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Modular Servo system MS150

1
PRELIMINARY PROCEDURE

Practica! 6.1

/ n Practica/ 6. 1:

1.
Attach the Attenuator Unit 150A, Pr~-Amp
Unit 150C and Power Supply 150E to the Baseplate by means of the magnetic fixings.

2.
Connect the Power Supply to the mains
supply line. DO NOT switch on yet.

On Potentiometer 1, with the voltmeter set the

output between the slider and COM to +1 V.
To be able to obtain accurate readings we need
a fi r ~ control and so we are going to use Potentiometer 2 to give us fractions of the one volt
that we have selected.
Connect Terminal 6 of Potentiometer 2 to the
slider of Potentiometer 1. This means that the
positions 1 to 1O gives us input values in tenths
of a volt.

To find characteristics of the

Pre-Ampl ifier

DISCUSSION ANO EXPERlMENTAL

PROCEDURE

In the previous assignment we found that our

input signal could vary from positive to negative
but that we could not use its polarity as a means
of determining the direction of motor rotation;
the magnitude of the signa! controlled the speed
of rotation. On examining the field windings we
found that
one transistor would energise one
winding for drive in one direction and the other
would cause reverse rotation. Now the PreAmplifier is able to provide this type of control
because if there is a positive voltage on either of
its inputs, then one of its outputs becomes
positive; whilst if one of its inputs becomes
negative, then the other output becomes positive.

We are now in a position to take output values

of the Pre-Amplifier for different values of
inputs to see how the amp lifier behaves.
For each slider position on Potentiometer 2 take
readings with the voltrneter of each of the PreAmplifier outputs and COM as in fig 6.2. After
you have done this repeat for the different inputs
with the voltmeter across both outputs.
Now connect Terminal 3 of Potentiometer 1 to
the -15V supply and repeat your readings.

Befare we use the Pre-Amplifier to control the

motor so that it can rotate in both forward and
reverse directions, we will carry out a practica!
to find its characteristics.
Set up as in fig 6.1 and switch on power.

1-

o+1SV
oCOM
0 - 15V

C'"T"1
AC1

COM

AC 1

o + HV
O A(l
O A (2

POWER SUf PLV UN IT PS 110 E

Fig 6.1

Feedback lnstruments Ltd

input

~ignal

. volts

06. 1 State why you should measure the gain

on the straight part ofthe curve.

pre-amplifier output
Vo (3)

Vo (L.)

Vo (L.-3)

06.2 Explain the reasons for the non-linear

portions of the curves.
:
1

06.3 State the range of signals that you think

the input should be kept to.
06.4 What input value will give a ni/ voltage
across the outputs?
1f the answer to this is not zero it is because
there is a zero offset in PA 150C. This can be
eliminated using the set zero control.

Fig 6.2

E6. 1 Plot graphs of the input volts against

the output volts as in fig 6.3 and fig 6.4. The
curves will depend on how you have corinected
the voltmeter across the amplifier outputs.
The ratio of the output voltage V 0
input voltage V gives the gain K.

We are now in a position to use the outputs of

the Pre-Amplifier to control the motor rotation ,
and provide- to it an error signa! from the
Operational Amplifier~ This can be done by
combining the circuits of Practical 1 of Assignment 5 with that of this assignment.

to the

E6.2
Using the straight part of the curves
find the gain of the Pre-Amplifir.

Set upas in fig 6.5 using the circuits of Practicals

t aod 2.
1

15

pre-amplifier output V0 (3)

'

pre-amplifrer output V0 (4)

rI

>

~---+----/----+--+-------+--+-~
>

10

\ f

~-+---+-~~\~+-+-#-1-4-+----4--+-~
- ~-+---ijf---l---+---+---+--1-----l

r---+---+---+---il----+---W- E

t-----if-----...,f---~-~-~-~' ~

\CL

-+---#--1----1--..._--+----+-----<>--~

5 /

\ I
Fig6.3

+a. &

+o.s

+0 .4

+o.3 +0.2 +0 .1
o
-o.1
- o.2 -o.J
pre-amplifier input volt s V

- o .~

- o.s

- o.&

Modular Servo system MS150

-M
0 6

-0 4
.........

