Motor Control System

Control System

Motor Control System

Control systems were divided into two main categories:
1. Regulators.
2. Remote position control (r.p.c.) systems
Regulator
In automatic control, a regulator is a device which has the function of maintaining a designated
characteristic. It performs the activity of managing or maintaining a range of values in a machine. The
measurable property of a device is managed closely by specified conditions or an advance set value; or it
can be a variable according to a predetermined arrangement scheme
Regulators can be designed to control anything from gases or fluids, to light or electricity. Speed can be
regulated by electronic, mechanical, or electro-mechanical means
Examples are a voltage regulator (which can be a transformer whose voltage ratio of transformation can
be adjusted, or an electronic circuit that produces a defined voltage), a pressure regulator, such as a diving
regulator, which maintains its output at a fixed pressure lower than its input, and a fuel regulator (which
controls the supply of fuel).

Motors for regulators

In regulators, we are seeking to control the speed of the motor generally with a high degree of
accuracy. The d.c. shunt motor which has a good torque/speed characteristic for such applications. In
control systems, we can arrange for the output of the control amplifier to be the source of excitation for
the field winding of the motor as shown in Fig. 43.1.

Separately excited d.c. motor in a regulator

The d.c. motor is a relatively expensive motor to manufacture and it is not so robust as the a.c.
induction motor. The speed of the induction motor is effectively set by the supply frequency. If we could
vary the supply frequency, it follows that we could control the speed.

Regulator incorporating a variable frequency cage-rotor induction motor

M.L.Haroos Mohamed (B.Sc (Eng),PG.Dip in Electrical , AMIE(SL), MIET)

Motor Control System

Control System

Speed Control of DC Motor

Speed control means intentional change of the drive speed to a value required for performing the
specific work process. Speed control is either done manually by the operator or by means of some
automatic control device. One of the important features of DC motor is that its speed can be controlled
with relative ease. We know that the emf equation of DC motor is given as,

N = 60A E / PZ
N = E / k where, k = PZ/60A
N = V - Ia Ra / k
Therefore speed (N ) of 3 types of DC motor SERIES, SHUNT and COMPOUND can be
controlled by changing the quantities on RHS of the expression. So speed can be varied by changing
1. Terminal voltage of the armature V.
2. External resistance in armature circuit Ra.
3. Flux per pole .
The first two cases involve change that affects armature circuit and the third one involves change in
magnetic field. Therefore speed control of DC motor is classified as
1. Armature control methods
2. Field control methods.
Speed Control of DC Series Motor
Speed control of DC series motor can be done either by armature control or by field control.
Armature Control of DC Series Motor
Speed adjustment of DC series motor by armature control may be done by any one of the methods
that follow,
1. Armature Resistance Control Method: This is the most
common method employed. Here the controlling resistance is
connected directly in series with the supply of the motor as shown
in the fig. The power loss in the control resistance of DC series
motor can be neglected because this control method is utilized for
a large portion of time for reducing the speed under light load
condition. This method of speed control is most economical for
constant torque. This method of speed control is employed for DC
series motor driving cranes, hoists, trains etc.
2. Shunted Armature Control: The combination of a rheostat
shunting the armature and a rheostat in series with the armature is
involved in this method of speed control. The voltage applied to the
armature is varies by varying series rheostat R1. The exciting
current can be varied by varying the armature shunting resistance
R2. This method of speed control is not economical due to
considerable power losses in speed controlling resistances. Here
speed control is obtained over wide range but below normal speed.

