Application of PLC Controller for a Deflection Control of a Piezoelectric Cantilever Actuator

Article presents the experimental investigation on application of programmable logic controller (PLC) for a deflection control of a piezoelectric cantilever actuator. The piezoelectric actuator contained a composite cantilever beam and a voltage amplifier. The cantilever beam was built by gluing of Macro Fiber Composite patch and a rectangular carrying material. A deflection of beam tip of this cantilever beam was an controlled variable in tested piezoelectric actuator. On the basis of laboratory experiments results, it can be concluded, PLC controller enabled an effective control of deflection of the piezoelectric cantilever actuator, which was used in laboratory experiments. Standard PLC controller can be used in industry for a deflection control of piezoelectric cantilever actuator instead of some real-time device. PLC controller can be also used in scientific laboratory experiments.