The present invention generally relates to support frames and rail cars comprising first and second side drive plates, first and second cross members connecting the respective ends of the side drive plates, third and fourth cross members connecting the side drive plates at a select distance from the first and second cross members, a coupling assembly situated at the first cross member and adapted to connect another rail car thereto, and first and second diagonal support members connected to the first cross member at an angle sufficient to substantially direct forces from the coupling assembly to the third cross member and side drive plates. The support frames and rail cars may be used for conveying bulk materials on a rail transport system.

Systems and methods for control of the delivery of contaminates are provided. A conveyor moves contaminate particles from a hopper into an airflow. The contents of a hopper at multiple time points within a sliding window of time are weighted with a scale. A processor applies linear regression to a data set comprising the time points as an independent variable and the weight measurements as a dependent variable, resulting in a determination of a line fitting the data set. A processor determines a current mass flow rate of the contaminate particles from the slope of the line. The processor determines an estimated change in the conveyor motor speed needed to achieve the target mass flow rate, the estimated change determined from a predetermined mapping of flow rates to motor speeds, the estimated change based on the current mass flow rate, the target mass flow rate, and a predetermined fraction.

A command generation device to control a motor includes command input circuitry configured to receive a first command, first intermediate data calculation circuitry configured to calculate first intermediate data based on the first command, delay time setting circuitry configured to determine a delay time based on the first command, second intermediate data calculation circuitry configured to calculate second intermediate data by smoothing the first intermediate data based on the delay time, and command output circuitry configured to calculate, based on the second intermediate data, a second command according to which the motor is controlled. A first time period during which positioning the motor based on the first command is completed when the first intermediate data is smoothed is longer by the delay time than a second time period during which positioning the motor based on the first command is completed when the first intermediate data is not smoothed.

A command generation device to control a motor includes command input circuitry configured to receive a first command, first intermediate data calculation circuitry configured to calculate first intermediate data based on the first command, delay time setting circuitry configured to determine a delay time based on the first command, second intermediate data calculation circuitry configured to calculate second intermediate data by smoothing the first intermediate data based on the delay time, and command output circuitry configured to calculate, based on the second intermediate data, a second command according to which the motor is controlled. A first time period during which positioning the motor based on the first command is completed when the first intermediate data is smoothed is longer by the delay time than a second time period during which positioning the motor based on the first command is completed when the first intermediate data is not smoothed.

A motor control method inputs one or more controlled variables or target values each representing a state of a motor to one or more node layers as an input value, and performs calculation in each of the one or more node layers to output one or more manipulated variables used for control of the motor and control the motor in accordance with the one or more manipulated variables. Each the one or more node layers has a plurality of nodes that execute calculations in parallel. Each of the plurality of nodes multiplies the input value by a coefficient specified for the corresponding node, and performs calculation using a function specified for the corresponding node and designating a multiplied value as an input variable to determine an output value.

A motor control method inputs one or more controlled variables or target values each representing a state of a motor to one or more node layers as an input value, and performs calculation in each of the one or more node layers to output one or more manipulated variables used for control of the motor and control the motor in accordance with the one or more manipulated variables. Each the one or more node layers has a plurality of nodes that execute calculations in parallel. Each of the plurality of nodes multiplies the input value by a coefficient specified for the corresponding node, and performs calculation using a function specified for the corresponding node and designating a multiplied value as an input variable to determine an output value.

Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to, for example, methods of controlling a rotational speed of a maching. in one example embodiment, the method includes the steps of: generating a rotational speed reference variable for a controller from a rotational speed setpoint value; determining an adapted rotational speed setpoint value which considers a rotation angle actual value and a rotation angle setpoint value determined on the basis of the rotational speed setpoint value; and switching the rotational speed reference variable between the rotational speed setpoint value and the adapted rotational speed setpoint value as a function of the rotational speed.

Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to, for example, methods of controlling a rotational speed of a maching. in one example embodiment, the method includes the steps of: generating a rotational speed reference variable for a controller from a rotational speed setpoint value; determining an adapted rotational speed setpoint value which considers a rotation angle actual value and a rotation angle setpoint value determined on the basis of the rotational speed setpoint value; and switching the rotational speed reference variable between the rotational speed setpoint value and the adapted rotational speed setpoint value as a function of the rotational speed.

A control system (50) for an electro-hydraulic servo-actuator (26) envisages: a controller (55), to generate a control current (I.sub.c), designed to control actuation of the electro-hydraulic servo-actuator (26), implementing a position control loop based on a position error (e.sub.p), the position error (e.sub.p) being a difference between a reference position (Pos.sub.ref) and a measured position (Pos.sub.meas) of the electro-hydraulic servo-actuator (26); and a limitation stage (58), coupled to the controller (55) to provide a limitation of the actuator speed of the electro-hydraulic servo-actuator (26); the limitation stage (58) limits a rate of change of a driving current (I.sub.d) to be supplied to the electro-hydraulic servo-actuator (26), in order to limit the actuator speed.

A control system (50) for an electro-hydraulic servo-actuator (26) envisages: a controller (55), to generate a control current (I.sub.c), designed to control actuation of the electro-hydraulic servo-actuator (26), implementing a position control loop based on a position error (e.sub.p), the position error (e.sub.p) being a difference between a reference position (Pos.sub.ref) and a measured position (Pos.sub.meas) of the electro-hydraulic servo-actuator (26); and a limitation stage (58), coupled to the controller (55) to provide a limitation of the actuator speed of the electro-hydraulic servo-actuator (26); the limitation stage (58) limits a rate of change of a driving current (I.sub.d) to be supplied to the electro-hydraulic servo-actuator (26), in order to limit the actuator speed.