Force Tracking Control of a Testing Device I: System Modeling and Identification

A testing device with force tracking control is developed in Department of Mechanical Engineering at University of Houston. This device is used to test plate type material's yield stress by rupturing the plate with an applied load. In this paper, we mainly discuss the system modeling and identification problem of the testing device. First, we work on the device's mathematical description and develop a second-order model. Then, we use Levy's method to identify the specific transfer function of the testing device. Comparing the bode response diagram of identified transfer function with the sine excitation of actual system from frequency 1 rad/s to 0.1 rad/s, we find that the frequency response characteristics of the identified system are similar to the dynamical responses of the actual system. Therefore, the identified transfer function is reasonable and acceptable for controller design and simulation of the force tracking device.