Aim of the Experiment

• To study characteristics and to find

out the error detector coefficient of
positional error detector by angular
displacement of two servo
potentiometers
• (a) excited with dc
• (b) excited with ac
 Equipments used
 S.No  Equipment name   Specifications/ Range  Quantity

 1 Potentiometers 1 KΩ, 3W, 1˚  2

resolution
2 Instrumentation High impedance  1
Amplifier differential amplifier
with unity gain 

3  Balanced Demodulator  1
4 CRO Dual trace 1
5  Voltmeter D.C. ( 0-5 V)   1
6  Selector Switch    1
Equipments used
Potentiometer Error Detector
 Potentiometer Error Detector
• A potentiometer is a variable voltage divider with an
output voltage that is a percentage of the input voltage.
The amount of output is proportional to the position of
the wiper relative to the ground end.
• The command input shaft is mechanically linked to R1,
and the load is mechanically linked to R2. A supply
voltage is applied across both potentiometers. The
system is designed so that when the input and output
shafts are in the same angular position, the voltages
from the two potentiometers are equal and no error
voltage is felt at the amplifier input.
 Potentiometer Error Detector
• If the input shaft is rotated, moving the wiper
contact of R1, an error voltage is applied to
the servo amplifier.
• This error voltage is the difference between the
voltages at the wiper contents of R1 and R2. The
output of the amplifier causes the motor to rotate
the load and the wiper contact of R2. This
continues until both voltages are again equal.
When the voltages are equal, the motor stops.
 Observations of Potentiometer Error Detector
with dc excitation
For DC Excitation
θ1 = 180 (fixed)
 S.No  Pot-2 position (θ2) θe = θ1-θ2   voltage output Vo Volts
 1 20  160  2.34
 2  40  140  2.05
 3  60  120  1.76
 4  80  100  1.47
 5  100  80  1.17
 6  120  60  0.90
 7  140  40  0.62
 8  160  20  0.32
 Observations of Potentiometer Error Detector
with dc excitation
 S.No  Pot-2 position (θ2) θe = θ1-θ2   voltage output Vo Volts
 9 180  0  0.01
 10  200  -20 -0.27
 11  220  -40  -0.55
 12  240  -60  -0.85
 13  260  -80  -1.11
 14  280  -100  -1.40
 15  300  -120  -1.70
 16  320  -140  -1.96
17 340 -160 -2.24
Error Voltage
Graph for dc excitation

For dc excitation
2.5

1.5

0.5

0
-200 -150 -100 -50 0 50 100 150 200
-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2

-2.5

Error displacement
 Observations of Potentiometer Error Detector
with ac excitation
For AC Excitation
θ1 = 180 (fixed)
 S.No  Pot-2 position (θ2) θe = θ1-θ2   voltage output Vo Volts
 1 20  160  2.15
 2  40  140  1.90
 3  60  120  1.6
 4  80  100  1.4
 5  100  80  1.1
 6  120  60  0.7
 7  140  40  0.6
 8  160  20  0.27
 Observations of Potentiometer Error Detector
with ac excitation

 S.No  Pot-2 position (θ2) θe = θ1-θ2   voltage output Vo Volts

 9 180  0  0.00
 10  200  -20 -0.26
 11  220  -40  -0.52
 12  240  -60  -0.78
 13  260  -80  -1.04
 14  280  -100  -1.3
 15  300  -120  -1.8
 16  320  -140  -1.9
17 340 -160 -2.1
Error voltage
Graph for ac excitation

For ac excitation
2.5

1.5

0.5

0
-200 -150 -100 -50 0 50 100 150 200
-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2

-2.5

Displacement Error
 Calculations & Result
• Calculations: Error Detector Coeff.
• For dc excitation = 2.34/160 = 0.014
• For ac excitation = 2.15/160 = 0.013

• Result: We have successfully studied

potentiometer error detector without
facing any difficulties.
 Viva Questions
• Q.1. What are potentiometers?
• Ans. Potentiometers are electromechanically devices
containing resistance and wiper arrangement for variation in
resistance due to displacement .
• Q2. What is the basic working principle of a potentiometer?
• Ans: When a voltage is applied across the fixed terminals of a
potentiometer then the voltage measured across the variable
terminal and ground is proportional to the input displacement.
• Q.3. What is use of potentiometric error dectector?
• Ans. The potentiometric error dectectors are used to compare
the reference and feedback signal and detect the error.
 Viva Questions
• Q.4. What is error signal?
• Ans. The angular displacement between reference signal
and feedback signal is called error signal .
• Q.5. What is effective range of potentiometer ?
• Ans. The effective range of potentiometer is
approximately 270 degrees.
• Q.6.What is balanced demodulator ?
• Ans. The balanced demodulator is provided to produce
phase sensitive DC Signal when potentiometers are fed
with AC signal .
 Viva Questions
• Que.7. Where reference voltage is applied ?
• Ans. Reference voltage is applied at fixed terminals .
Que.8. From where the variable output is taken ?
• Ans. The variable output is taken from wiper terminals .
• Que.9. what is linearity?
• Ans. Linearity is defined as the maximum deviation of
output from ideal Voltage .
• Que.10.What is instrumentation amplifier ?
• Ans. The instrumentation amplifier is a high impedence
differential amplifier having unity gain.