A Method for Teaching Feedback Control Using the Enhanced Mass-Spring-Damper System

This paper presents a method that the author has developed to teach students about the need for feedback control and to facilitate the understanding of controller implementation. The initial discussion focuses on the limitations of open-loop control to improve performance of the traditional mass-spring-damper system. The key contribution is the introduction of an enhanced mass-spring-damper system with a position sensor and force generator, resulting in voltages as system input and output. This enhanced system provides a foundation for discussion of basic feedback control strategies such as PID-Control in addition to advanced controls concepts. The analysis is provided in time-domain to facilitate the understanding of these important controls concepts.