A Sliding Mode Controller Design for Buck Converters in Robotic Power Systems

Authors

  • Ali Al-Ataby Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, American University of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
  • Hussain Attia Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, American University of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6407-9251
Volume: 15 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 27885-27892 | October 2025 | https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.13015
Received: 28 June 2025 | Revised: 27 July 2025 and 19 August 2025 | Accepted: 20 August 2025 | Online: 18 September 2025
Corresponding author: Ali Al-Ataby

Abstract

Robotic power systems rely on buck converters to step down voltages and supply regulated DC voltages to sensors, controllers, and actuators, hence they are essential for the stable and efficient operation of robotic systems. However, maintaining an accurate output voltage under changing loads and battery conditions requires robust, non-conventional control strategies in robotics. This paper proposes the use of a Sliding Mode Controller (SMC) to control the buck converter output voltage in robotic applications. The proposed SMC is designed to maintain a reference voltage of 25 V accurately across changing load conditions. MATLAB/Simulink has been used as the simulation environment to confirm the controller's effectiveness, and the results show that the SMC is superior in reducing overshoot, limiting voltage fluctuations from 30–35 V (in the constant duty cycle case) to a narrow range of 25–25.5 V, and maintaining accuracy under dynamic power requirements. The findings confirm the potential of the proposed control mechanism to improve energy efficiency and reliability in robotic applications, particularly for robotic manipulators, mobile robots, and autonomous systems in general.

Keywords:

DC-DC buck converter, robotics, Sliding Mode Controller (SMC), MATLAB

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How to Cite

[1]
A. Al-Ataby and H. Attia, “A Sliding Mode Controller Design for Buck Converters in Robotic Power Systems”, Eng. Technol. Appl. Sci. Res., vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 27885–27892, Oct. 2025.

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