Mechanical and Civil Engineering Seminar

High precision motion control is essential for a wide variety of modern applications.  The key to high precision is the incorporation of feedforward information along with typical feedback algorithms.  Iterative Learning Control is a very popular method to determine signal-based feedforward control.  This talk will discuss recent developments in improving the performance of ILC schemes and their applications to manufacturing applications.  In particular, we will motivate the use of ILC schemes with precision manufacturing applications particular to the microscale. Two different additive fabrication techniques will be examined and the role of precision control highlighted.  One is a micro-extrusion system used for tissue scaffold fabrication.  Another is an electro-hydrodynamic Jet (or e-Jet) printing that uses electric fields to drive ionic transport. 

After the demonstration of manufacturing processes, a brief introduction to Iterative Learning Control (ILC) will be given.  ILC is a novel adaptive technique that allows us to learn repeated trajectories and maximize precision in the automation machinery used for fabrication.  After an overview, the rest of the talk will discuss recent developments in ILC for both single axis and multi-axis systems.  We demonstrate the benefits in performance with results in manufacturing applications.