Design and Implementation of a Sampled-Data Controller

Modern control systems frequently require a properly designed digital controller, in a closed-loop control scheme that allows flexibility in the system and the capacity for expansion. In this article, these objectives are accomplished by modeling the control system in continuous time, and utilizing two different discretization methods to obtain a discrete-time controller. Simulations in both discrete and continuous-time were performed, and the controller implemented through the use of a computer. The procedures outlined in this endeavor can be easily integrated into classroom curricula as an educational tool, including use a class project.