Development of an electric drive control system by using the model-oriented programming technique

Abstract

This article describes the stages of and presents the results from designing a microprocessor system for control of an electric drive with a converter-fed electric motor by applying the model-oriented programming technique. The technique is based on using the Matlab computer mathematics system, its components, and extension packages as a means of elaborating and debugging software for control of technical systems. Application of the above-mentioned techniques makes it possible to greatly simplify and accelerate the software development process, because this software is designed in convenient and clear graphic form similar to the usual mathematical models of Matlab/ Simulink. It is shown that the tools of model-oriented programming make it possible to use both hardware and computing resources of a microcontroller, as well as the Matlab system’s mathematical tools to address specific control tasks. The use of model-oriented programming technique tools is shown by the example of designing a functionally complete electric drive control system. In designing the electric drive, a comprehensive set of tasks has been solved, the list of which includes control of a converter-fed electric motor, control of coordinates in the speed stabilization, tracking, and positioning modes, access to the control system parameters and settings, interactive control, and communication with the higher-level control system via a digital interface. The use of tools offered by model-oriented programming technique made it possible to present the software of the microprocessor electric drive control system in graphic form, to specify connections between the modules and software functions and their interaction, and to describe the sequence of executing the electric drive control algorithm and the interaction of the drive control system with peripherals. Access of the control system to the communications network via the digital interface and the data exchange protocol between the electric drive and the higher-level control system are also implemented using the model-oriented programming technique. To implement interactive control of the electric drive, a special application for the personal computer has been developed. It is shown that the software developed using the model-oriented programming technique and its tools has functionality at least as good as that developed using conventional programming tools. The developed electric drive may be used in electromechanical servo systems requiring dynamic control of the coordinates. The software development results obtained from using the model-oriented programming technique can also be used as teaching and learning aids.