A robust linear programming model for small signal stability of dynamic systems

Many important dynamic systems operate in uncertain environments, and in many cases even small levels of noise can severely compromise their performance and stability. In this work, we propose a robust design approach to improve the performance of such systems. Our approach first specifies a set of linear constraints describing dynamic performance requirements based on pole position concepts. Next, a robust linear programming model is solved to yield a parameter design which achieves the performance requirements as well as possible under uncertainty. The effectiveness of our proposed approach is supported with computational studies on a Voice Coil Motor (VCM) in a commercial Hard Disk Drive (HDD).