is stable. In this case, the
2
transient response approach zero and thus leaving only the forced response.

d)
2
System A: fastest rise time, high overshoot, zero error, good settling time as B.
2
System B: no overshoot, settling time as A, zero error.

System C: no overshoot but slowest, error = 0.3. 2

Best performance: System B

2

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2.5

2.5

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Q5)

a)
2

b)
i)

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ii)

c)

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d)

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