Key project members:
The Pilot Group

PID Controller Optimization

The world's fastest slewing telescope mount is run by a PID loop running on a Windows PC. During its use for another project I noticed the control loop timer's stability was quite poor. After I implemented a new timer routine, the tracking errors were decreased by a factor of over 100 while maintaining fast slew rates. RMS position errors of 2 arc-seconds at tracking speeds of 2 deg/sec were achieved (a testament more to the combination of the mount's drive and a more accurate controller than just the software itself).

Further UI improvements to the software made the control loop easier to tune and the whole system safer to run.