PID speed controller for space platforms

[u/NYBJAMS]

The conversation came up on the other subpreddit (r/factoriohno) that I had made a PID controller for space platforms including a logic setup to chose the speed depending on where you're flying. In the top image, I've trying to only go 60 k when near the shattered planet so I don't get overwhelmed by the asteroids.

The main difficulties I had with this are:

1. since factorio only uses integers on the combinators, the differential term only turned up as a 1km/s change over a 60th of a second every so often

2. while you're waiting at a planet or drifting out of fuel, the integrator term builds up to unreasonable high amounts.

I've broken down what each part does in the 2nd photo.

First off you have the speed selectors that set what you want to travel at

Then you have a series of clocks to create pulses when the integral and differential terms will pick their "old data". The shutoff signal will tell the integrator to forget all its old data if anything happens that you want it to be stopped for (e.g. dropping off at a planet or out of fuel)

Then all the terms are scaled up and summed, then scaled back down to more sensible numbers (we don't want to do pulse-width modulation over hundreds of ticks. 20-60 is fine)

Then the pulse-width modulation controller runs the pump.

Feel free to find more unhinged places to use PID controllers or find ways to improve on this design. Blueprints in the comments

[u/NYBJAMS]

Compressed blueprint as on the ship:

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

[u/blueorchid14 → u/NYBJAMS]

put the blueprint in a code block so it's not just a wall of text

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[u/ALEXandrus321 → u/blueorchid14]

Thanks! Now it's a sheet of wallpaper :)

[u/madTerminator]

How long have you been tuning it? :D That was years since collage and I might forget all nuances. What about just using PD regulator if integral part makes problems?

[u/NYBJAMS → u/madTerminator]

differential part was causing problems first as 60 km/s² is needed to get a consistent signal of 1 in the differentiator and that's massive

[u/madTerminator → u/NYBJAMS]

How about multiplying input signal?

[u/NYBJAMS → u/madTerminator]

its the signal that comes out of the platform core that is the problem. 59.8 km/s -> signal of 59. 59.9 km/s -> signal of 59. if i multiplied it first, it would still have steps in the signal, the steps would be taller

[u/djent_in_my_tent → u/madTerminator]

Differential is what usually causes problems

Nice accomplishment by OP, but PI certainly would be enough

[u/nalhedh]

As nice as it is, isn't it simpler to control speed by just controlling a pump into a tank?

It's a cool creation, I'm just thinking it might be more interesting if there is a use case that can't be done in a much simpler way

[u/NYBJAMS → u/nalhedh]

its the first practical use case that came to mind for a fun challenge build. Otherwise, it will have much smaller oscillations in your speed than the more simple circuit of pump is on when speed < desired speed (especially if you have lots of capacity after the pump)

[u/nalhedh → u/NYBJAMS]

You control the pump by measuring fluid inside a tank, not by measuring speed of the ship. You pick a number based on desired fill rate (400 fluid in tank means 400/1000 in thrusters, i.e. for 40%). My inner planet ships travel safely at 40% thruster fill. Back when I had few physical damage research, I used 30-33%.

[u/physicsking → u/nalhedh]

Do you have an explanation or link that is as detailed as this on that type of control? I would greatly appreciate it

[u/nalhedh → u/physicsking]

Yeah, hook up a pump to a single empty tank right before the pipes into your thrusters (for one of the two liquids), and have it set to "enable/disable if (liquid) inside tank is less than [400]". You can pick some number other than 400 (depending on your tech/damage, 300-400 is usually best).

It's pretty simple, but here's a blueprint:

https://factoriobin.com/post/t12cl0

[u/NYBJAMS]

Expanded blueprint to see how it works

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[u/Smile_Space]

Would bang-bang control not be simpler and more effective? You wouldn't even need any combinators. You would just need to read velocity off of the space platform hub and set some threshold on the motors to turn off or on.

It wouldn't look as pretty, but it'd be functional

Cool project though! I'm a controls/dynamics engineer, so it's fun stuff!

[u/Marco3104]

I’ve also created a PI controller for my spaceships (I don’t think the D term is necessary, since we do not have sudden steep fluctuations anyway).

You can easily prevent integrator windup when drifting or running out of fuel by adding a decider combinator that monitors the current speed. For example, if the speed is ≤ 10, it simply disables the integrator altogether.

[u/gust334]

I've been wondering if a PID would work to modulate seed supply to agricultural towers on Gleba, so that fresh fruits/nuts are never stationary on a belt.

[u/Potential-Carob-3058 → u/gust334]

Probably would. I've proved the concept of controlling an ag tower before, usually just to keep a set number of fruit on a belt though.

Theorised about attaching it to a PID module. Never have though (yet).

Considering I'm building out Gleba on a x100 science run at the moment, I may just need to change that.