M.L.Haroos Mohamed (B.Sc (Eng),PG.Dip in Electrical , AMIE(SL), MIET)

Motor Control System

Control System

3. Armature terminal voltage control: The speed control of DC series motor can be accomplished by
supplying the power to the motor from a separate variable voltage supply. This method involves high
cost so it rarely used.
Field Control of DC Series Motor
The speed of DC motor can be controlled by this method by any one of the following ways
1. Field Diverter Method This method uses a diverter. Here the
field flux can be reduced by shunting a portion of motor current
around the series field. Lesser the diverter resistance less is the
field current, less flux therefore more speed. This method gives
speed above normal and the method is used in electric drives in
which speed should rise sharply as soon as load is decreased.
2. Tapped Field Control This is another method of increasing the
speed by reducing the flux and it is done by lowering number of
turns of field winding through which current flows. In this method a
number of tapping from field winding are brought outside. This
method is employed in electric traction.

Speed Control of DC Shunt Motor

Speed of DC shunt motor is controlled by the factors stated below
Field Control of DC Shunt Motor
By this method speed control is obtained by any one of the following means
1. Field Rheostat Control of DC Shunt Motor
In this method, speed variation is accomplished by means of a variable resistance inserted in series
with the shunt field. An increase in controlling resistances reduces the field current with a reduction in
flux and an increase in speed. This method of speed control is independent of load on the motor.
Power wasted in controlling resistance is very less as field current is a small value. This method of
speed control is also used in DC compound motor.
Limitations of this Method of Speed Control
1. Creeping speeds cannot be obtained.
2. Top speeds only obtained at reduced torque.
3. The speed is maximum at minimum value of flux, which is governed by the demagnetizing effect
of armature reaction on the field.

2. Field Voltage Control

This method requires a variable voltage supply for the field circuit which is separated from the main
power supply to which the armature is connected. Such a variable supply can be obtained by an
electronic rectifier.

M.L.Haroos Mohamed (B.Sc (Eng),PG.Dip in Electrical , AMIE(SL), MIET)

Motor Control System

Control System

Armature Control of DC Shunt Motor

Speed control by this method involves two ways. These are :
1. Armature Resistance Control
In this method armature circuit is provided with a variable resistance. Field is directly connected
across the supply so flux is not changed due to variation of series resistance. This is applied for DC
shunt motor. This method is used in printing press, cranes, hoists where speeds lower than rated is
used for a short period only.
2. Armature Voltage Control
This method of speed control needs a variable source of voltage separated from the source
supplying the field current. This method avoids disadvantages of poor speed regulation and low
efficiency of armature-resistance control methods. The basic adjustable armature voltage control
method of speed d control is accomplished by means of an adjustable voltage generator is called
Ward Leonard System. This method involves using a motor-generator (M-G) set. This method is
best suited for steel rolling mills, paper machines, elevators, mine hoists, etc. This method is known
as Ward-Leonard System.
Advantages
1.
2.
3.
4.

Very fine speed control over whole range in both directions

Uniform acceleration is obtained
Good speed regulation
It has regenerative braking capacity

Disadvantages
1. Costly arrangement is needed , floor space required is more
2. Low efficiency at light loads
3. Drive produced more noise.

M.L.Haroos Mohamed (B.Sc (Eng),PG.Dip in Electrical , AMIE(SL), MIET)

Motor Control System

Control System

DC Drive Control System

A basic DC drive control system generally contains a drive controller and DC motor as shown in Figure
1.1. The controls allow the operator to start, stop, and change direction and speed of the motor by turning
potentiometers or other operator devices. These controls may be an integral part of the controller or may
be remotely mounted. The drive controller converts a 3-phase AC voltage to an adjustable DC voltage,
which is then applied to a DC motor armature. Figure 1.1 DC Drive Control System

The DC motor converts power from the adjustable DC voltage source to rotating mechanical force.
Motor shaft rotation and direction are proportional to the magnitude and polarity of the DC voltage
applied to the motor. The tachometer (feedback device) showed in Figure converts actual speed to an
electrical signal that is summed with the desired reference signal. The output of the summing junction
provides an error signal to the controller and a speed correction is made.

variable-frequency control system

A variable-frequency drive (VFD) (also termed adjustable-frequency drive, variable speed drive, AC
drive, micro drive or inverter drive) is a type of adjustable-speed drive used in electro-mechanical drive
systems to control AC motor speed and torque by varying motor input frequency and voltage.
Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) Basic Configuration
The

basic

configuration

of

variable

frequency

drive

Fig. 1 Basic configuration of variable frequency drive

each part of a variable frequency drive has the following function.

