Abstract
A pendubot is a representative example of an underactuated system that has fewer actuators than the degree of freedom of the system. In this study, the characteristics of the pendubot are first reviewed; each part is then designed using Solidworks by dividing the pendubot into three parts: the base frame, first link frame, and second link frame. These three parts are then imported into the Simulink environment via a STEP file format, which is the standard protocol used in data exchange between CAD applications. A 3D model of the pendubot is then constructed using Simscape, and the usefulness of the 3D model is validated by a comparison with a dynamic equation derived using the Lagrangian formulation. A linearized model around an upright equilibrium position is finally obtained, and a sliding mode controller is designed based on the linear quadratic regulator. Simulation results showed that the designed controller effectively maintained upright balance of the pendubot in the presence of disturbance.