CAD of Cascade Controllers for DC Drives Using Genetic Algorithm Methods

PID controller presents the most widely used controller in industrial applications. It needs efficient methods to set-up and tune parameters of its three components based on the properties of the plant and its parameters. In this paper the cascade controller for a DC drive (consisting of the speed and current controllers in series) is designed and tuned using genetic algorithm technique with different objective functions. The method of designing two PID controllers connected in cascade by the genetic algorithm technique was applied to a DC drive equipped by current and speed controllers. The aim of genetic algorithm control method consists in finding the best set of solutions for the controller parameters that give desired dynamic and static performance of the system. By using MATLAB/Simulink software a graphical user interface (GUI) was developed for efficiently, user friendly, and comfortable calculation and tuning the parameters of both controllers in cascade and for visualizing results.