The Active Suspension experiment teaches cutting-edge technology that has brought a new generation of vehicles to life. Active suspension technology is used in the automotive industry to continuously control the vertical movement of the vehicle wheel using an actively-controlled actuator placed on the suspension axis. Similar technologies have also been used in train bogies to improve the curving behavior of the train and the decreased acceleration perceived by the passenger.
Active Suspension
The Active Suspension consists of three masses that along stainless steel shafts using linear bearings and is supported by a set of springs. The upper mass (blue) represents the vehicle body supported above the suspension, the middle mass (red) corresponds to one of the vehicle’s tires, and the bottom (silver) mass simulates the road. The upper mass is connected to a high-quality DC motor through a capstan to emulate an active suspension system that can dynamically compensate for the motions introduced by the road. The lower plate is driven by a powerful DC motor connected to a lead screw and cable transmission system.
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Rotary Double Inverted Pendulum
The Double Inverted Pendulum module is composed of a rotary arm that attaches to the Rotary Servo Base Unit, a short 7-inch bottom blue rod, an encoder hinge, and the top 12-inch blue rod. The balance control computes a voltage based on the angle measurements from the encoders. This control voltage signal is amplified and applied to the Servo motor. The rotary arm moves accordingly to balance the two links and the process repeats itself.
QLabs Virtual Rotary Servo
Same as the physical Rotary Servo Base Unit, the virtual system features a DC motor that drives a smaller pinion gear. This gear is fixed to a larger middle gear that rotates on the load shaft. The position of the load shaft is measured using a high-resolution optical encoder or a potentiometer.
QLabs Virtual QUBE-Servo 2
Same as the physical QUBE-Servo 2, the virtual system features a DC motor with the inertia disk and inverted pendulum modules. Rotary encoders measure the angular position of the DC motor and pendulum. The motor angular velocity is measured through a software-based tachometer.
Quanser AERO USB
The experiment is reconfigurable for various aerospace systems, from 1 DOF and 2 DOF helicopter to half-quadrotor. Integrating Quanser-developed QFLEX 2 computing interface technology, the Quanser AERO also offers flexibility in lab configurations, using a PC, or microcontrollers, such as NI myRIO, Arduino and Raspberry Pi. With the comprehensive course materials included, you can build a state-of-the-art teaching lab for your mechatronics or control courses, engage students in various design and capstone projects, and validate your research concepts on a high-quality, robust, and precise platform.
Quanser Controls Board
As automation and connected devices move from industry to commercial products and the home, an understanding of the design and implementation of control systems on hardware is essential. The courseware progression that accompanies the Quanser Controls Board begins with a grounding in the basics of modeling and control. Topics then transition into more complex strategies including optimal control, hybrid control, and digital control.
QUBE – Servo 2 myRIO
The experiment is reconfigurable for various aerospace systems, from 1 DOF and 2 DOF helicopter to half-quadrotor. Integrating Quanser-developed QFLEX 2 computing interface technology, the Quanser AERO also offers flexibility in lab configurations, using a PC, or microcontrollers, such as NI myRIO, Arduino and Raspberry Pi. With the comprehensive course materials included, you can build a state-of-the-art teaching lab for your mechatronics or control courses, engage students in various design and capstone projects, and validate your research concepts on a high-quality, robust, and precise platform.
Coupled Tanks
Designed in association with Prof. Karl Åström and Prof. Karl Henrik Johansson, the Coupled Tanks system consists of a single pump with two tanks. Each tank is instrumented with a pressure sensor to measure the water level. The pump drives the water from the bottom basin up to the top of the system. Depending on how the outflow valves are configured, the water then flows to the top tank, bottom tank, or both. The rate of flow can also be changed using outflow orifices with different diameters. The ability to direct water flow, together with variable outflow orifices allows for several interesting Single Input Single Output (SISO) configurations. Further, two or more Coupled Tanks can be combined together for Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) experiments.
