Researchers at Italy’s Polytechnic University of Bari are working on a new control scheme to improve not just how motors operate but how to enhance how these motors interact with other systems.
Motors use the same mechanical principles whether it be in DVD players or advanced robots. Both require stable performance of motors, but, in order to progress, industrial electric drives control dynamic performance and disturbance rejection must be improved to reduce energy consumption and help reduce issues that depend on control efforts.
Researchers have developed a method that involves a two-fold update to traditional motors. The first involves using a similar approach used in proportional-integral controllers—conventional regulators that keep electrical drive systems working by determining initial values for each operation. If these preset values change unfavorably, the controller is programmed to react and recalibrate to keep the system in optimal condition. Polytechnic University of Bari proposes using the same programming method to control the drive’s counterparts. If this method controls all the system’s parts, integration and acceptance may be quicker and with less energy expended.
Secondly, researchers propose an improved pre-filter to assist the system in keeping attention on relevant and important data. This would allow the pre-filter to make the system handle information chronologically, or in order of significance.
To test the improvements, researchers experimented on using permanent magnet DC-motors and permanent magnet synchronous motors, which are used for anything from cooling computer towers to industrial settings. They introduced a host of motor-specific issues to the devices and each time the motors responded quickly in correcting the issues.
The team believes this method could lead to future low-cost implementation of new industrial electric drives for control systems with superior performance compared to traditional motors.
