torquecontrol

Torque control refers to methods and systems designed to regulate the torque output of an actuator to match a prescribed torque profile or setpoint. It focuses on delivering a desired rotational force rather than directly controlling position or speed. In many electrical drives, torque control is achieved by controlling the motor current, since motor torque is proportional to current in most common motor types.

In direct current and brushless systems, torque control is often implemented with a current or torque loop that feeds into a higher‑level velocity or position controller. In AC machines, torque is managed through control strategies such as field‑oriented control (FOC) or direct torque control (DTC), which regulate stator currents to achieve the target torque while maintaining stability and efficiency. Torque estimation or observers may be used when direct torque sensors are unavailable or impractical.

Common control approaches include direct torque control, field‑oriented control, model predictive torque control, and simpler PID-based torque regulation. In robotics and manipulation, torque control is frequently combined with impedance or force control to achieve compliant interaction with the environment. In practice, a two‑loop architecture—with an inner current or torque loop and an outer velocity or position loop—is common to improve precision and dynamic response.

Applications span robotics, CNC machines, electric vehicles, servo systems, industrial automation, and haptic interfaces. Challenges in torque control include nonlinear motor dynamics, friction, back‑EMF, sensor noise, and torque ripple, which are addressed through robust estimation, feedforward cancellation, and advanced control algorithms.