| This thesis provides an experimental investigation of the boundary layer-based Sliding Mode Control (SMC) and single-input model-based Sliding Mode Fuzzy Logic Control (SMFLC). Comparisons of SMC and SMFLC and of SMFLC with the traditional Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control are provided. A boundary layer-based sliding mode controller (SMCer) was designed according to the theory of Slotine et al. (1991). In addition, a single-input model-based sliding mode fuzzy logic controller (SMFLCer) was designed following a proposed approach. Then, the SMCer and SMF'LCer were applied to the tracking control problem of a real robot manipulator for various trajectories and end-effector payloads. The results obtained from these controllers are analyzed and compared. Finally, a well-tuned PID controller is applied to the tracking control problem of a robot arm in various operating conditions, and the results are compared with those of the SMFLCer. |
