Abstract

There are tremendous developments and achievements during recent years, related to the use of wireless technologies in industry to provide flexibility, scalability and low cost. Wireless Networked Control Systems (WNCSs) based on Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) integrate three technologies: control engineering, computer networks and wireless communication. WNCSs are systems of smart and wirelessly connected devices equipped with limited communication, computation and sensing capabilities for control and monitoring applications. The design, building and implementation of a WNCS for a FlyWheel Position Control System (F-W PCS) are based on the XBee platform. A simulation of the wireless networked F-W PCS mathematical model was implemented using the TrueTime 1.5 MATLAB/Simulink Toolbox with the wireless networks between controller and plant nodes employing ZigBee (IEEE802.15.4) and Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11) protocols. The real-time wireless F-W PCS was realized and implemented successfully. Experimental set-up and simulation results show the feasibility and reliability of the system when it is compared with more traditional networked control systems.