Controlling Coupled Flexible Links Rotating in the Horizontal Plane

This paper reports progress in an ongoing effort toward identification and control of slewing flexible-member systems from both an analytical and an experimental viewpoint. Currently the laboratory effort is focused upon experimentation on a two-link apparatus in which both members are very flexible, and where each member is instrumented with acceleration sensing and is driven by a separate motor equipped with velocity and position sensing. Emphasis in analytical and experimental investigations are given to the interaction effects (coupling) between the two flexible members as flexible modes from each become evident in the responses measured relative to one another.