Control of resistance spot welding using model predictive control

Nowadays, the need for industrial processes with sufficient accuracy, efficiency, and flexibility to compete world markets is inevitable. On the other hand, the advent of control techniques and increased computation power of CPUs allow implementation of complex controllers using optimization techniques to provide higher efficiency and economic productivity. Model predictive control refers to a wide range of optimization-based control methods applying explicit models to predict its prospective use. These methods of control compute control signal by minimizing the cost function so that the process output becomes very close to the optimal path. In this paper, we use a new model predictive control technique on a spot welding process as a time varying nonlinear process.