Experimental evaluation of a backlash inverter as applied to a servomotor with gear train

Tao and Kokotovic (1993) documented a method to control systems with high backlash. A right inverse of the backlash effect was derived and applied, in both a fixed and an adaptive scheme, in simulation tests of the inverter´s performance. The remits of the preliminary study were favourable, and these results were repeated in further simulation studies. This paper sets out to perform an experimental evaluation of the inverter´s effectiveness, by attempting position control of a high-backlash servomotor gear train apparatus. Tests are performed with and without the inverter, using a generic model control (GMC) scheme, to evaluate the quantitative improvement attainable by applying the inverter. This examination concluded that the inverter´s favourable simulation results could not be duplicated in practice. Further work is required