Int. J. Mechatronics and Automation, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2011 121 Copyright © 2011 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Robust feedback control design using PSO-based optimisation: a case study in gantry crane control Mahmud Iwan Solihin* School of Engineering, UCSI University, Cheras, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Intelligent Mechatronics Systems Recearch Unit, Faculty of Engineering, IIUM, P.O. Box 10, 50728, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia E-mail: mahmudis@ucsi.edu.my *Corresponding author Rini Akmeliawati Department of Mechatronics, IIUM, P.O. Box 10, 50728, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia E-mail: rakmelia@iium.edu.my Ari Legowo Intelligent Mechatronics Systems Recearch Unit, Faculty of Engineering, IIUM, P.O. Box 10, 50728, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia E-mail: legowo@iium.edu.my Abstract: In this paper, a robust state feedback control design using particle swarm optimisation-based constrained optimisation is proposed. The feedback controller is designed based on state space model of the plant with structured uncertainty such that the closed-loop system would have maximum stability radius. A wedge region is assigned as a constraint to locate desired closed loop poles. The proposed method is applied into design of anti-swing control of an automatic gantry crane experiment. A comparison with that of LQR-based controller is made. The result shows that the proposed method effectively locates the closed loop poles within the prescribed wedge region and its robust performance is guaranteed. Keywords: robust feedback control; particle swarm optimisation; constrained optimisation; stability radius; anti-swing gantry crane. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Solihin, M.I., Akmeliawati, R. and Legowo, A. (2011) ‘Robust feedback control design using PSO-based optimisation: a case study in gantry crane control’, Int. J. Mechatronics and Automation, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp.121–131. Biographical notes: Mahmud Iwan Solihin is a Lecturer in Mechatronics Engineering at the UCSI University, Malaysia. He received his BS in Electrical Engineering from the Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia in 2001. He received his MSc in Mechatronics Engineering from the IIUM, Malaysia in 2007. He is currently in the final year for his PhD in Mechatronics Engineering at the IIUM. His research interests include intelligent systems, robust control, optimisation and mechatronics. He has published more than 20 papers in international journals and conferences. Rini Akmeliawati received her Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Electrical Engineering from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, Australia in 1997, and PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Melbourne, Australia in 2002. She is currently an Associate Professor of the Department of Mechatronics Engineering at the International Islamic University Malaysia. Previously, she was a Lecturer at the RMIT University (2001–2004) and Monash University (2004–2008). Her main research interests include nonlinear control systems theory and applications, systems’ modelling, intelligent systems, signal and image processing. She is a senior member of IEEE.