Experiment-in-the-Loop system for fast and effective tuning of active vibration controllers

Tuning active controllers is one of the main challenges in the field of active vibration control (AVC). To address this challenge, this study introduces a novel approach called Experiment in the Loop (EITL). The EITL method, unlike traditional techniques, automates the tuning process through an algorithm based on Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). This algorithm carries out numerous experimental tests on a structure and, at each test, tries a new configuration of the controller, evaluates its performance, and iteratively improves the control parameters. The EITL's innovation lies in its ability to achieve fast and efficient tuning without any numerical model, making it a significant advancement in AVC technology. The EITL approach is validated by tuning five Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) Positive Position Feedback (PPF) active vibration controllers on a composite beam equipped with three piezoelectric sensors and three piezoelectric actuators. Experimental results show that the ‖H‖_∞ norm of the composite beam is reduced up to 96.1% on certain modes, and an average reduction of 74.7% is achieved in a frequency range from 0 to 200 Hz with minimal spillover effects. The developed EITL opens the avenue to a fast and effective tuning of AVC without numerical models.