Converter: Circuit to change the commercial AC power supply to the DC

Smoothing circuit: Circuit to smooth the pulsation included in the DC
Inverter: Circuit to change the DC to the AC with variable frequency
Control circuit: Circuit to mainly control the inverter
5

M.L.Haroos Mohamed (B.Sc (Eng),PG.Dip in Electrical , AMIE(SL), MIET)

is

as

follows.

Motor Control System

Control System

V/F pattern
Changing the motor speed is enabled by changing the frequency as shown in following Formula.
When the output frequency of a variable frequency drive is changed, the output voltage must be changed.
Torque TM = K x x I = K x (V/F) x I
The output torque of a motor is expressed as the product of the magnetic flux inside the motor ()
multiplied by the current flowing in the coil (I). The relationship between the magnetic flux (), the
voltage applied to a motor (V) and the frequency (F), is expressed as =V/F. If the voltage is fixed (e.g.
200V) and only the frequency is decreased, the increased magnetic flux () causes the iron core to be
magnetic saturation and then the increased current causes overheat and burnout.
Changing the voltage applied to a motor (V) and the frequency (F) with their relationship kept constant
allows the motor output torque to be constant even if the motor speed is changed. For these two reasons,
the output voltage must be controlled low when the variable frequency drive output frequency is low, and
controlled high when the frequency is high.
This relationship between the output frequency and the output voltage is called V/F pattern.

Fig. 18 V/F pattern and motor output torque

Control method

There are three basic methods to control a variable frequency drive: speed control to control the motor
speed mainly with the analog voltage, position control to control the motor rotation amount with simple
limit switches, a high accuracy encoder or others and torque control to control the current flowing into a
motor for a constant torque value.
The detailed account is given below.
Speed control
1) Open loop control
This control method does not feed back the speed as general-purpose variable frequency
drives adopt it

The command system is analog voltage command, which is used for many applications
such as the conveyor speed control, fan wind amount control, pump flow amount control, etc. The
slip at the rated torque depends on the characteristics of a motor. Approximately 3 to 5% speed
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M.L.Haroos Mohamed (B.Sc (Eng),PG.Dip in Electrical , AMIE(SL), MIET)

Motor Control System

Control System

fluctuation occurs. The recent variable frequency drives are resistant to temperature drifts for the
digital control that allows setting the speed data internally and for the digital command (pulse
train, parallel data and communication). In addition, the variable frequency drives of advanced
magnetic flux vector control or real sensorless vector control are available with the speed
fluctuation of 1% or less.
This speed control method is worked for almost all general-purpose variable frequency drives.
2) Closed loop control
To ensure the change of the motor speed, an encoder must be installed to detect the actual
speed and feed it back to a control circuit. This method is called a closed loop control.

To detect the speed, TG (tachogenerator), encoder, etc. are used. Encoders are mostly used these
days. For the closed loop control too, the analog voltage or current is used for the speed command.
However, inputting pulse trains or using the digital input allows a high accuracy speed control for
the draw operation or continuous speed control operation.
Position control
The position control allows not only the control of the motor speed but also the control to
stop at the target stop position. There are many control methods from the simple method to stop at
the target position by taking the external sensor signals into the stop signal, to the method to
perform a high accuracy positioning with an encoder installed to the motor, and to the advanced
method to perform a positioning to always-changing target stop positions by tracking or
synchronization.
1) Open loop control
This control is used for the applications that do not need high accuracy for stop. The motor
decelerates to stop with signals from the limit switches installed before the target stop position for
deceleration command. This is the simplest and most reasonable method although the fluctuation
of the deceleration points affects the stop positions in accuracy.

