PID controller using the TMS320C31 DSK with online parameter adjustment for real-time DC motor speed and position control

This paper addresses real-time DC motor speed and position control using the low-cost TMS320C31 digital signal processing starter kit (DSK). A PID controller is designed using MATLAB functions to generate a set of coefficients associated with a desired controller's characteristics. The controller coefficients are then included in an assembly language program that implements the PID controller. Code Explorer is used to load and run the PID controller to achieve real-time control. Furthermore, the PID parameters can be adjusted while the motor is running, so that online adjustment is achieved. This avoids shutting-down the system, re-assembling and re-compiling the source code each time the PID parameters are adjusted. Both speed and position control are investigated on a DC motor system with speed feedback and position feedback. Results show the improvement of system outputs as expected with a PID controller, with actual system outputs matching theoretical calculations.