Experimental fuzzy logic control for unmodeled industrial processes

In manufacturing, many processing cells require the continuous contact of driven tools with the workpiece surfaces such as machining and fastening. The skilled operators compensate for the various changing conditions of operations (e.g. texture, material, environment). In such processes, the individual technologies are well modeled and understood, such as drivers, sensors, lubricant, and manipulators. On the other hand, the integrated plant illustrates the undetermined interactions among various technologies. In this paper, we designed a novel fuzzy logic controller (FLC) and tested its effectiveness in controlling an unmodeled DC motor with an attached wood finishing tool. The applied disturbance to illustrate the various operating conditions in an industrial process was achieved by passing a piece of wood with nonuniform surface through the finishing process. Such an exercise is sufficient to show how in fastening or machining we can maintain a desired torque or force on the workpiece in the presence of a misthread or an uneven surface for a desired uniform outcome