Publications
Work in progress
Papers that have not yet been peer-reviewed or are currently under review
On the Stability of Electromechanical Switching Devices
Electromagnetic relays and solenoid actuators are commonly used for their bistable behavior, which allows for switching between two states in electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic circuits, among other applications. Although there has been extensive research on modeling, estimation, and control of these electromechanical systems, a gap remains in the analysis area. This paper addresses this gap by presenting an equilibrium and stability analysis to gain deeper insight into their bistability. This analysis leverages a hybrid dynamical model to obtain analytical expressions that relate the physical parameters to the switching conditions. These expressions are useful, e.g., for fundamental understanding, quick analyses, or design optimization. The results are discussed in depth and potential practical applications are explored. Finally, the analysis is validated with experimental results from a real device.
Preprint:
ROM-Based Stochastic Optimization for a Continuous Manufacturing Process
This paper proposes a model-based optimization method for the production of automotive seals in an extrusion process. The high production throughput, coupled with quality constraints and the inherent uncertainty of the process, encourages the search for operating conditions that minimize nonconformities. The main uncertainties arise from the process variability and from the raw material itself. The proposed method, which is based on Bayesian optimization, takes these factors into account and obtains a robust set of process parameters. Due to the high computational cost and complexity of performing detailed simulations, a reduced order model is used to address the optimization. The proposal has been evaluated in a virtual environment, where it has been verified that it is able to minimize the impact of process uncertainties. In particular, it would significantly improve the quality of the product without incurring additional costs, achieving a 50% tighter dimensional tolerance compared to a solution obtained by a deterministic optimization algorithm.
Preprint:
Faster Run-to-Run Feedforward Control of Electromechanical Switching Devices: a Sensitivity-Based Approach
Electromechanical switching devices, such as solenoid valves, contactors, and relays, suffer from undesirable phenomena like clicking, mechanical wear, and contact bounce. Despite that, they are still widely used in industry due to their various economic and technical advantages. This has encouraged the development of controllers aimed at reducing the collisions that occur at the end of the switching operations. One of the most successful approaches has been the use of iterative techniques. However, these algorithms typically require a large number of operations to converge, which is definitely a clear drawback. This paper presents a strategy to improve the convergence rate of such controllers. Our proposal, which is based on the sensitivity of the control law with respect to the parameters, assumes that the performance of the system is more heavily affected by some parameters than others. Thus, by avoiding movements in the directions that have less impact, the search algorithm is expected to drive the system to near-optimal behaviors using fewer operations. Results obtained by simulation show significant improvement in the convergence rate of a state-of-the-art run-to-run feedforward controller, which demonstrates the high potential of the proposal.
Preprint:
A decade of experiences teaching electronics and control with a magnetic levitator
[Una década de experiencias enseñando electrónica y control con un levitador magnético]
Magnetic levitation systems have been used in the teaching of specific concepts of electronics and automatic control. These devices are clearly attractive to students, and they allow to illustrate the effects of the nonlinearities present in reality, both those due to the physics of the problem and those associated with the use of electronic hardware. At the University of Zaragoza we use one of these systems in a multidisciplinary master's degree course, in which professors from the Electronic Technology and Systems and Automation Engineering areas work together. Although the magnetic levitator has proved to be a very useful tool in the students' learning process, its use as the central element of a course presents many challenges, especially in terms of workload and the evaluation system. In this article we report our experiences after a decade, describing in detail the system and its components, the dynamic model that we use in the course, the problems encountered in its use as a teaching tool, the solutions that we have adopted, and the lessons learned.
Preprint (in Spanish):
A Fast Convergence Algorithm for Iterative Adaptation of Feedforward Controller Parameters
Feedforward control is a viable option for enhancing the response time and control accuracy of a wide variety of systems. Nevertheless, it is not able to compensate for the effects produced by modeling errors or disturbances. A solution to improve the feedforward performance is the use of an adaptation law that modifies the parameters of the feedforward control. In the case where real-time feedback is not possible, a solution is a run-to-run numerical optimization method that is fed with a cost based on a measured signal. Although the effectiveness of this approach has been demonstrated, its performance is hindered by slow convergence. In this paper, we present an algorithm based on Pattern Search and Adaptive Coordinate Descent methods that makes use of the sensitivity of the feedforward controller to its parameters so that the convergence speed improves significantly. Like many algorithms, this is a local strategy so the algorithm might converge to a local minimum. Therefore, we present two versions, one without a learning rate and one with it. To compare them and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm, simulated results are shown on a well-known control problem in electromechanics: the soft-landing control of electromechanical switching devices.
