The precise motion control of electric push rod based on linear active disturbance rejection control

Abstract

This article presents a precise motion control strategy for electric push rod (EPR) using active disturbance rejection control (ADRC). A complete mathematical model is developed firstly, which integrating the dynamics of the DC motor and transmission system to characterize dynamic behavior of the EPR. A linear ADRC controller is then designed to address the system’s dynamics and external disturbances, with rigorous stability analysis provided to demonstrate its theoretical robustness. Finally, experimental validation is conducted through comparative simulations and physical tests, respectively. The simulation results validate the effectiveness of ADRC. The physical validation is performed on a dedicated test platform under three critical schemes: (1) sine-wave tracking (for dynamic response and multi-frequency disturbance), (2) complex periodic wave tracking (for robustness performance), and (3) step-wave regulation (for transient performance). Comparative results demonstrate that compared with the classical PID control, using ADRC control reduces the RMSE of the three trajectories by 17.91%, 16.39%, and 30.64%, respectively, while reducing the settling time of step response by 30%. The study demonstrates that ADRC-based control significantly enhances the performance of EPR in precision applications while maintaining system stability under varying operational conditions.