EXPERIMENT 1: FAMILIARIZATION WITH LAB EQUIPMENT

by
Alexandre Laporte (9341552)
Adil Chaudhry (9313567)
Lari Wazirian (9218823)

A Lab Report
submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements of
MECH 371
Section TI
Concordia University

Date Performed: January 17, 2011

Date Submitted: January 31, 2011

Course Instructor: Dr. W. F. Xie

Laboratory Instructor: Siavash Taheri
Table of Contents

Objectives: .................................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction: ................................................................................................................................................. 1
Results and Analysis: ..................................................................................................................................... 2
Experiment 1: ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Experiment 2: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Experiment 3: ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Conclusion: .................................................................................................................................................... 7
References: ................................................................................................................................................... 7

Table of Figures

Figure 1 Tabulated Data from Experiment 1. ................................................................................. 2

Figure 2 Calibration Curve showing the Pot Coefficient K = VoutVin vs. Scale reading. ........... 2
Figure 3 New Attenuator Calibration Scheme. ............................................................................... 3
Figure 4 Tabulated data for Experiment 2. ..................................................................................... 4
Figure 5 Calibration curve of output voltage versus input angle .................................................... 4
Figure 6: Attenuator Unit Connected .............................................................................................. 5
Figure 7: Op-Amp Calibration Curve ............................................................................................. 6
Figure 8: Calibration Curve Linear Region .................................................................................... 7

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Objectives:
The objective of this lab is for the students to become familiar with the equipment which
will be used during the MECH 371 laboratory sessions. These include the MS150 DC Motor
Control Modules, power supply, function generator, oscilloscope, Op-Amp and pre-amplifier.
The goal of this lab is also to learn how to calibrate the potentiometers as well.

Introduction:
The DC motor used in this laboratory is set up as a closed feedback loop. This will allow
us to apply a negative feedback and provide varying degrees of precision to the motor output.
The components which will be used to aid with the use of the motor are a function generator,
oscilloscope, attenuator, op-amp, and an input and output potentiometer.
The attenuator is used to provide a gain to the voltage signal. Either one of the two
potentiometers can be used to provide a gain in the forward or feedback paths. To calculate the
gain across the potentiometer we can plot the variation of the input voltage with the output
voltage measure across it. The slope of this curve will be the gain. Or in other words the
following ratios:
𝑉1𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑉2𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑘1 = 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘2 =
𝑉1𝑖𝑛 𝑉2𝑖𝑛
The input and output pots have graduated discs on the front of them which are connected
to the input and output shafts of the DC motor. This allows an easy visualization of the position
of the actual motor. Similar to the attenuator pots it is possible to plot the variation of input angle
and input voltage it is possible to obtain a calibration curve which gives the sensitivity of the
potentiometer.
𝑉𝑖 𝑉𝑜
𝑘𝑖 = 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘𝑜 =
𝜃𝑖 𝜃𝑜
Finally, the op-amp is used to “measure” the error signal between in input and the
feedback and in consequence drives the motor. To obtain the sensitivity of the op-amp it is
simply the ratio of the error signal to the output angle.
𝑉𝑒
𝑆𝑒 =
𝜃𝑜

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Results and Analysis:

Experiment 1:

1. The Oscilloscope model used in the lab is the TDS 2002. To measure a DC output
voltage of 0.5V by this scope, a +15V voltage source is connected to the terminal 3 of the
attenuator, terminal 2 is connected to channel 2, and channel 1 is grounded. The
attenuator’s knob is adjusted until a 0.5V output is displayed on the Oscilloscope screen.

Top V in (#3) Vout (#2) K1 (gain) Bottom V in (#6) V out (#5) K2 (gain)
knob CH1 Vout/Vin knob CH2 Vout/Vin
Position position
0 15 0.055 0.003667 0 -15 -0.3 0.02
1 15 0.447 0.0298 1 -15 -0.57 0.038
2 15 3.04 0.202667 2 -15 -1.88 0.125333
3 15 3.5 0.233333 3 -15 -3.55 0.236667
4 15 4.96 0.330667 4 -15 -5.15 0.343333
5 15 6.59 0.439333 5 -15 -6.73 0.448667
6 15 8.32 0.554667 6 -15 -8.36 0.557333
7 15 10 0.666667 7 -15 -10.1 0.673333
8 15 11.5 0.766667 8 -15 -11.5 0.766667
9 15 13.1 0.873333 9 -15 -12.9 0.86
10 15 14.6 0.973333 10 -15 -14 0.933333
Figure 1 Tabulated Data from Experiment 1.

Pot Coefficient vs. Reading

1.2
1
y = 0.1x - 0.0389
0.8
Vout/Vin

0.6 y = 0.0988x - 0.0391

K1 (gain) Vout/Vin
0.4
K2 (gain) Vout/Vin
0.2
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
-0.2
Knob Position

𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡
Figure 2 Calibration Curve showing the Pot Coefficient 𝐾 = ⁄𝑉 vs. Scale reading.
𝑖𝑛

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3. If we need a variable voltage out 0 ~ 0.5 V using a single power supply with a fixed +15V
Output, we can connect two attenuators in series. The second attenuator will further reduce the
voltage output from the first and adjusting the knobs a variable voltage 0~ 0.5 V is possible.

