Methods of structural control and dynamics are introduced in this book. These include reduction of large structural models by balanced truncation, placement of actuators and sensors for dynamic testing and control, structural identification of the minimum-order balanced representation, balanced dissipative controller design, balanced LQG and H( controller designs with the closed-form relationships between controller parameters and system performance, and controller reduction methods that preserve the closed-loop performance. The book explores the unique properties of flexible structures to...

The operation of process plants involves a large number of event-driven activities, such as the start-up and shut-down of the plant, the execution of emergency procedures and equipment interlocking. These activities are normally carried out by procedural control systems (such as PLCs or DCSs). Despite the extent to which these control systems are used in practice, limited theoretical frameworks exist to support their analysis and design. This is particularly relevant in flexible production environments which are characterised by frequent changes in the product recipes, production modes and...

Orthogonal Functions may be divided into two classes. The class of continuous systems and the discontinuous class of piecewise constant systems. Problems arise because continuous systems form an unsatisfactory basis for the expansion of functions containing discontinuities whilst piecewise constant systems insert artificial discontinuities into all representations. Since these two classes of functions would be unsuccessful in coping with functions that possess both continuity and discontinuity we must look to General Hybrid Orthogonal Functions (GHOF) which have been shown to be the most...

In a competitive world, research in manufacturing systems plays an important role in creating, updating and improving the technologies and management practices of the economy. This volume presents some of the most recent results in stochastic manufacturing systems. Experts from the fields of applied mathematics, engineering and management sciences review and substantially update the recent advances in the control and optimization of manufacturing systems. Recent Advances in Control and Optimization of Manufacturing Systems consists of eight chapters divided into three...

Comprising six invited lectures by recognised experts in the field of control the Colloquium on Automatic Control presents a number of well-balanced theoretical and engineering-oriented elements which will be accessible to many readers ranging from non-specialists to experts and professionals in the field.

Addressing the difficult problem of controlling flexible spacecraft having multiple articulated appendages is the aim of this volume. Such systems are needed for space mission concepts including multi-payload space platforms and autonomous space-based manipulators. These systems are characterised by highly nonlinear dynamics, flexibility in members and joints, low inherent damping, and modeling uncertainty. A complete nonlinear rotational dynamic model of a generic multibody flexible system is derived, and is shown to possess certain passivity properties. The main result is a class of...

The collection of articles presented here, emerged from the Block Island Workshop on Vision and Control that brought together pioneering researchers from around the world. Discussions of new theoretical developments and the empirical validation of techniques and applications, are recorded in this book. Over recent years, robotics, computer vision and control theory researchers have addressed theoretical issues of: real-time vision, visual tracking, the active focus of attention and vision-based control of motion. At the same time, these theoretical insights have been used in applications such...

This volume comprises the proceedings of the "3rd International Conference on Distributed Parameter Systems" held at the Chorherrenstift Vorau (Styria), July 6-12, 1986. The aim of the meeting was to stimulate exchange of information between scientists working in the field of distributed parameter systems. The papers included in the proceedings present recent results and most of them include a survey on the background of the problem. Main topics considered in these papers are boundary control for hyperbolic systems, linear-quadratic control problems, robustness, stabilization, visco-elastic...

Papers from a Conference Held in Paris, March 21-22, 1984

Working Conference on Stochastic Programming held in Gargnano (Italy), September 15-21, 1983