Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
17 Integrated Brushless Motor Exploration Platform
 Alex Roberts
Jason Vasko
 Michael Gamota design_document1.pdf
final_paper1.pdf
grading_sheet1.pdf
presentation1.pptx
proposal1.pdf
# Integrated Brushless Motor Exploration Platform

Note, project changed marginally from initial idea. Original idea post is [Multiple Motor Stimulation Hardware Investigation Tool](https://courses.grainger.illinois.edu/ece445/pace/view-topic.asp?id=76583)

# Team Members:
- Alex Roberts (asr9)
- Jason Vasko (jrvasko2)

# Problem
Exploring topics in motor control requires at least a moderate knowledge of electronic hardware systems. Even when using commercial off the shelf motor drivers, microcontrollers, power regulators, and power supplies still need to be connected to the motor driver, which can cause confusion for people without a working electrical engineering knowledge. This makes it difficult for students in disciplines other than ECE, such as mechanical or aerospace engineering, to experimentally learn about motor control.

# Solution
We propose a single integrated device which is usable with minimal electronics experience that allows the user to test motors with different motor control algorithm parameters at different speeds. The board will act as an educational tool to allow people interested in topics such as field oriented control, or 3-phase power system in general, to operate brushless motors and explore control algorithms with as few external connections as possible. Our project integrates the microcontroller, sensors, power regulation, and motor drive circuitry required to spin a brushless DC motor into a single board. It will only require the user to connect a computer over USB, the 3 phase wires of the motor, and two simple power connections (one to a 12V wall adapter for logic and sensing power, and the other to a benchtop supply used only for motor bus voltage). On the computer there will be a GUI application that allows the user to control the motor, modify the motor control algorithms, and measure motor performance. Ultimately, the system will serve as a single platform for learning about brushless DC motor drivers and control algorithms with as few external tools needed as possible.

# Solution Components

## Control Subsystem

The control subsystem is responsible for driving and/or monitoring all other subsystems. It will periodically read data from the sensory array, monitor the health of the power subsystem, and generate PWM signals for the motor drive subsystem. It will also communicate with the PC app, updating the GUI periodically and allowing the user to set motor parameters such as speed and PID controller coefficients. This subsystem includes:
- System Microcontroller (STM32F446RET6)

## Sensor Array

The sensor array is responsible for recording data related to the motor’s operation and the overall health of the board. This subsystem includes:
- Current and voltage sensors for the three-phase signals driving the motor and to monitor health of the voltage regulators (INA230AIDGSR) - We will use shunt resistors to use this same IC for both voltage and current monitoring.
- Physical encoder to measure motor angle and speed (PEC11R-4220K-S0024) - We will use a 3D printed jig that the user attaches the motor to during operation. The motor shaft and encoder shaft will then be connected using gears attached to each, so the motor shaft position can be measured using the rotary encoder.

## Power Subsystem

The power subsystem is responsible for generating the needed voltages for components on the board such as sensors and the microcontroller. A small 12V DC wall adapter will plug into a banana jack on the PCB, which is converted using a buck regulator to our logic voltage of 3.3V. We also require the user to connect a benchtop power supply which will provide motor bus voltage directly. This avoids needing to integrate a complex, multiple hundred watt converter into the board, which would be unrealistic given the timescale of this project. This subsystem includes:
- Adjustable switching buck converter to convert the 12V supply to 3.3V to power the microcontroller (TPS562201DDCR)

## Motor Drive Subsystem

The motor drive subsystem is responsible for generating the AC waveforms supplied to each phase of the motor. To do so, we will use gate drivers and half-bridges connected to the motor bus voltage coming from the benchtop power supply. This subsystem’s primary components are:
- MOSFETs for the half-bridges for each phase (IRFI1310N)
- Half-bridge gate driver ICs for each phase (DGD05473)

# Criterion For Success

We consider the project a success if it satisfies the following criteria:
- User should be able to control motor speed and/or position through a PC app GUI connected to the board via USB.
- User should be able to set and change motor driver parameters such as PID coefficients.
- User should be able to see aspects of the motor control algorithm performance on the GUI, such as motor speed and three-phase voltages and currents.
- User should only require four external connections to use the device: a wall power connection, a benchtop power supply, a usb connection to the laptop, and the motor phases.

BarPro Weightlifting Aid Device

Patrick Fejkiel, Grzegorz Gruba, Kevin Mienta

Featured Project

Patrick Fejkiel (pfejki2), Kevin Mienta (kmient2), Grzegorz Gruba (ggruba2)

Title: BarPro

Problem: Many beginner weightlifters struggle with keeping the barbell level during lifts. Even seasoned weightlifters find their barbells swaying to one side sometimes. During heavy lifts, many people also struggle with full movements after a few repetitions.

Solution Overview: BarPro is a device that straps on to a barbell and aids the lifter with keeping the barbell level, maintaining full repetitions and keeping track of reps/sets. It keeps track of the level of the barbell and notifies the lifter with a sound to correct the barbell positioning when not level. The lifter can use the device to calibrate their full movement of the repetition before adding weight so that when heavy weight is applied, the device will use data from the initial repetition to notify the lifter with a sound if they are not lifting or lowering the barbell all the way during their lift. There will be an LCD screen or LEDs showing the lifter the amount of repetitions/sets that they have completed.

Solution Components:

Subsystem #1 - Level Sensor: An accelerometer will be used to measure the level of the barbell. If an unlevel position is measured, a speaker will beep and notify the lifter.

Subsystem #2 - Full Repetition Sensor: An ultrasonic or infrared distance sensor will be used to measure the height of the barbell from the ground/body during repetitions. The sensor will first be calibrated by the lifter during a repetition with no weight, and then that calibration will be used to check if the lifter is having their barbell reach the calibrated maximum and minimum heights.

Subsystem #3 - LED/LCD Rep/Sets Indicator: LEDs or a LCD screen will be used to display the reps/sets from the data measured by the accelerometer.

Criterion for Success: Our device needs to be user friendly and easily attachable to the barbell. It needs to notify the lifter with sounds and LEDs/LCD display when their barbell is not level, when their movements are not fully complete, and the amount of reps/sets they have completed. The device needs to work smoothly, and testing/calibrating will need to be performed to determine the minimum/maximum values for level and movement positioning.