Applied Mechatronics - ADE

Actuators

Prof. H. Arya
DEPT. OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
IIT BOMBAY
Applied Mechatronics - ADE
Actuators

Actuators are devices used to produce action or motion. The input is

generally electrical signal and output is linear or rotary motion. Electrical
signal can be low power or high power. In case of low power signal,
additional circuitry is required to drive the actuator otherwise it can be
driven directly. Actuators output can be position or rate i.e. linear
displacement or velocity. Actuation can be from few microns to few meters.

Selection of actuator
Accuracy and resolution
Power required for actuation
Cost of actuation device
Dynamic response
Applied Mechatronics - ADE
Actuators

Types of actuators : Electrical power, fluid power, piezoelectric, Shape

Memory Alloys
Linear : Solenoid, hydraulic/pneumatic jacks
Rotary : Motors, hydraulic/pneumatic drives
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Electrical Actuators

Rotary : Motors, to have continuous rotation or hold an angular position.

AC motors: Works on AC power supply. Most household devices, industrial
motors.
DC motors: Small gadgets, due to availability of DC power source. Large DC
motors are used in locomotive engines, easier to control.
Applied Mechatronics - ADE
Solenoids

When current flows in the coil, magnetic field is generated and it reduces
the air gap. Generally spring is used to create gap when coil is not
energised. Commonly used in relays to make/break circuit. Small signal
can operate solenoids. Large back emf is generated when coil is switched
off. Diode is used to suppress the back emf and it prevents the control
electronics from damage.
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Diode - Protection of circuit

Relay - Electromechanical device

When disconnected back emf is
generated, can damage components

Voltage change in an dI
V=L
inductive coil dt

In switched on mode diode is reverse biased

During back emf diode is forward biased and
it conducts and creates the alternative path
for the current
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Voice coil

Operation principle is same as solenoid but in a controlled manner. The

movement of the plunger is controlled by the coil current. Used in the speakers,
control valve in hydraulic system etc. Generally response is linear and it is bi-
directional.

Voice Coil
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Electrical Motors

Works on Lorentzs force law. When a conductor

carrying current is in a orthogonal magnetic field, a
force is generated which is perpendicular to the
direction of current and magnetic field. In DC motors,
stator coils produce constant magnetic field. The
current in the rotor coil results in torque. For
continuous rotation, current direction is to be
changed. This is accomplished by commutator.
Commutator is circular ring on the shaft connected to
rotor coils and has many segments. Electric supply is
fed to these segments by brushes (carbon). This
mechanical-electrical contact requires frequent
maintenance.
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Electrical Motors

DC motors are classified based on the

connection between field coil and armature
coil.
i) Series wound motor
ii) Shunt wound motor
iii) Compound wound motor
iv) Separate wound motor
Applied Mechatronics - ADE
DC Shunt motor

In shunt motor, armature and filed windings are connected parallel and at same
voltage. Field winding resistance is higher compared to armature winding. High
torque characteristics for wide range of speed. Torque can be increased by
increasing current in the motor. Generally field resistance is changed to achieve
this. Starting torque is 1.5 times of rated torque. To reverse the direction of the
rotor, armature or field polarity is to be reversed.
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DC Series motor

Armature and field windings are connected in series. The current is same in both
the windings. Very high starting torque compared to shunt motors and very high
speed at no load. Series motor can fail on sudden removal of load and this
condition is called run-away. Parabolic variation between speed and torque and
nearly constant power output over a wide range. Reversing the supply voltage has
no effect on the direction of motor rotation because both field direction and
armature current directions are changed.
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DC Compound motor

It is a combination of shunt and series motor. Contain two coils one in series
and another in parallel. Maximum speed is limited, but the speed regulation is
not as good as shunt motor.
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DC Motor Control

DC motor control is achieved by changing the armature current or field current.

