Title: Quantitative analyses of the influence of practical aspects on hydraulic force control performance

Authors: Elisa G. Vergamini; Cícero Zanette; Lucca Maitan; Leonardo F. dos Santos; Marcos P. Nostrani; Thiago Boaventura

Addresses: São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Avenida Trabalhador São Carlense, São Carlos, 13566-590, São Paulo, Brazil ' São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Avenida Trabalhador São Carlense, São Carlos, 13566-590, São Paulo, Brazil ' São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Avenida Trabalhador São Carlense, São Carlos, 13566-590, São Paulo, Brazil ' São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Avenida Trabalhador São Carlense, São Carlos, 13566-590, São Paulo, Brazil ' Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário Trindade, Florianópolis, 88040-900, Santa Catarina, Brazil ' São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Avenida Trabalhador São Carlense, São Carlos, 13566-590, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract: Hydraulic actuators are a strong alternative for robotics, offering high mobility and a favourable power-to-weight ratio. However, in many industrial and robotic applications, key system parameters - such as oil temperature, hose length, supply pressure, valve bandwidth, and control frequency - can vary over time due to operational demands, wear, or environmental conditions. Despite their importance, the impact of these variations on force control performance is often underestimated. This study investigates how such parameters affect the performance of a standard PI force controller in hydraulic actuators. Using the IC2D test bench, experiments were performed with different servovalves (Moog E024 and G761) and parameters setups. Results show that pressure level and hose length significantly impact controller performance, while valve model produces less predictable effects. Control frequency has little influence. Interestingly, temperature affected force tracking in unexpected ways, with valve opening and flow rate playing a more dominant role.

Keywords: practical aspects; hydraulic actuators; servovalves; force control performance; hydraulic force; oil temperature; hose length; valve bandwidth; control frequency; supply pressure.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHM.2025.150804

International Journal of Hydromechatronics, 2025 Vol.8 No.4, pp.359 - 386

Received: 10 Mar 2025
Accepted: 02 Jun 2025
Published online: 23 Dec 2025 *

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