Abstract
The complete dynamic model of a translating flexible beam, with a tip mass at one end and emerging from or retracting into a rigid base at the other, is presented. The model considers the effect of elastic and translational motions of the beam on each other. The properties of the eigenfunctions of a fixed-free beam are exploited to obtain closed-form expressions for several domain integrals that arise in the model. It is shown that neglecting the effect of elastic motion on the rigid body motion leads to inaccuracies in positioning control. Issues associated with the feedback control of such a beam are discussed.