Vibration Isolation Feedforward Control for Noisy Floor Motion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing active vibration-isolation systems often saturate in noisy environments, leading to inadequate performance and the need for costly hardware changes or redesigns to maintain effective vibration reduction for precision instruments.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a feedforward control system using a less sensitive motion sensor mounted on the base to assist the feedback control system, allowing the active vibration-isolation system to operate effectively in noisier environments without requiring changes to the feedback system hardware.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a feedback control system is used to reduce vibrations, then vibration isolation performance is improved, but the system saturates in noisy environments and cannot operate effectively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration isolation performanceVSAvoidoperating range in noisy environments

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The feedforward control system measures base motion beforehand and generates compensating signals to counteract vibrations before they affect the payload. By anticipating disturbances through base motion sensing and pre-calculating compensation signals, the system prevents saturation of the feedback controller in noisy environments while maintaining effective vibration isolation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the feedback system is designed for high sensitivity to detect small vibrations, then measurement precision is improved, but the system becomes overwhelmed by large external motions in noisy environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensitivity to small vibrationsVSAvoidsaturation from large external motions

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The feedforward control system acts as an intermediary that handles large base motions separately from the feedback system. By measuring base motion with a less sensitive sensor and generating pre-compensation signals, the feedforward path protects the high-sensitivity feedback system from saturation while allowing it to maintain precision for detecting small vibrations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11512757B2Precision vibration-isolation system with floor feedforward assistance

Publication Date: 2022.11.29 TECHNICAL MANUFACTURING CORP

AI summary

Apparatus and methods to reduce unwanted motion in precision instruments are described. An active vibration-isolation system may include a feedback loop that senses motion of an intermediate mass. In noisy environments, where the feedback loop would otherwise fail or provide inadequate isolation, feedforward control can be implemented to sense floor vibrations and reduce motion of the intermediate mass that would otherwise be induced by the floor vibrations. The feedforward control can reduce motion of the intermediate mass to a level that allows the feedback loop to operate satisfactorily.