A new approach to system transient response sensitivity†

†Communicated by Professor D. R. Towill.

Abstract

An intuitive approach to the convolution problem allows the transient response sensitivity of zero velocity lag servomechanisms to be readily sketched. This procedure leads to a considerable insight into the advantages of feedback compensation in sensitivity reduction; this is much greater than any advantage obtained in choosing between alternative unity feedback designs, and is confirmed by Monte Carlo simulation. Prediction of transient response sensitivity to parameters other than system gain is readily achieved and illustrated by the prediction of the relative importance of elemental blocks of a sixth-order aircraft blind landing system.

Maximum percentage overshoot is seen as a critical part of the deterministic performance specification. Not only does the maximum value of the basic sensitivity function increase with maximum percentage overshoot, but the sensitivity function is more oscillatory, with the first turning point no longer giving the peak value.

Notes

†Communicated by Professor D. R. Towill.