2) Semi-closed loop control

An encoder installed to a motor performs feedback. For example, a vector dedicated motor
operates for the command input to a vector variable frequency drive when the feedback is looped
back. At this moment, the speed command is calculated to zero the difference between the input
command amount and the feedback amount for rotating the motor.

M.L.Haroos Mohamed (B.Sc (Eng),PG.Dip in Electrical , AMIE(SL), MIET)

Motor Control System

Control System

2) Full-closed loop control

This control is performed by the feedback from a linear scale or encoder installed to the
machine side. Installing a linear scale or encoder to the final machine edge allows a high accuracy
positioning free from backlashes or mechanical system errors. Instead, it is required to heighten
the machine rigidity. This control is sometimes used for machine tools part of which requires a
high accuracy control.

Torque control
The torque control indicates controlling the torque (current) output from a motor and it
must be distinguished from the torque limit. However, both of them are available depending on
the application. The most appropriate method should be selected. The torque control performs a
control of the torque (current) against the torque command value. Therefore, the speed
automatically increases when the load torque is smaller and decreases when larger. If the load
torque is equal to the torque command value, both torque values are balanced and the speed
becomes zero. That is to say, the motor stops. In short, the same principle as a tug of war is
working.
On the other hand, the torque limit is used when a machine can be damaged for
unnecessary torque to control the position or speed, when the stop is performed by pressing the
machine, or when the mechanical lock is performed. For the torque control, the current flowing in
the motor must be detected and controlled. Therefore, the torque control can be supported by the
vector variable frequency drive or the variable frequency drive of real sensorless vector control,
which perform current detection.
1) Open loop control

This control is used for the applications that do not require high torque accuracy such as an
unwinding or winding axis. The analog command is generally used for the torque command. For
this control, it must be taken into account that the torque accuracy (temperature drift) varies
depending on the temperature and machines have losses.

M.L.Haroos Mohamed (B.Sc (Eng),PG.Dip in Electrical , AMIE(SL), MIET)

Motor Control System

Control System

2) Closed loop control

This control is used for the applications that require high tension accuracy such as an
unwinding or winding axis (for paper, film, etc.). This control feeds back the tension applied to
the actual products to a tension control device.

M.L.Haroos Mohamed (B.Sc (Eng),PG.Dip in Electrical , AMIE(SL), MIET)

Motor Control System

Control System

Remote Position Control (r.p.c.) System.

The r.p.c. motor moves its load to a position determined by the control system. The system experiences
two limitations:
1. There is a limit to the mechanical ability of a motor to move its load this limit occurs when the
angle of required rotation becomes too small.
2. When the load is almost aligned to the input objective (desired position), the error is so small that
the amplifier can no longer drive the motor.
we can arrange for a motor to turn through large values of rotation, yet the load when driven
through a reduction gear will appear to move through a small and apparently precise angle of rotation.
Yet even here we find limitations. First of all, the reduction gear introduces an additional load and
the greater the accuracy of positioning the load, the greater the additional load on the motor. Also the
greater the gearing the more slack in the gear train, introducing further misalignment. Second, the more
we reduce the gearing, the more difficult to stop the motor at exactly the required position. This can be
overcome by applying a mechanical brake, but such brakes experience wear.
These limitations have been avoided by two arrangements:
1. Mechanisms such as the Geneva cam.
2. The stepping motor.
The stepping (or stepper) motor
A stepper motor is an electromechanical device which converts electrical pulses into discrete
mechanical movements. The shaft or spindle of a stepper motor rotates in discrete step increments when
electrical command pulses are applied to it in the proper sequence. The motors rotation has several direct
relationships to these applied input pulses. The sequence of the applied pulses is directly related to the
direction of motor shafts rotation. The speed of the motor shafts rotation is directly related to the
frequency of the input pulses and the length of rotation is directly related to the number of input pulses
applied.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Stepper Motor Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages

