2DOF Thrust Vectoring Gimbal
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What?
Active control is a modern and important challenge which faces rocket propulsion. Methods such as fluidic thrust vectoring, nozzle vectoring and others offer a solution to this problem.Â
Gimballing is a method which induces side forces on a rocket by angling the motor, and allows for the use of solid propellant motors which are cheaper than the alternative. Presented below is a 2DOF gimbal capable of providing active, stable control using a PID controller. This is a part of a ongoing effort to introduce novel control methods at the amateur rocketry caliber, to serve as a testbed for larger, more complex future projects.
How?
Design
The gimbal components were modeled using SolidWorks. The 2DOF design allows for vectoring in X-Y plane for adjustments of the rocket's attitude.
The core of this project is the control algorithm, currently consisting of a PID controller. The controller was adopted after extensive dynamic modeling of a state space controller and an appropriate linearization of the governing behaviors. The control development was performed on MATLAB with the Controls System Toolbox and Python. In the future, I aim to implement a state space LQR controller which takes advantage of the existing state space representation.
Fabrication
The existing prototype is almost entirely 3D printed in order to test the proof of concept. CNC manufacturing of metal components is planned in Fall of 2024.
Tools: SolidWorks, MATLAB, Python, C++, Bambu Studio
Results
End Product
This project has implemented a successful, responsive, and accurate controls algorithm into a prototype which performs in all core competencies required for the project.
Application
With ongoing development, calibration and static fire tests are scheduled for Fall 2024 for further evaluation before implementation into high-power rockets.
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