Abstract: The ball and plate system is a sophisticated two-dimensional control challenge, extending the classic ball on a beam problem. To solve this problem, a closed-loop controller using PID have to be designed. Hence, calculating the occurred error and making fast communication between the sensor and actuator, thus correcting of ball position to the centre of the plate. MG955 servo motors are used as actuators, a 5-wire resistive touchscreen for real-time ball position detection, and an Arduino Mega 2560 as the central processing unit. A PID control algorithm is implemented to dynamically adjust the plate's tilt, ensuring the ball stabilizes at the centre and responds accurately to control inputs. Interpolation equations are developed to map control signals to precise motor angles for both the X and Y axes, enabling smooth and accurate plate movements. The system was further enhanced by incorporating variable resistors for fine-tuning PID parameters and a speed correction factor to improve disturbance rejection. MATLAB is used to visualize and analyze the system's responses, including step and disturbance inputs and ensuring optimal controller performance. Finally, the simulation results showed that the PID controller kept the ball balanced at the centre of the plate in an acceptable time with a small error.

Keywords: Ball-and-plate, PID, balance, servo motor, resistive touch screen, Arduino, MATLAB

Pages: 317-324

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