On the development of a real-time digital control system using xPC-Target and a magnetic levitation device

Presents the development of a real-time digital control system. In this system, the basic software tool is MATLAB, along with Simulink, Real Time Workshop, xPC Target and a C++ compiler. Two computers - a host and a target and a compatible data acquisition board are required to provide the interface between the software and the hardware device to be controlled (a custom-developed magnetic levitation system). In this environment, the values of any parameter (control law, inputs) in the Simulink model are easily changed on the host in real time. Measured responses are displayed in real time or saved for later analysis. This environment allows for experimentation and the development of controllers for performance comparison of control laws on hardware, as shown in the presented examples.