Preprint:
Journal papers
Dynamic modeling and predictive control of a microfluidic system
[Modelado dinámico y control predictivo de un sistema microfluídico]
Revista Iberoamericana de Automática e Informática industrial, in press.
Author version (in Spanish):
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Author-approved English translation:
Structural identifiability analysis of a heat transfer system
[Análisis de identificabilidad estructural de un sistema de transferencia de calor]
Revista Iberoamericana de Automática e Informática industrial, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 412-420, Sep. 2023.
Author version (in Spanish):
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Final published version (Open Access, in Spanish):
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Also available in
An Audio-Based Iterative Controller for Soft Landing of Electromechanical Relays
IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, vol. 70, no. 12, pp. 12730-12738, Dec. 2023.
Author version:
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Final published version:
Design of a perfect-tracking soft-landing controller for electromagnetic switching devices
Nonlinear Dynamics, vol. 111, no. 1, pp. 427-438, Jan. 2023.
DOI: 10.1007/s11071-022-07853-1
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Also available in
Probability-Based Control Design for Soft Landing of Short-Stroke Actuators
IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology, vol. 28, no. 5, pp. 1956-1963, Sep. 2020.
DOI: 10.1109/TCST.2019.2918479
Author version:
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Final published version:
Hybrid Dynamical Model for Reluctance Actuators Including Saturation, Hysteresis and Eddy Currents
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 1396-1406, Jun. 2019.
DOI: 10.1109/TMECH.2019.2906755
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Final published version:
Real-Time Electromagnetic Estimation for Reluctance Actuators
IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 1952-1961, Mar. 2019.
Author version:
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Final published version:
Reluctance actuator characterization via FEM simulations and experimental tests
Mechatronics, vol. 56, pp. 58-66, Dec. 2018.
DOI: 10.1016/j.mechatronics.2018.10.009
Author version:
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Final published version:
A New Run-to-Run Approach for Reducing Contact Bounce in Electromagnetic Switches
IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, vol. 64, no. 1, pp. 535-543, Jan. 2017.
Author version:
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Final published version:
A New Model of Electromechanical Relays for Predicting the Motion and Electromagnetic Dynamics
IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, vol. 52, no. 3, pp. 2545-2553, May/Jun. 2016.
Author version:
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Final published version:
Dynamic heat and mass transfer model of an electric oven for energy analysis
Applied Thermal Engineering, vol. 93, pp. 683-691, Jan. 2016.
DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2015.10.040
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Final published version:
Conference papers
Cycle-to-Cycle Adaptive Control of Electromechanical Relays
[Control adaptativo ciclo a ciclo de relés electromecánicos]
XLIV Jornadas de Automática, Zaragoza, Spain, Sep. 2023.
DOI: 10.17979/spudc.9788497498609.364
Author version (in Spanish):
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Final published version (Open Access, in Spanish):
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Also available in
Teaching electronic design and advanced control with a magnetic levitator
[Enseñando diseño electrónico y control avanzado con un levitador magnético]
XLIV Jornadas de Automática, Zaragoza, Spain, Sep. 2023.
DOI: 10.17979/spudc.9788497498609.265
Author version (in Spanish):
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Final published version (Open Access, in Spanish):
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Also available in
Poster (in Spanish):
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Presentation (in Spanish):
Run-to-Run Adaptive Nonlinear Feedforward Control of Electromechanical Switching Devices
22nd IFAC World Congress, Yokohama, Japan, Jul. 2023.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2023.10.181
Author version:
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Final published version (Open Access):
Identifiability analysis applied to a heat transfer system
[Análisis de identificabilidad aplicado a un sistema de transferencia de calor]
XLIII Jornadas de Automática, Logroño, Spain, Sep. 2022.
