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Actuators
MCS361 Mechatronics Instrumentation
Ittichote Chuckpaiwong, Ph.D.
Department of Mechanical, Mahidol University
Signal Conversions
Analog Signals
Relays
Electromechanical relays
Solid-state relays
Amplifiers
Digital Signals
On/off
DAC
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Signal Conversions
Pneumatic Signals
Air relay or booster
Current-to-Pressure (I/P)
Converters
ControlAir Inc.
Power Electronics
Switching devices on/off
SCR
GTO
TRIAC
Control devices output varies
continuously
BJ T
MOSFET
IGBT
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Switching Devices
Silicon-Controlled Rectifier (SCR)
Aka. Thyristor
Turn on by gate voltage
Remain on even gate voltage is removed
Turn off when the forward bias is zero
Switching Devices
SCR: Half-wave Circuit
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Switching Device
SCR: Full-wave Circuit
Switching Device
SCR: Example
Ex. SCR with a 4.0 V trigger is used. Find
resistance R to provide 10% to 90% on time.
( ) ( )
( )
/
/
1
4.0 10 1
t RC
c z
t RC
V t V e
e

=
=
cycle =1/120 =8.33 ms
90% t =0.833 ms R =13.6 k
10% t =7.5 ms R =122 k
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Switching Device
Gate Turn-off Thyristor (GTO)
Symbols for GTO
Example of GTO Circuit
On time
Off time
Switching Device
TRIAC
Turn on by gate voltage
Direction of current
determines by gate
voltage polarity
Turn off when the bias
voltage is zero
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Controlling Devices
BJ T, MOSFET, IGBT
Two modes of operation
Linear amplifier
Switching amplifier
Controlling Devices:
Bipolar J unction Transistor (BJ T)
Current control
Current amplifier,
Slow turn off characteristic
c b
I I =
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Controlling Devices:
Power MOSFET
Voltage control
Draw no current from gate,
Fast switching speeds
0
GS
I =
Controlling Devices:
IGBT
IGBT = Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor
Mixed BJ T and MOSFET
High current with voltage control
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Controlling Devices:
MOSFET & IGBT Comparison
High frequency
applications (>200kHz)
Wide line or load
variations
Long duty cycles
Low-voltage
applications (<250V)
<500W output power
Low duty cycle
Low frequency (<20kHz)
Narrow or small line or
load variations
High-voltage applications
(>1000V)
Operation at high junction
temperature is allowed
(>100C)
>5kW output power
MOSFET IGBT
Electrical Actuators
Solenoid
Motors
DC motors
AC motors
Stepping motors
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Solenoids
Voice Coil
Video demo 10.1: Relay and transistor
Video demo 10.2-10.4: Hard-drive voice coil
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DC motors
Easy to control
High torque
Brush requires maintenance
AC motors
Asynchronous AC motors
AC is widely available
Difficult to control Need inverters
Asynchronous AC motor = Induction motor
Squirrel cage drawing
250W motor from a washing machine
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Brushless DC Motor
Similar to AC motor
No brush = no maintenance
Can use for position control
Video Demo
10.5 AC induction motor
10.6 AC induction motor with soft start
10.7 AC induction motor variable
frequency drive
10.8 DC motor components
10.9 Brushless DC motor computer fan
10.10 Brushless DC motor gear pump
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Stepping motors
Video Demos
10.11 DC and stepper motor
10.13 Stepper motor step response and
acceleration through resonance
10.14 High-speed video of medium speed
response
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Electronic Control for DC Motors
PWM Control
Control only magnitude
H-Bridge Driver for a DC Motor
Control both
magnitude and
direction
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H-Bridge Driver IC Example: L298
Video Demos
10.12 Radio control servo motor with PWM
7.5 PWM speed control of a DC motor
10.15 Servo motor system
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Pneumatic and Hydraulic Actuators
Video Demos
10.16 Gear pumps
10.17 Hydraulic gear pumps
10.18 Pilot valve hydraulic amplifier cut-
away
10.19 Pneumatic cylinders of various types
and sizes
10.20 Pneumatic biomechanics exercise
apparatus overview