System approach to bulk material flow control on an electromagnetic vibratory feeder

Abstract

This paper studies the closed-loop control of an electromagnetic vibratory feeder (EVF). Two different linear design procedures have been employed: a conventional proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller, and a model predictive control (MPC) controller. All derived results have been validated by computer simulation of a nonlinear mathematical model of the system. The results have proved that both controllers achieve a good tracking of the desired output in a selected operating point. In comparison to the PID controller, the MPC controller is more sensitive to disturbances in the form of changes in the mass of material being transported