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Main Authors: Tang, Zezhi, Passmore, Christopher, Campbell, Andrew I, Howse, Jonathan, Rossiter, J Anthony, Ebbens, Stephen, Panoutsos, George
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.08488
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author Tang, Zezhi
Passmore, Christopher
Campbell, Andrew I
Howse, Jonathan
Rossiter, J Anthony
Ebbens, Stephen
Panoutsos, George
author_facet Tang, Zezhi
Passmore, Christopher
Campbell, Andrew I
Howse, Jonathan
Rossiter, J Anthony
Ebbens, Stephen
Panoutsos, George
contents Roll-to-roll slot die coating is a widely used industrial manufacturing technique applied in a diverse range of applications such as the production of lithium-ion batteries, solar cells and optical films. The efficiency of roll-to-roll slot die coating depends on the precise control of various input parameters such as pump rate, substrate velocity and coating gap. However, these inputs are sensitive to disturbances in process conditions, leading to inconsistencies in the various characteristics of the produced film. To address this challenge, a \gls{DO} is utilized for detecting disturbances, which may occur in the same or different channels as the control signal within the system. A generalized compensator is then implemented to mitigate the impact of these disturbances on the output, thereby enhancing uncertainty suppression. Additionally, integrating the disturbance rejection system with an output tracking controller enables the coating system to maintain the desired thickness under varying input conditions and disturbances. The effectiveness of this approach is then validated using a test rig equipped with a camera system, which facilitates the development of a data-driven model of the dynamic process, represented by state-space equations. The simulation results were demonstrated to showcase the effectiveness of the DOBOTC system, which provides a resilient solution for the output tracking issue in a data-driven model with generalized disturbances.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_08488
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Disturbance observer-based tracking control for roll-to-roll slot die coating systems under gap and pump rate disturbances
Tang, Zezhi
Passmore, Christopher
Campbell, Andrew I
Howse, Jonathan
Rossiter, J Anthony
Ebbens, Stephen
Panoutsos, George
Systems and Control
Roll-to-roll slot die coating is a widely used industrial manufacturing technique applied in a diverse range of applications such as the production of lithium-ion batteries, solar cells and optical films. The efficiency of roll-to-roll slot die coating depends on the precise control of various input parameters such as pump rate, substrate velocity and coating gap. However, these inputs are sensitive to disturbances in process conditions, leading to inconsistencies in the various characteristics of the produced film. To address this challenge, a \gls{DO} is utilized for detecting disturbances, which may occur in the same or different channels as the control signal within the system. A generalized compensator is then implemented to mitigate the impact of these disturbances on the output, thereby enhancing uncertainty suppression. Additionally, integrating the disturbance rejection system with an output tracking controller enables the coating system to maintain the desired thickness under varying input conditions and disturbances. The effectiveness of this approach is then validated using a test rig equipped with a camera system, which facilitates the development of a data-driven model of the dynamic process, represented by state-space equations. The simulation results were demonstrated to showcase the effectiveness of the DOBOTC system, which provides a resilient solution for the output tracking issue in a data-driven model with generalized disturbances.
title Disturbance observer-based tracking control for roll-to-roll slot die coating systems under gap and pump rate disturbances
topic Systems and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.08488