Design of a Cascade Control Scheme for Unwinding Tension Based on RBF Network

In the working process of the diaphragm slitting machine, a cascade control scheme based on the RBF network is proposed to address the tension fluctuation problem caused by the nonlinearity, strong coupling, and parameter variation of the unwinding system. Firstly, the dynamic characteristics of the unwinding process of the diaphragm slitting machine are analyzed, and the dynamic model of the unwinding section is established. The influencing factors causing tension fluctuation are studied. Then, a cascade control strategy combining sliding mode control (SMC) and RBF network adaptive sliding mode control (RBF-ASMC) is proposed to hierarchically control the key variables of unwinding tension and unwinding speed, which are coupled with each other. The sliding mode controller ensures stable control of the outer tension loop, and the RBF network adaptive sliding mode controller adds disturbance compensation and robust control to the inner speed loop. Finally, simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the cascade control scheme based on the RBF network weakens the coupling between key variables in the system, improves the dynamic performance, and enhances the disturbance rejection capability of the system.