Modeling and control system design of reel-to-reel tape drives

The control system design for a reel-to-reel type tape drive system is presented. Such a system is a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) 2-input 2-output system. The paper presents the control system modeling of a general tape drive system and then develops a frequency response method to validate the model. Control system design techniques are presented using a decoupled transfer function approach as well as a state space linear quadratic regulator technique. Finally, test results are presented to illustrate the design techniques.