Adaptive Output Force Control of Hydraulic Cylinders
The technology
Commercial hydraulic actuator testing systems are available and in-house designed hydraulic testing systems are employed in the industry. Furthermore, test beds for hydraulic actuators have been developed for research purposes in universities. However, these commercial and research test systems do not seem to use an approach based on the adaptive output force control of hydraulic cylinders. This technology establishes the dynamic equivalency between electrically driven motors and hydraulically driven cylinders.
Commercial potential
The demand for hydraulic actuators is well established and growing. They are used in a variety of industrial applications.
The product derived from this innovation may be in the form of a software module together with a sophisticated parameter tuning procedure; it would be implemented by the end-user within the user's test facility. Alternatively, it could be a fully functional test bed with load sensors, electronic cabling, microprocessors, displays, software and, ancillary mechanical elements. This test bed could support and drive the actuator during testing and automatically implement the testing procedures.
The business opportunity
Canadian Space Agency (CSA) engineers have developed an innovative method for the emulation of electrical actuation by using hydraulic actuators for robotic systems. From this invention a commercial product could be created that has a control algorithm, including a software package. It also offers a sophisticated parameter tuning procedure for adaptive control of hydraulic actuators and ancillary equipment for robotic applications.
It can be used to significantly increase the output force control performance of hydraulic actuators by compensating 95% of the piston friction. It has applications for both free-motion and contact tasks.
Technology transfer details
This technology is available for a license.
The business opportunity may be referred to by its CSA case ID: 50699
Publications
- Zhu, W., E. Dupuis and J.-C. Piedboeuf, "Adaptive Output Force Tracking Control of Hydraulic Cylinders," Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Proceeding of the American Control Conference (ACC), Boston, Massachusetts, Vol. 6, pp. 5066-5071, -.
- Zhu, W. and J.-C. Piedboeuf, "Adaptive Output Force Tracking Control of Hydraulic Cylinders with Applications to Robot Manipulators," American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control, Vol. 127, pp. 206-217, .