Many engineering students graduate without really learning what a servo drive is (including, admittedly, the writer of this article). In an increasingly automated world, it's important that the engineers of tomorrow are familiar with the technology that makes motion control work.
Fortunately, more universities are starting to introduce drives into their engineering curriculum. Among these is Penn State Altoona, which incorporated our servo drives into the lab for EMET 325, the Electric Drives course.
EMET 325 - A Class About Drives
EMET 325 is a required course for junior-level students on the Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology (EMET) degree track. The course is designed to familiarize students with the function, operation, analysis, and control of practical electrical drive systems.
The main focus is on the kinds of units, such as servo drives, that are typically found in automated production and manufacturing systems to manipulate equipment. Like many engineering classes, the course includes a laboratory component to give the students practical experience with what they're learning in the lectures.
Creating a Hands-On Experience
But you can't have an effective servo drive laboratory without effective servo drives. So Professor Todd Batzel approached us about supplying the servo drives for the lab, and we were more than happy to oblige.
The ADVANCED Motion Controls Z12A8 servo drives are used to control the torque of a 250W DC machine acting as a load on a motor/generator set. This allows students in the lab to test and characterize DC, BLDC, and Induction machines under load in a series of lab experiments. Students will also use the AMC DPRALTE-020B080 drives to control the motor under test (DC, BLDC, and induction machines) in this series of experiments.
The Z12A8 servo drive (left) connected to the Penn State Altoona motor/generator set (right).
The lab exercises give students the chance to test and verify the theory of electric machine operation (DC, BLDC, PMSM, and Induction Motor), while at the same time give the students a hands-on experience with commercial drives. Furthermore, the labs provide an introduction to the different kinds of feedback devices used in control systems - encoders, current sensors, and Hall effect devices.
Making it Happen
"As always, my experience working with AMC has been superb. We at Penn State Altoona appreciate the support that AMC has offered our students over the years through the University Program."
- Professor Batzel
Penn State Altoona
Student Takeaways
Professor Batzel says young engineers should know the following three things about servo drives.
- How to determine power requirements for a motion application in order to select the appropriate motor and servo drive.
- A solid understanding of how servo drives operate – what’s “under the hood”
- How to interpret the manufacturer data sheets and specifications of both motors and drives
By giving these students the opportunity to work with servo drives hands-on, they'll learn these things and be prepared to work with drives and other motion control equipment when they move on to industry.