Actuator Control for a Rapid Prototyping Railway Bogie, Using a Dynamically Substructured Systems Approach

Abstract

A rapid prototyping bogie (RPB) has multiple actuators to emulate missing bogie components. In the original RPB hybrid control system, deterioration in the control performance, which was caused by dynamic coupling between the multiple actuators, was observed during the RPB performance tests. To solve this issue, a new controller was developed, based upon the dynamically substructured systems (DSS) method, and trialled on an existing proof-of-concept test rig. Through random excitation tests, it was confirmed that the actuators were well controlled. As a consequence, the DSS approach was determined as a viable framework for future research into the RPB system.