An Interactive Software Tool to Learn/Teach Robust Closed-Loop Shaping Control Systems Design

Models are always subject to uncertainty. This can come mainly from parameter uncertainty, reduced order dynamics, or unmodelled dynamics. The model uncertainty is a concept that is difficult to introduce in automatic control introductory courses. The mathematical formalization of many of the ideas necessary to introduce students to robust control is complex for most students, causing many students to get lost in the mathematics and do not understand the important control concepts. The closed-loop shaping control design methodology allows introducing the model uncertainty in a simple way. It has some very interesting characteristics from a teaching point of view, since it allows concentrating on shaping the closed-loop frequency response in order to obtain the desired performance and robustness. This paper presents the main features and functionality of RCLSD an interactive software tool developed by the authors for learning and teaching the robust closed-loop shaping control design methodology.