Control system is added in the low power part of the system. For example field
coil of shunt motor. In a series motor, control resistor is put parallel to field coil to
control current in it. To understand how these changes will effect the output
detail study on DC motor operation is required.
Braking: DC motor can be stopped by switching off the power supply and let it
coast. Large motors may take lot of time due to large inertia. Electromechanical
braking is used for quick slow down. In this case the stator is kept energised and
it is used as generator. It means that the output of the rotor is given to resistor or
fed back to the power supply. It is very effective at high speeds. Another method
is armature current direction is changed and it is switched off when it comes to
halt.
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DC Motor Control

Braking: In dynamic braking the current generated due to generator action is

used for braking, no external power supply. In plugging the polarity of armature
coil is reversed and the torque is generated in opposite direction. Quick braking
and needs automatic switching off when motor comes to halt.
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Permanent magnet DC Motors

In this motor stator is constructed out of permanent magnet. This gives

constant flux in the stator. Magnetic properties are lost with time. The rotor
construction is similar to conventional DC motors. Rotating magnetic field is
generated by commutator. Motor output is controlled by rotor current. No issue
of heating in the stator field winding.
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Brushless DC Motors

In this motor permanent magnet is used for construction of rotor. Inertia of the
rotor increases. Magnetic field is rotated in the stator by energising the coils
using electronics. This eliminates brushes and commutator. Sensors are
required to identify the location of rotor and based on this information coils are
switched. This is equivalent to mechanical commutator.
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Permanent magnet DC Motor Characteristics

Field flux is constant. Torque is proportional to armature current. For a given

armature current, speed varies linearly with torque. Max power output is at 50%
of no load speed. Armature current is limited by the coil characteristics.
Applied Mechatronics - ADE
DC Motor Control

DC motor is controlled by
controlling energy input in
the system. Power supply to
the DC motor is given in
form high frequency pulses,
1kHz. By changing the duty
cycle the input energy is
controlled or average
voltage in the armature coil
is controlled. Variable duty
cycle pulse are fed to power
electronics circuit.
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H-bridge

Four power transistors are used in bridge configuration. Transistors can be

switched on low power signal. When Q1 and Q3 are on the current in the
motor flows in the direction shown. Similarly when Q2 and Q4 are on the
direction of the current flow reverses and hence the direction. Can be
controlled easily using micro-controller. Inputs can be in the form of PWM.

H-bridge for motor control

Applied Mechatronics - ADE
DC Motor Control

Example : A sensor is used to determine the output of the rotor. The

rotor output is compared with the desired set speed. Based on the error
PWM is generated.
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RC servos

These are servo motors used for position control. Very popularly used in
hobby. Feed back circuit, power electronics all are packed in a single unit.
Highly optimised circuit, very compact for the given performance. Generally
three input gadget. Two for power supply and third for control signal. Control
signal is low power and the width of the pulse decided the rotary position of
the servo.
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AC Electrical Motors

Two types - single phase or polyphase (3-phase)

Both can be - induction and Synchronous
Single phase motors are common in household equipment. Domestic power supply
is single phase 230 V, 50 Hz. Capacity from < 1 hp to 10 hp.
3-phase motors are common in industry. Industrial power supply is 3-phase and at
different voltage levels. 440 V to few kV.
Applied Mechatronics - ADE
AC Electrical Motors

Simplest AC motor is single phase squirrel cage induction motor. Maximum number
of motors in use. Simple construction, maintenance free, low cost etc are the
attractive features of this motor.
Rotor is in the form of squirrel cage. No separate power for rotor. Rotor gets
energised by induction due to AC supply in the stator coil. This induced voltage
produces current in the rotor coil and hence magnetic field. The interaction between
stator and rotor magnetic field produces torque. For continuous rotary motion the
magnetic field in stator coil should be rotating. This is achieved by sequencing the
peak current in the coils along the circumference. In case of single phase supply
external aid like a capacitor is required to create phase difference between two coil
supply.
Applied Mechatronics - ADE
AC Electrical Motors

Rotor conductors are heavy gage

copper. These bars are the current
path. Core of the rotor is made of iron.
The air gap between rotor and stator is
kept low. The torque depends on the
slip. Slip is the difference between the
rotor speed and the stator field speed.
Slip necessary for the operation of the
motor. Current in rotor is proportional to
slip. Torque is dependent on the rotor
current.

