Optimal Design and Multiple-input Multiple-output Control Strategies for Media Handling in Copier and Printer Machines

媒体处理系统，如复印机和印刷机是优化的窄范围内的纸张属性。因此，当使用具有非标准特性的介质（如再生纸）时，它们通常表现不佳。这是由于复印机主要以开环方式控制。PI和他的合作者最近的研究活动已经解决了前面提到的健壮性问题。然而，所获得的结果只涉及纵向的媒体控制，大多数现代媒体和包装处理系统也需要精确的媒体横向和倾斜控制。这个GOALI项目的目标是：1)为媒体处理系统制定和实施一个机电一体化解决方案，该解决方案将允许媒体沿着三个平面内自由度精确转向，同时保持高吞吐量和强大的性能，以适应各种媒体特性。2)制定并实现新的扩展混合控制体系结构，使媒体处理系统能够有效地控制具有耦合自由度和非完整动力学的切换媒体动力学。3)为介质处理系统和其他分布式机电系统开发一种新的机电优化设计方法。4)开发一个功能齐全的快速原型研究和教学平台，该平台将可重新配置并能够实时测试各种控制方法。该项目的成果将介绍和展示新的机电一体化方法，以解决媒体处理设备的控制和设计中的基本问题，这些问题目前对美国复印机和印刷业至关重要，并且在大型装配，制造，机器人和运输系统中很常见。该项目的新发展将与该GOALI项目的工业合作伙伴施乐公司密切合作。

Media handling systems such as copier and printing machines are optimized for a narrow range of sheet properties. As a result, they often perform poorly when using media with non-standard characteristics, such as recycled paper. This is due to the fact that copier machines are predominantly controlled in an open loop fashion. Recent research activities by the PI and his collaborators have addressed the aforementioned robustness problems. However, the results obtained only pertain to media control in the longitudinal direction and most modern media and packaging handling systems also require precise lateral and skew control of the media.The goals of this GOALI project are: 1) To formulate and implement a mechatronics solution for media handling systems that will allow accurate steering of the media along three in-plane degrees of freedom, while maintaining high throughput and robust performance to a wide variety of media characteristics. 2) To formulate and implement new extended hybrid control architecture, for media handling systems that can effectively control switching media dynamics with coupled degrees of freedom and nonholonomic dynamics. 3) To develop a new optimal mechatronic design methodology for media handling systems and other distributed mechatronic systems. 4) To develop a fully functional rapid-prototyping research and instructional platform, which will be re-configurable and capable of testing in real-time a variety of control methodologies.The outcomes of this project will introduce and demonstrate new mechatronics approaches for solving fundamental problems in the control and design of media handling devices, which are currently of critical importance to the American copier and printing industries, and are common to a large class of assembly, manufacturing, robotics and transportation systems. The new developments in this project will be carried out in close collaboration with the Xerox Corporation, the industrial partner in this GOALI project.