Development of an accurate observer for slewing systems

In this paper, the problem of designing an optimal observer for a slewing motor-beam system with Coulomb friction is addressed. The algorithm used to solve this problem is a combination of two algorithms, the Process Noise Covariance Estimator (PNCE) and the Scalar Gain Interpretation Smoother (SGIS). PNCE determines the appropriate observer parameter that produces accurate state estimate despite modeling uncertainties. The SGIS is used to smooth excessively noisy state estimates. In this study, the observer model for the slewing system includes dynamic interaction between the motor and the beam and a finite element representation for the beam. Experimental data is used to test the accuracy of the PNCE/SGIS algorithm.