Squirrel-cage rotor construction

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Electrical Motors

Three phase input 120 degree phase shift

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3-phase Electrical Motors

Three phase power supply generates a rotating

magnetic field

Direction of rotation can be

changed by swapping one
of the phase.
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Synchronous AC Motors

Induction motor works only when slip exist. Constant speed is not possible and
depends on load. Synchronous AC motors works without slip. The rotor is
energised by DC supply to have fixed magnetic field with respect to rotor winding.
This magnetic field gets locked with the rotating magnetic field and the motor
rotates at constant synchronous speed. To achieve higher torque, rotor coil
current is increased. The rotor is supplied DC by slip rings. Starting torque is a
problem. Synchronous motors will always have methods to achieve synchronous
speed. Squirrel cage motor is also used for this purpose, once the synchronous
speed is reached no current flows in squirrel cage. This motor can only run at
synchronous speed.
Applied Mechatronics - ADE
Stepper Motor

Stepper motor is a truly digital motor. Always moves by one step when ever
input signal is given. It also means that rotor stop moving until it receives the
next signal. It is a series of electromagnets arranged in a circle. When
energised in sequence it moves rotor. Rotor can be a permanent magnet.
Motor torque is directly related to magnetic field strength of electromagnets
and rotor.
Applied Mechatronics - ADE
Stepper Motor

Stepper motors have a oscillatory

response. This can be controlled by
damping but this demands more
torque. In locked step mode motor can
be stopped, reversed instantaneously.
In slewing mode the rotor is in synch
but cannot be stopped
instantaneously. It may loose step
integrity.

At higher speed
available torque is
reduced.
Applied Mechatronics - ADE
Stepper Motor

Full step motion is achieved by energising two coils at a time (1,4; 4,2; 2,3 and 3,1.
Angular rotation of 90 degrees per step.

Half step is achieved by

energising two coils first
and next only one coil and
repeating the sequence.
Angular step is half of full
step in present case is 45
degrees.

Four phase unipolar stepper motor

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Stepper Motor

For clockwise motion sequence

of steps is 1 to 4 and for anti
clockwise it is 4 to 1 in case of
full step. Similarly for half step.
The phase sequencing can be
obtained by counter circuits and
logic gates.
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Stepper Motor

Typically a stepper motor driver

circuit involves a Schmitt trigger to
shape the input pulse. A count
up/down counter and XOR gates
to create properly phased output
for stepper motor. The example
given is a discrete device circuit.
Stepper motor driver chips are
available which will contain all
these devices.
Applied Mechatronics - ADE
Variable reluctance Stepper Motor

This type of stepper motor contains a ferromagnetic toothed rotor and a

electromagnetic stator similar to permanent magnet stepper motor. The
example given is 3 phase design having 12 stator poles 30o apart and eight
rotor poles 45o apart. When phase 1 is energised rotor tooth align with the
magnetised poles in the position of least magnetic reluctance. Other teeth
remain inbetween the non energised poles.

In the next step energising phase 2, the

rotor will move anti clockwise and again
the teeth closest to the poles will align.
Repeating this action will produce the
motion in the desired direction. The step
size is equal to difference between the
pitch of rotor and stator. In the present
case is 15o.
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Hydraulic actuators

In these actuators high pressure fluid is used. The fluid is pressurised using
electrical pumps. Fluid used is non corrosive and if possible self lubricating. It is
more of mechanical system having valves, cylinders, pumps etc. Commonly used
fluid is air and oil. When air is used it is called pneumatic system. Air is freely
available, leakage is not hazardous, stored in big tanks and distributed where ever
required. Very common in packaging industry.
When oil is used it is called hydraulic system. High power to weight ratio.
Hydraulic pumps are attached to the machinery. Leakage is not permitted. Used
where ever heavy duty performance is required.
Applied Mechatronics - ADE
Hydraulic actuators

A very simple hydraulic system is shown. It consist of 4/3 valve system, it means
that P is connected to T; P can connect to A and T can connect to B; P and T are
cross connected to A and B. The different connections can give forward and
backward motion.
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Hydraulic actuators

Some common example of hydraulic driven

mechanisms.