Machines and Controls Lab

Catalog description

This laboratory provides experimental support for the material covered in the senior year controls and machines classes. The laboratory covers the measurement and analysis of performance of electric motors and closed loop controls for a servomotor. In each experiment emphasizing motor characterization, the steady state rotation speed, output torque, and electrical-to-mechanical conversion efficiency are measured for a particular type of motor, such as series DC or induction. In each experiment emphasizing servomotor control, a gain in the closed loop (e.g. speed gain of the servoamp-motor-tachogenerator) and a system performance measure (e.g. steady state error) are determined for a particular type of control loop, such as position control or speed control.