Simulation Evaluation of Electro-Hydraulic Tracking Performance Using an Optimized Fractional Order PID Controller

The application of fractional order proportional-integral-derivative (FOPID) control in electro-hydraulic actuator systems is the primary focus of this paper. The performance of the proposed controller is optimized through the use of particle swarm optimization (PSO) to adjust its parameters. For their precise control capabilities and high power-to-weight ratio, electro-hydraulic actuators are extensively employed in industries such as aerospace, transportation, and robotics. On the other hand, these systems are inherently nonlinear, exhibiting behaviors such as friction, delay, and sensitivity to varying loads, which confound their control. Conventional proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers frequently encounter difficulties in attaining optimal performance in these intricate environments as a result of their restricted ability to accommodate system fluctuations and disturbances. The fractional-order elements in the proportional, integral, and derivative components of the FOPID controller are an advanced extension of the conventional PID controller. This configuration enables more flexible tuning and an enhanced system response. PSO, a heuristic optimization algorithm that is motivated by the social behaviors of particles, is employed in this investigation to optimize the FOPID parameters, which encompass the fractional orders and controller gains. The optimized FOPID controller considerably enhances the performance of the electro-hydraulic actuator system in comparison to the conventional PID controller, as evidenced by the simulation results. This investigation underscores the efficacy of FOPID control in intricate electro-hydraulic systems and illustrates the benefits of PSO in tailoring the controller parameters to achieve optimal performance. Comparing the FOPID with PD and PID approaches, the results indicate that FOPID controller improved the tracking control's performance for the 0.35 Hz sinusoidal trajectory by 96.5 % and 86.4 %, respectively.