Comparative Performance Analysis of Ziegler–Nichols and Internal Model Control Tuning for an Antenna Positioning System
Contributors
Pasala Gopi
Sai Kiran Oruganti
Keywords
Proceeding
Track
Engineering, Sciences and Mathematics
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Sustainable Global Societies Initiative
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Abstract
This paper presents a detailed analysis of the closed-loop response of an antenna positioner
system (APS) using different PID control strategies. The mathematical model of the DC-motor-driven APS
features an armature circuit, load, feedback from the position sensor, and gain from the pre-amplifier.
The conventional Ziegler-Nichols (ZN) and internal model control (IMC) tuning methods are
implemented and evaluated in terms of time-domain response to step inputs and frequency-domain
Bode plots. The ZN-tuned PID controller shows a quick rise time of 0.095 but also overshoot of 65.34%
and oscillation, indicating a low phase margin of 15.67 degrees and a small delay margin of 0.026
seconds. The IMC-tuned controller has a longer rise time of 0.244 but less overshoot, which is 11.46%.
Moreover, impressive improvement of 68.17 degrees is achieved in phase margin and 0.192 seconds
becomes a delay margin when using IMC tuning compared to ZN one.