Ball and Beam

Ball and Beam

1 DOF Control Platform for Teaching and Research
ACROME Ball and Beam System is ideal to introduce students to the fundamental and intermediate principles of controls. Let's teach automatic control with Ball and Beam!
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REFERENCE CUSTOMERS

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OVERVIEW

Apply control theory in real-life with ACROME Ball and Beam! The ball and beam system consists of a long beam together with a ball rolling back and forth on top of the beam. The long beam tilted by a servo. Our Ball and Beam System provides practicing the automatic control theory on a closed loop experiment. Controlling the position of a ball on a beam is one of the classical problems of control theory. Ball and Beam System can be used for a wide range of control system design implementations from basic linear controllers to advanced nonlinear methods. Students are able to understand system design approaches with Ball and Beam's learn-by-doing method. With the help of the courseware, they can distinguish effects of linearizations, assumptions and modeling errors due to the differences between simulations and real world experiments.
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SOFTWARE OPTIONS

LabVIEW, Real-Time (optional), FPGA (optional)
Altair Activate
Executable & GUI
Python
LabVIEW, Real-Time, FPGA (optional)
Python and OpenCV
API for External Control (Examples for LV, Matlab, Python)
MatLab/Simulink
C with STM32 software
API for External Control (Examples for LV, Matlab, Python)
* Different controllers may require

CONTROLLER OPTIONS

USB (PC based)
Raspberry Pi + Shield
NI myRIO
Arduino Mega + Shield

APPLICATION AREAS

Professional Photography
Medical Applications
Wearable Items
Quality Assurance
Engineering Research Applications
Positioners' Algorithm Research
Starting From
$7,499
Stewart platform
Ready to use GUI
API for external programming
Customization options available
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PRODUCT PHOTOS

SPECIFICATIONS

Standard Unit
Customizations Options
Payload
12 kgs (26,5 lbs)
Up to 150 kgs (331 lbs)
Workspace Options
X and Y Axis +/-60 mm
Z Axis +/-50 mm
Roll, Pitch, Yaw +/- 20°  
Up to +/-300 mm
Up to +/-150 mm
Up to +/- 45°  
Position Repeatability
+/- 100 µm
Down to +/- 25 µm
Angular Sensitivity
0.2°
Down to 0.1°
Max. Linear Speed
40 mm/sec.
Up to 80 mm/sec.
Height (min-max)
402-502 mm
330-920 mm
Platform Diameter
350 mm (hexagonal)
250-1000+ mm
Base Diameter
450 mm (hexagonal)
450-1000+ mm
Weight
14 kgs (31 lbs)
Based on custom options

SPECIFICATIONS

Payload
260 gr.
Workspace
± 10° in Pitch
Position Repeatability
± 1mm.
Angular Sensitivity
0.36°
Max. Speed
0.2 sec/60°
Height (min-max)
130mm. - 150mm. (± 2mm.)
Height
Rod Height
Platform Dimensions (Length * Width)
570mm. * 70mm. (± 2mm.)
Base Dimensions (Length * Width)
650mm. x 200mm. (± 2mm.)
Weight
2,750 gr.
Propeller Wingspan
Ball Diameter
40mm. (± 1mm.)
Magnet Diameter
Rod's Diameter
Motor Type
RC Servomotor with Built-In Encoder
Feedback Sensors
Linear Potentiometer
Power Requirement
12 V - 2,5 A

FEATURES

Assembled and ready to control plant with the integrated power unit

Getting Started Program with rich Graphical User Interface for out-of-the-box user experience

Implementation of advanced digital control techniques

Fully compatible with MATLAB®/Simulink® and LabVIEW™

Fully documented system models and parameters provided for MATLAB®/Simulink®, LabVIEW™

Actuating the table by RC servo motor, which is familiar to students

Actuating the table by RC servo motor, which is familiar to students

Enables students to create their own real-time algorithms

Open architecture with extensive courseware, suitable for undergraduate courses for engineering disciplines related to control systems

FAQs

What is Ball and Beam?
The Ball and Beam experiment system is a classical control system, used for teaching the basics of control systems.
What are Ball and Beams used for?
The Ball and Beam is used for trying different algorithms to control the ball's position in horizontal direction, in a safe and repeatable manner.
What is the feedback sensor type?
Analogue potentiometer is used to determine the position of the ball. The servo motor has also an optional potentiometer to measure the position of the servo motor's arm.
Can I use the product for trying different controller types other than PID?
Yes you can. There are other simple controller types available such as On/Off (ie. bang/bang), P, PD. The Product is delivered as an open-source system and users are free to try their own different control algorithms.
Does the product comes with a controller and software/courseware?
Product comes with the controller, software and a companion courseware with example source codes.
Is there any after-sales support or training for the product?
A complimentary online support session is available after the delivery of the products. Standard support is provided via the phone, e-mail or remote desktop connection.

CURRICULUM

COMPONENTS OF BALL AND BEAM SYSTEM
RC Servo Motor
Potentiometer Sensor
Controller
Acrome Power Distribution BoxMechanics of the System
FUNDAMENTALS OF PWM
PWM Signaling Theory
Generating PWM Signals Driving RC Servos with PWM Signals
FEEDBACK IN CONTROL SYSTEMS
Reading Ball Position from Potentiometer Sensor
Derivative Filtering
SYSTEM MODELING
System Identification Methods
Modeling of Actuator
Obtaining Transfer Function of Plant
PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Time Domain Characteristics
Steady State Response and Steady State Error
CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGN
Time Response Characteristics
PID Controller and Fuzzy Logic Controller
Step Response and Steady-State Error
CONTROL SYSTEM VERIFICATION
Frequency Response Analysis
Experimental Bode Diagrams
Cut-Off Frequency Determination
Info Sheet Download
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SPECIFICATIONS

*We offer customization in our product upon customer’s request.

RELATED ARTICLES

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This article explains how to use PID controllers to solve a real-world balance problem. We need to calculate PID gains to do so. Let’s examine real-life balance problems with ACROME's Ball Balancing Table and Ball and Beam.

READ ESSAY
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ITU Science Park, ARI4 Building
No: B204 Maslak 34469
Istanbul Turkey
+90 212 807 04 56
info@acrome.net

ITU Science Park, ARI4 Building
No: B204 Maslak 34469
Istanbul Turkey
+90 212 807 04 56
info@acrome.net

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