Figure 3 New Attenuator Calibration Scheme.

4. For the +15V, the terminal 3 is the input and the terminal 2 is the output. For the -15V source,
the terminal 6 is the input and the terminal 5 is the output. A ground is needed for the attenuator
because it needs reduce the voltage by dividing it and the voltage that is not being sent to the
oscilloscope must be removed from the output to avoid errors.

Experiment 2:

Results:

Input Pot Input Pot Voltage Ouput Pot Ouput Pot Voltage
position position (rad) From #3 Vi position position (rad) From #3 Vo
(150H) (150H) CH1 (150K) (150K) CH2

-120 -2.09 10.1 -170 -2.97 -11.7

-100 -1.74 8.47 -120 -2.09 -9.56
-80 -1.40 6.78 -90 -1.57 -7.17
-60 -1.05 5.1 -60 -1.05 -4.69
-40 -0.70 3.37 -30 -0.52 -2.19
-20 -0.35 1.74 -10 -0.17 -0.562
-10 -0.17 0.834 0 0.00 0.275
0 0.00 0.003 10 0.17 1.14
10 0.17 -0.86 30 0.52 2.32

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 20 0.35 -1.71 60 1.05 5.42
40 0.70 -3.41 90 1.57 7.97
60 1.05 -5.12 120 2.09 10.5
80 1.40 -6.87 170 2.97 13.8
100 1.74 -8.45
120 2.09 -10.2
Figure 4 Tabulated data for Experiment 2.

20
Voltage From #3 Vi CH1
15
y = 4.5367x
Voltage From #3 Vo CH2
10

5
Voltage (V)

-5

-10
y = -4.8611x

-15
-4.00 -3.00 -2.00 -1.00 0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00
Input Angle (rad)

Figure 5 Calibration curve of output voltage versus input angle

As seen in the plot, the sensitivities of Ki and Ko are 4.86 and 4.54 volts/rad,
respectively. These values are close to each other as expected and give an average sensitivity of
4.70 volts/rad.
The “cross-connection” in the experiment is used to distinguish between the polarities of
the output signal. If this were not done, then the equal but opposite polarities would be added
together and only indicate the difference in angular position between the potentiometers.
For the IP150H Input Potentiometer, the input signal is given by turning the knob (in
degrees or radians), while the output signal is given from CH2 in volts.
For the OP150K Output Potentiometer, the input signal is given by turning the motor
shaft (in degrees or radians), while the output signal is given from CH1 in volts.

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Experiment 3:

In this experiment the op-amp was first checked to ensure that it was zeroed. To do this a
common (ground) signal was connected to the 0 volt terminal of the op-amp. This 0 volt terminal
was then connected to one of the op-amp inputs. The output was then connected to a channel of
the oscilloscope. It was then possible to monitor the channel voltage on the oscilloscope to verify
if the op-amp was zeroed or not. If not it was possible to turn the zero set knob until this was
achieved.
The op-amp used in this lab is a summing amplifier. This means that the signals applied
to any of the three inputs will be added together through the amplifier. To obtain a signal
subtraction as desired to obtain the error signal, the polarity of the output pot must be reversed.
In other words the +15V signal is connected to terminal 1 of the input pot but terminal 2 of the
output pot. Similarly, the -15V signal is connected to terminal 2 of the input put but terminal 1 of
the output pot. This causes the signal coming from the output pot to be negative and the addition
of the two signals in the op-amp is a subtraction.
If the error signal was to be decreased an additional potentiometer could be added with
the use of the attenuator unit. If the connection were made as in the figure below, it would be
possible to decrease the error signal slightly more and read still read the error signal on Channel
2 of the oscilloscope.

Figure 6: Attenuator Unit Connected

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 If the connections of the input pot were reversed this would cause the signal coming from
this pot to be reversed as well, or be negative. Since the op-amp is a summing unit it would then
add the two negative signals together to obtain a larger error signal. This is not the desired
operation as the op-amp is intended to produce a difference between in the input and output pots,
not an addition.
The following two figures demonstrate the relationship between output pot position and
error signal. As described in the introduction, the ratio between the two in the linear region will
yield the sensitivity of the op-amp. As per the graph this value is: 0.0812volts/rad.

Op-Amp calibration curve

15

10
Error Signal [Ve]

0
-200 -150 -100 -50 0 50 100 150 200
-5

-10

-15
Output pot position [deg]
Figure 7: Op-Amp Calibration Curve

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 Calibration Curve Linear Region
15
y = 0.0812x - 1.879
Error Signal [Ve] 10

0
-150 -100 -50 0 50 100 150 200
-5

-10

-15
Output pot position [deg]
Figure 8: Calibration Curve Linear Region

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the objective of this lab was to learn the use of the equipment which will
be used over the course of the semester. The attenuator unit as well as the input and output pots
were all tested to obtain the respective gains and sensitivity factors. Furthermore it was possible
to obtain the relationship between op-amp error signal and output pot position to obtain its
sensitivity factor.
References:

[1] Concordia Concordia, Analysis and Design of Control Systems Lab Manual, Concordia
University, Montreal, 2010, pages 2-10