4 System parameters

4.1 Introduction When a system is subject to, say, a unit step input it may give an output
which eventually settles down to some steady state response. The
response that it gives before settling down to this steady state is called its
~////////////////~ transient response. This chapter is about the parameters used to specify

.~> Spri;22Y:idil;e the transient response of systems and whether the transients lead to
unstable systems.
For example, if we have a spring system (Figure 4.1) and suddenly
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apply a load to it, it has a transient response which results in it taking

2c'; i ' some time to reach its steady state value and also it is likely to overshoot
the steady state value before it finally settles down to the steady state
value. What factors can we change with the spring system i~ ~rder to get
Overshooting0 Time
it to respond more quickly to an input and also to minimi~ the
overshooting? These are questions that are often posed for cona'o~
e~ Steady systems. As another illustration, consider a control system used with an
o state automatic machine to position a workpiece before some machining
operation, we need to know how fast the system will respond to an input
signal and position the item in the required position and will the system
0 Time be like the spring system when a load is applied to it and overshooting of
Figure 4.1 A spring system the required position occur. Overshooting is undesirable in such a
with an output to a step input situation and so, if it occurred in such a control system, we would need to
which takes time to reach the consider what steps can be taken to eliminate it. Parameters are used as a
steady state value and shows way of specifying how fast a system will respond to an input and how
overshooting quickly it will settle down to its steady state value.
With the above spring system, the result of applying a load is that,
after some oscillations with ever decreasing amplitude, the transients die
away and the system settles down to a stead state value. The system, is
said to be stable. If, however, the oscillations had continued with ever
increasing amplitude, then no steady state value would have been
reached and the system would be unstable. This chapter takes a brief
look at the conditions for stability of systems.

4.2 First order systems A first order system has a transfer function of the form:

G(s)- k
zs+l

where k is the steady state gain and z the time constant. When a unit step
input is applied to such a system, the output y is:

y = k(1 - e-'/~)
Copyright 2002. Newnes.

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