Experimental evaluation of a backlash inverter as applied to a servomotor with gear train

Tao and Kokotovic (1993) documented a method to control systems with high backlash. A right inverse of the backlash effect was derived and applied, in both a fixed and an adaptive scheme, in simulation tests of the inverter's performance. The remits of the preliminary study were favourable, and these results were repeated in further simulation studies. This paper sets out to perform an experimental evaluation of the inverter's effectiveness, by attempting position control of a high-backlash servomotor gear train apparatus. Tests are performed with and without the inverter, using a generic model control (GMC) scheme, to evaluate the quantitative improvement attainable by applying the inverter. This examination concluded that the inverter's favourable simulation results could not be duplicated in practice. Further work is required.