How do I design a simple, stable feedback loop for a motor without it hunting?

[MatthewID]

I was trying to fix an old turntable and noticed the motor speed was inconsistent, which got me thinking about the whole feedback loop system. I understand the basic idea of sensing an output and adjusting the input, but I’m struggling to picture how you’d actually design a simple, stable one from scratch for a physical system like this without it just hunting wildly or becoming unstable. It seems like there’s a gap between the textbook block diagrams and knowing which real-world component to grab first.

[Oliver35]

I love this turntable project and the idea of a feedback loop feels like a control theory mystery I am excited to tinker with

[Olivia9]

A simple feedback loop for speed uses a sensor to measure RPM and a controller that tweaks the power fed to the motor Start with a proportional action to correct errors quickly and then add a tiny integral term to keep steady without overshoot

[Anthony.C]

I picture a thermostat controlling a stove burner and it helps me picture a feedback loop even when the analogy is loose

[Addison.M]

Maybe the framing is off this is not about a perfect feedback loop on a clean lab bench but about a noisy world where the turntable is jostled and the speed wanders What counts as stable in that messy world?

[RonaldBH]

From a writing angle the idea of a feedback loop should feel tangible not abstract You want to show a sensor the error signal and the adjustment in one smooth chain

[SavannahM]

I am skeptical that a small feedback loop fixes a wobble that comes from mechanical slop and a flaky supply Maybe first tighten the belt and check the power supply then see if a loop is needed