Lecturer:

Course name: Electrical Machines and Drives with Elements of Robotics
Course code: 502581
Degree course: Ingegneria Meccatronica
Disciplinary field of science: ING-INF/04
L'insegnamento è caratterizzante per: Ingegneria Meccatronica
University credits: CFU 12
Course website: n.d.

Specific course objectives

The course aims at giving the student an overview of operation and use of electric machines and drives for industrial applications, and in particular to understand their role in Industrial Automation and Robotics. By completing the course the student will be able to identify and study the behavior of the most common types of machines with respect to their characteristics and electromechanical applications: motors and drives; the main features of robotics systems are also described. Finally they are suggested the criteria for evaluating and choose these key components of the industrial process.

Course programme

Rated power and other rated values; thermal problems in electrical machines

1. Rated power and machines variable; thermal problems of electric machines. Losses in electrical machines and materials (magnetic materials, conductors and insulators). Thermal models. Types of service. Standards for machines and electrical drives.

Power transformers

2. Power Transformers and their role in industry. Construction aspects. Principle of operation and equivalent circuit. Three-phase power transformers.

Electrical machines for industrial applications & automation

3. Electrical machines for industrial applications and automation. The induction motor: applications, operating principle and equivalent circuit. The DC motor: applications, operating principle and equivalent circuit. The synchronous machine: operation as a motor and as a generator. The brushless a.c. motor and drive.

Static power converter

4. Classification and characteristics of the semiconductors and static power converters. Components, power schemes and mode of operation of static converters: rectifiers, choppers, inverters. PWM.

Power System Drive (PDS)

5. The Power System Drive. Definition and diagram of an electric drive; drive regulation (torque control, speed, position). Basics on automatic control of the main variables. Open and closed loop schemes.

Mechanical aspects of electrical drives

6. Mechanical characteristics of loads and actuators. Characteristics of loads; the mechanical equation. Torque and reflected inertia; transmission gear ratio.

Operation of electrical drives

7. Constant torque/constant power operation and four-quadrant operation; barking and regeneration; rms torque

Elastic coupling between motor and load

8. Equation of mechanical equilibrium and non-rigid coupling between motor and load.

Elements of dynamics of electric drives

9. Dynamics of electric motors. Equations, dynamic models and transfer functions of the electric motor. Examples of loads and actuators.

Elements of Robotics
Manipulators structure. Classification and position. Denavit-Hartenberg parameters. Example of direct kinematics (two and three links, parallelogram, anthropomorphic). Joint and operational space. Direct kinematics. Dynamics: Lagrange’s formula, manipulator model. Motion control: joint and operational space. Feedback control on velocity, acceleration and position. Actuators and sensors.

Course entry requirements

Basic knowledge of electrical engineering and control theory.

Course structure and teaching

Lectures (hours/year in lecture theatre): 79
Practical class (hours/year in lecture theatre): 20
Practicals / Workshops (hours/year in lecture theatre): 4

Suggested reading materials

Luca Ferraris. Macchine elettriche. CLUT Editore, Torino 2003.

Legnani, Tiboni, Adamini.. Meccanica degli azionamenti, vol.1 - Azionamenti Elettrici.. Progetto Leonardo, Bologna 2002..

Leonhard.. Control of Electrical Drives.. Springer Verlag, 1996. .

Mohan, Undeland, Robbins.. Elettronica di potenza. Convertitori e applicazioni. . Hoepli, 2005..

L. Sciavicco, B. Siciliano. Robotica Industriale - Modellistica e Controllo dei Manipolatori. McGraw-Hill Libri Italia, Milano 1995.

Testing and exams

Written test, oral discussion.