Glossary: Feedforward Control Effort

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Feedforward Control Effort

The feedforward block (F) in the feedforward path calculates mathematical operations on the Position Command signal based on the feedforward gains and the feedforward filters. As a result, it calculates a feedforward control effort (u_F) that makes the position feedback approximately the same as the position command. The feedforward control block uses a model of the plant to make an estimate of the feedforward control effort that is necessary to execute a specified move profile.

Feedforward control decreases tracking errors and increases the closed-loop bandwidth of the axis because it supplies pre-actuation to generate motion before a position error occurs. A large part of the performance of a feedforward controller is based on how accurately its internal model is the same as the plant.