DOI: 10.17979/spudc.9788497498418.0607
Author version (in Spanish):
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Final published version (Open Access, in Spanish):
Model-Free Sliding-Mode Controller for Soft Landing of Reluctance Actuators
21th IFAC World Congress, Berlin, Germany, Jul. 2020.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2020.12.1738
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Final published version (Open Access):
Optimal Open-Loop Control Policies for a Class of Nonlinear Actuators
2019 European Control Conference (ECC), Naples, Italy, Jun. 2019.
DOI: 10.23919/ECC.2019.8795785
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Final published version:
Presentation:
A novel algorithm based on Bayesian optimization for run-to-run control of short-stroke reluctance actuators
2019 European Control Conference (ECC), Naples, Italy, Jun. 2019.
DOI: 10.23919/ECC.2019.8795949
Author version:
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Final published version:
Nonlinear Bounded State Estimation for Sensorless Control of an Electromagnetic Device
56th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Melbourne, Australia, Dec. 2017.
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Final published version:
A new model of electromechanical relays for predicting the motion and electromagnetic dynamics
IEEE Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting, Addison, TX, USA, Oct. 2015.
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Presentation:
Thermal modeling, analysis and control using an electrical analogy
22nd Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED), Palermo, Italy, Jun. 2014.
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Final published version:
Presentation:
Patents
Authors are listed in alphabetical order
Gas cooking appliance device
For the purpose of providing a gas cooking appliance device with improved characteristics regarding a convenience for a user, it a gas cooking appliance device is proposed comprising: at least one electrically controllable valve; and at least one control unit, the control unit operating the valve, in at least one operating state, for adjusting a gas flow averaging over a time period.
Published as: WO-2019/220247-A1 | EP-3794284-A1 | CN-112424531-A
Priority date: May 5, 2018.
Domestic appliance device
The invention is based on a domestic appliance device, in particular a cooking appliance device, comprising at least one electromechanical switching unit, which has at least one control coil, and at least one evaluation unit which is intended to determine at least one switching state of the electromechanical switching unit. In order to provide a domestic appliance device with improved properties in respect of switching efficiency, the invention proposes that the evaluation unit is intended to determine the switching state by means of at least one inductance parameter of the control coil.
Published as: ES-2714649-A1 | WO-2019/106488-A1 | EP-3718125-A1 | EP-3718125-B1
Priority date: Nov. 29, 2017.
Cooking appliance
The invention relates to a cooking appliance, in particular an oven appliance, having a muffle, which defines at least one cooking chamber, and having at least one heating element for at least partly heating the cooking chamber. In order to improve the supply of power to an appliance of the type in question, according to the invention, the cooking appliance has at least one switching unit for connecting the heating element to at least one first supply voltage in at least one first operating state and to at least one second supply voltage different from the first supply voltage in at least one second operating state.
Published as: ES-2673693-A1 | ES-2673693-B1 | WO-2018/116056-A1 | CN-110073720-A | CN-110073720-B | US-2020/068673-A1 | US-11856656-B2
Priority date: Dec. 23, 2016.
Cooking appliance
The invention relates to a cooking appliance comprising a muffle that at least partially delimits a cooking chamber, and at least one induction heating element that is provided to heat said cooking chamber. In order to provide a generic device that is easier to use, the invention proposes that the cooking appliance comprises at least one control unit that operates the induction heating element in at least one preheating operational state.
Published as: WO-2018/116058-A1 | DE-112017006474-A5
Priority date: Dec. 23, 2016.
Cooking appliance
The aim of the invention is to provide an appliance of the type in question having improved properties with respect to temperature determination. This aim is achieved, according to the invention, by a cooking appliance, in particular an induction cooking appliance, having at least one heating element, which is provided for heating at least one object in at least one heating operation state, and having a control unit, which control unit is provided for determining a temperature of the object heated by the heating element from an impedance of a system comprising the heating element and the object in the heating operation state.
Published as: WO-2018/116057-A1 | EP-3560279-A1 | EP-3560279-B1
Priority date: Dec. 23, 2016.
