Quick Answer: The Ball and Hoop Apparatus shows electromechanical servo systems for position and velocity control, using a steel ball that rolls inside a servomotor-controlled hoop. Transducers give outputs for both the hoop and the ball positions.
Last updated: October 2026
Key Features
Steel ball rolling inside a hoop that is free to rotate
Hoop driven and controlled by a servomotor
Transducers output the hoop and ball positions
Under hoop angular position control, the ball moves like a cylindrical pendulum
Works as a model of liquid slosh in fuel storage, fuel tankers and industrial pumping systems
Technical Specifications
Specification
Value
Moving parts
Steel ball inside a rotating hoop
Drive
Servomotor
Sensors
Transducers for hoop and ball position
Control modes
Position and velocity control
About This Product
Students first close the loop on hoop position or velocity, then watch how the free ball swings like liquid moving in a part-filled tank. Advanced work looks at how slosh behaviour affects vehicle control system design and uses pole-zero methods to analyse the control system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the ball represent in the Ball and Hoop Apparatus?
When the hoop is under angular position control, the ball moves like a cylindrical pendulum, so it serves as a model for liquid slosh dynamics.
