Design and practical implementation of a ball on plate system with two PD controllers

Ball stabilization control system is an important control problem in undergraduate and graduate education. Practical applications are carried out in control system laboratories on this subject. Students develop projects with a multidisciplinary approach using their control systems knowledge, software knowledge, design knowledge, and using equipment such as  DC motors and microprocessors. The problem of keeping the ball balanced is a control problem that is handled in two different ways. The ball and beam and the ball on plate systems stand out in this regard. However, in many studies, the ball on beam system is preferred because it is easier. In these systems, the ball is controlled only on the vertical axis. In these systems, a single PID controller and a single servo motor are preferred. In the ball on plate control system proposed in this study, the ball's movement in both the x and y axes is controlled. The system is both designed using MATLAB software and its practical application is carried out. 2 PD controllers and two servo motors are used to provide more precise and faster control of the ball. In addition, an LCD screen is used to show the instantaneous position of the ball on the x and y axes. Thus, a better design is obtained than standard ball on beam systems.