Acrome Ball and Beam 1-DoF control platform on a laboratory bench

Acrome Ball and Beam 1-DoF Control Platform

A ready-to-use 1-DoF ball-and-beam control platform for hands-on control-systems education, controller design, system modeling, and research.

OVERVIEW

Overview

The Acrome Ball and Beam is a one-degree-of-freedom control platform for teaching and researching closed-loop control on real hardware. A ball rolls along a 570 mm beam; an RC servomotor tilts the beam, while a linear potentiometer measures ball position. The resulting plant gives students a clear, repeatable way to connect models, controller design, simulation, and measured behavior.

It is supplied as an assembled, ready-to-control experiment with an integrated power unit, controller, software, and companion courseware. It supports foundational experiments as well as advanced linear and nonlinear control work, making it well suited to controls, mechatronics, robotics, and system-dynamics labs.

Why This Product

A ball-and-beam experiment makes control-system behavior visible: students can observe tracking, overshoot, steady-state error, disturbance response, actuator limits, and the gap between a simulation and a physical plant. The Acrome platform combines familiar servo-based mechanics with measured ball-position feedback and an open architecture, so instructors can focus on learning outcomes rather than building and troubleshooting a plant from scratch.

Customer Benefits

  • Move from equations and simulation to measurable closed-loop experiments.
  • Use one compact platform across introductory and advanced controls coursework.
  • Compare controller response, model assumptions, and real-world behavior in a controlled setting.
  • Develop, test, and refine student-created real-time control algorithms.
  • Work with QuakeLogic on selection, lab planning, integration, procurement, and technical support.

Applications

  • Undergraduate and graduate control-systems laboratories.
  • System identification, transfer-function development, and model validation.
  • PID, on/off, P, and PD controller experiments.
  • Advanced linear and nonlinear controller design and verification.
  • Mechatronics, robotics, automation, and real-time embedded-control courses.
  • Faculty and student research in control theory and experimental validation.

Software, Controllers, and Courseware

The manufacturer lists a ready-to-use graphical interface, documented system models and parameters, companion courseware with example source code, and compatibility with MATLAB/Simulink and LabVIEW. Listed controller options include USB PC-based control, Raspberry Pi with shield, Shanon DSP, and Arduino Mega with shield. Confirm the selected software and controller configuration with QuakeLogic before ordering.

Curriculum Topics

  • RC servo motor, potentiometer sensor, controller, power-distribution hardware, and system mechanics.
  • PWM signaling and RC-servo actuation.
  • Feedback, ball-position sensing, and derivative filtering.
  • System identification, actuator modeling, and transfer-function development.
  • Time-domain response, steady-state error, and frequency-response analysis.
  • PID and fuzzy-logic controller design, experimental Bode diagrams, and cut-off-frequency determination.

Support

QuakeLogic can help confirm the selected controller and software option, define an appropriate lab workflow, coordinate procurement, and support integration into an engineering education or research environment.

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PRODUCT PHOTOS

SPECIFICATIONS

Product type

1-DoF ball-and-beam control platform

Payload

260 g

Workspace

±10° in pitch

Position repeatability

±1 mm

Angular sensitivity

0.36°

Maximum speed

0.2 s / 60°

Platform dimensions

570 × 70 mm (±2 mm)

Base dimensions

650 × 200 mm (±2 mm)

Weight

2,750 g

Ball diameter

40 mm (±1 mm)

Motor type

RC servomotor with built-in encoder

Feedback sensor

Linear potentiometer

FEATURES

Assembled, ready-to-control 1-DoF plant with integrated power unit.
RC servomotor actuation with built-in encoder.
Linear potentiometer feedback for ball-position measurement.
570 mm × 70 mm beam and 650 mm × 200 mm base.
±10° pitch workspace with ±1 mm stated position repeatability.
Compatible with MATLAB/Simulink and LabVIEW according to the manufacturer.
Documented models, parameters, GUI, source-code examples, and companion courseware.
Open architecture for student-developed real-time control algorithms.
Applicable to linear, advanced nonlinear, and fuzzy-logic control studies.

FAQs

What is the Acrome Ball and Beam used for?
It is a physical, one-degree-of-freedom control experiment used to teach and research closed-loop control, system modeling, controller design, and experimental verification.
What does the feedback sensor measure?
The manufacturer lists a linear potentiometer for measuring ball position. An optional potentiometer can measure the servo motor arm position.
Can students use controller types other than PID?
Yes. The manufacturer identifies on/off, P, PD, PID, fuzzy-logic, linear, and advanced nonlinear control work as suitable activities; the open architecture also supports student-developed algorithms.
What software is supported?
The manufacturer lists MATLAB/Simulink and LabVIEW compatibility, documented system models and parameters, a graphical user interface, courseware, and example source code. Confirm the chosen configuration before ordering.
Does the platform include a controller and courseware?
The manufacturer states that the product is supplied with a controller, software, and companion courseware with example source code. Confirm the exact controller and software selection with QuakeLogic.
Who should use this platform?
Control-systems instructors, university laboratories, mechatronics and robotics programs, and research teams that need a compact, repeatable physical plant for control experiments.

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