The rotation angle of the motor is proportional to the input pulse.
The motor has full torque at standstill (if the windings are energized)
Precise positioning and repeatability of movement since good stepper motors have an accuracy of
3 5% of a step and this error is non cumulative from one step to the next.
Excellent response to starting/ stopping/reversing.
Very reliable since there are no contact brushes in the motor. Therefore the life of the motor is
simply dependant on the life of the bearing.
The motors response to digital input pulses provides open-loop control, making the motor simpler
and less costly to control.
It is possible to achieve very low speed synchronous rotation with a load that is directly coupled to
the shaft.
A wide range of rotational speeds can be realized as the speed is proportional to the frequency of
the input pulses.

Disadvantages
1. Resonances can occur if not properly controlled.
2. Not easy to operate at extremely high speeds.

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M.L.Haroos Mohamed (B.Sc (Eng),PG.Dip in Electrical , AMIE(SL), MIET)

Motor Control System

Control System

Open Loop Operation

One of the most significant advantages of a stepper motor is its ability to be accurately controlled
in an open loop system. Open loop control means no feedback information about position is needed. This
type of control eliminates the need for expensive sensing and feedback devices such as optical encoders.
Your position is known simply by keeping track of the input step pulses.
Stepper Motor Types
There are three basic stepper motor types. They are :
Variable-reluctance
Permanent-magnet
Hybrid
Variable-reluctance (VR)
This type of stepper motor has been around for a long time. It is
probably the easiest to understand from a structural point of view. Figure 1
shows a cross section of a typical V.R. stepper motor. This type of motor
consists of a soft iron multi-toothed rotor and a wound stator. When the
stator windings are energized with DC current the poles become
magnetized. Rotation occurs when the rotor teeth are attracted to the
energized stator poles.
Permanent Magnet (PM)
Often referred to as a tin can or canstock motor the permanent magnet
step motor is a low cost and low resolution type motor with typical step
angles of 7.5 to 15. (48 24 steps/revolution) PM motors as the name
implies have permanent magnets added to the motor structure. The rotor no
longer has teeth as with the VR motor. Instead the rotor is magnetized with
alternating north and south poles situated in a straight line parallel to the
rotor shaft. These magnetized rotor poles provide an increased magnetic
flux intensity and because of this the PM motor exhibits improved torque
characteristics when compared with the VR type.

Hybrid (HB)
The hybrid stepper motor is more expensive than the PM stepper
motor but provides better performance with respect to step resolution,
torque and speed. Typical step angles for the HB stepper motor range
from 3.6 to 0.9 (100 400 steps per revolution). The hybrid stepper
motor combines the best features of both the PM and VR type stepper
motors. The rotor is multi-toothed like the VR motor and contains an
axially magnetized concentric magnet around its shaft. The teeth on the
rotor provide an even better path which helps guide the magnetic flux to
preferred locations in the airgap. This further increases the detent, holding
and dynamic torque characteristics of the motor when compared with both
the VR and PM types. The

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M.L.Haroos Mohamed (B.Sc (Eng),PG.Dip in Electrical , AMIE(SL), MIET)

Motor Control System

Control System

Step Angle ( )
A useful relationship when considering the step angle is
Number of equivalent poles per phase ( or number of rotor poles or rotor teeth)
In the case which we have considered there were 36 rotor teeth and 4 stator phases, hence the step angle
was 2.5.
Resolution
The resolution of a stepper motor is given by the number of steps needed to complete one revolution of
the rotor shaft. That is,
Resolution =

Speed
A stepper motor has the extraordinary ability to operate at very high stepping rate ( up to 20,000 steps per
second in some motors) and yet to remin fully in synchronism with the command pulses. The shaft
rotation appears continous, if the pulse rate is high. If f is the stepping frequesncy ( or the pulse rate ) in
pulses per second (pps) and B is the step angle, the shaft speed n is given by
Speed, n =

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M.L.Haroos Mohamed (B.Sc (Eng),PG.Dip in Electrical , AMIE(SL), MIET)