Cooking appliance
The aim of the invention is to provide an appliance of the type in question having improved properties with respect to ease of operation. This aim is achieved by a cooking appliance, in particular an induction cooking appliance, having: at least one muffle, which has at least one muffle wall and at least partially defines at least one cooking chamber; at least one heating element for heating the muffle wall; and at least one sensor unit for detecting at least one temperature of the muffle wall.
Published as: ES-2673674-A1 | ES-2673674-B1 | WO-2018/116066-A1 | EP-3560281-A1 | EP-3560281-B1 | CN-110115105-A | CN-110115105-B | US-2019/0313485-A1 | US-11617237-B2
Priority date: Dec. 23, 2016.
Cooking appliance apparatus, and method for operating a cooking appliance apparatus
The invention proceeds from a cooking appliance apparatus, in particular an oven apparatus, comprising at least one first heating element, comprising at least one second heating element and comprising a control unit which is provided for jointly operating the first heating element and the second heating element for the purpose of heating a cooking chamber in at least one operating state. In order to increase flexibility, it is proposed that the cooking appliance apparatus comprises at least one power distributor unit which is provided for dividing a total power into at least one first output power and at least one second output power in the operating state and to provide the first output power to the first heating element and to provide the second output power to the second heating element.
Published as: WO-2018/116063-A1 | EP-3560276-A1 | EP-3560276-B1 | CN-110100498-A | CN-110100498-B | US-2020/0068661-A1 | US-11375585-B2
Priority date: Dec. 23, 2016.
Cooking appliance device and a method for operating a cooking appliance device
The invention proceeds from a cooking appliance device having at least one heating unit having at least one heating element which, in at least one heating operating state, is provided for heating a cooking chamber, and having at least one cooking chamber element which at least partially bounds the cooking chamber and has at least one part region whose surface shape changes, in the heating operating state, by thermal expansion of the cooking chamber element. To provide a generic cooking appliance device with improved properties with respect to a more even heat distribution in a cooking chamber, it is proposed that the heating unit has at least one adapting element which is arranged at least in part on the cooking chamber element and is intended, in the heating operating state, to adapt at least one surface, facing the part region, to the surface shape of the part region.
Published as: WO-2018/116061-A1 | EP-3560286-A1 | CN-110073719-A | CN-110073719-B | US-2022/0110192-A1 | US-11503678-B2
Priority date: Dec. 23, 2016.
A home appliance device and a method for operating a home appliance device
The invention relates to a home appliance device, in particular a hob device, comprising a control unit, which is provided to actuate at least one switch and to supply at least one driving signal for completely transferring the switch in at least one first switching process from at least one first switch position to at least one second switch position. In order to improve a switching behaviour, it is proposed that the control unit is provided to modify in at least one operational state the driving signal for completely transferring the switch from the first switch position to the second switch position.
Published as: WO-2017/163114-A1 | EP-3434068-A1 | EP-3434068-B1
Priority date: Mar. 21, 2016.
Sistema de aparato de cocción
La invención hace referencia a un sistema de aparato de cocción con al menos una mufla que delimita al menos un espacio de cocción, y con al menos un soporte de producto de cocción. Con el fin de proporcionar sistemas de aparato de cocción genéricos con una complejidad reducida en los que se prevea un movimiento de elevación de los soportes de producto de cocción en un espacio de cocción, se propone que el sistema de aparato de cocción comprenda una unidad de guía que esté prevista para transformar un movimiento de inserción del soporte de producto de cocción parcialmente o por completo en un movimiento de elevación.
Published as: ES-2603780-A1 | ES-2603780-B1
Priority date: Sep. 1, 2015.
Theses / Dissertations
Modeling and Control of Reluctance Actuators
PhD Thesis,
University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain, Oct. 2019
Links: Manuscript | Presentation | ZAGUAN (University of Zaragoza Repository)
Modeling and control of electromechanical devices
[Modelado y control de dispositivos electromecánicos]
Master's Thesis,
University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain, Sep. 2015
Modeling, analysis, and control of domestic ovens
[Modelado, análisis y control de hornos domésticos]
Engineer's Degree Thesis,
University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain, Mar. 2014
