An innovative method for improved real-time measurements of angular acceleration in motion control systems

A major limitation to the development of feedback acceleration controls in motion servo drives is the difficulty of detecting angular acceleration. This paper presents an innovative method for determining angular acceleration in servo-drives for industrial applications. The proposed method detects angular acceleration through the processing of the output signal generated by common square-wave industrial shaft encoders. The method allows detection of acceleration while keeping measurement noise and processing time delay limited so that the technique is suitable for real-time motion control applications. A description of the hardware employed and the presentation of experimental results substantiate the analytical frame and confirm the effectiveness of the method, specifically in respect of its applicability to industrial servo-drives