!'-...

-02

~
16

12

-8

~o

t4

1+8

+16

ttl 2

voltage across pre -~lifier outputs V0 (4-3)

+0 2

"'-

"""'

+O - ~

+06

""

!'-....

"
1

Fig 6.4
+0 8

Practica! 6.2

In Practica/ 6.2:

1.
Retain the units of item 1 in the first
practica! and also attach the Operational Unit
150A, Motor Unit 150F and 1nput and Output
Potentiometers 150H and 150K to the Baseplate
by means of the magnetic fixings.
2. Connect the Servo Amplifier connector
plug into the Power Supply.
3. Connect the Moto r Unit connector plug
into the Servo Amplifier.

1
1

To demonstrate a simple motor

driven closed-loop position control system

This time we shall utilise the error signal output

V 0 of the Operational Amplifier to drive the
output potentiometer via the Pre-Amp and
motor.
The potentiometer on the Attenuator can now
be used as a gain control and should initially be
set to zero (i .e sl ider to commo n) befare
switching on the power. The slider should be
connected to th e input of the Pre-Amplifier.
With th e gain (Attenuator) set to zero adjust
the PrecAmpl ifier zero so that the motor does
not rotate.
Now set the input potentiometer 150W to sorne
arbitrary angle and i ncrease the Attenuator
setting. The output shaft should rotate to an
angle -nearly equal t o that of the 1nput shaft.
1f the output cursor stops befare arriving at
the set position, one is faced with the fact that
the system is tolerant to an error and the motor
will not respond till the error exceeds a certain
value. In the next assignment we shall study
th is effect, which is known as 'deadband'.
For the purpose of this practica!, increase the
gain so that this tolerance is overcome and you
get the correct alignment.
E6.3 Note the different r1>.<:.11/t.<:. nht::inPrf in

Feedback lnstruments ltd

AC1

o
ATTENUlTOR UMIT AU110B

COM

ACl

o + 24Y
o AC1
o AC l

POWER SUPPLY UNI T PS11 0[

PRE AMP UNIT PA110C

o
COM
MO TOR HCHD UNl1 MT!IO F

----------

--

pos ition f eedb ac

o
COM

o
COM

OU1PU1 POI UNI! OP

e r ro r

Fig6.5

output cursor position 1n degrees

required

actual

Fig 6.6

misalignme

Modular Servo system MS150

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
& APPLICATIONS

1
1

1
1

1
1
[

'

1n a position control system it is of great

importance that there should be a smooth stop
at any required position. 1f there is an overshoot
then there must be a reverse movement to
co"mpensate. 1f movement is rapid where the
system gain is high, it becomes very difficult to
get smooth, accurate arrest. 1ndeed, the correcting movement might also produce an overshoot
that will again need corr_e ction and in an
extreme case a system could be moving to and
fro across a required position in a state of
instability.
Future assignments will deal with the problems
of high gain causing fast movement resulting
in overshoot and even instability and how they
can be dealt with _
So far we have dealt with motors in the unloaded
state. The Speed/Torque characteristics of a
motor may not produce a su itable response under
load. To overcome this problem, gearboxes are
very often used. However, they then introduce
the further problem of free play in the gears or
backlash.

-====-

Feedback lnstruments Ltd

Assignment 6
Answers to Ouestions etc.

06.1

The gain must be measured on the

straight pai1 of the curve because this is
the part that will be used in practice.

06.2

The non-linear parts of the curve are due

to the pre-amplifier circuit limiting at
voltages nearing the 15V supply line.

06.3

The input must be kept within the

range 0.3V.

06.4

The input will give zero output unless, as

discussed in the text, the amplifier has
not been zeroed correctly.

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