Experimental Examination of Controller Performance versus

Choosing the type of controller to use for a particular application is not trivial. This choice is often made heuristically by the design engineer. It is normally based on experience and qualitative examination of the open-loop and desired closed-loop system characteristics. This paper examines a state feedback controller, a state feedback controller with an integral state, a model-following controller, and a model-reference adaptive controller as they are applied to position control for a DC motor. The controllers are evaluated using cost functions for both performance and control effort. This type of analysis can help the designer determine which controller should be selected to accomplish a particular set of control objectives