LA B

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TIME RESPONSE OF A FIRST-
ORDER DC MOTOR SYSTEM
 OBJECTIVES
To study the time response of a first-order Dc motor system by observing its natural response, verify the
motor specification, and compare the experimental response with computer simulation response.
MECH 370 LABORATORY MANUAL (WINTER 2020): MODELING, SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL SYSTEMS

PRELIMINARY
The schematic circuit of an armature-controlled DC motor is shown in Figure 3-1.

Figure 3-1
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In the armature-controlled DC motor, the field current If is kept constant. R and L are the resistance and
inductance, respectively, of the armature winding, and Va is the input voltage applied to the armature.
Since the conductors in the rotating armature cut across a magnetic field, a voltage Vb is induced in
the armature according to Faraday's law of induction. The voltage Vb has a polarity which opposes
the motion due to the applied control voltage and is hence called the "back-EMF". The voltage Vb is
proportional to the angular velocity ω of the motor shaft, the relationship being expressed by Vb =Kb
ω , where Kb is called the' back-emf constant'. If no excessively long shafts (which will introduce the
mechanical 'stiffness' element) are involved, the motor and its mechanical load may be considered as
being composed of a combined inertia J in parallel with a viscous damping B. The motor develops a
torque Tm (which is also the load torque TL) proportional to the armature current Ia, and the relationship
is expressed by Tm=KT Ia, where KT is called the 'torque constant'.

The armature circuit equation is thus:

(3-1)

The mechanical equation for the motor is:

(3-2)

Equation (3-1) can be rewritten:

(3-3)

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Where L/R=τelec is an electrical time constant. The electrical time-constant τelec is negligibly small,
equation (3-3) becomes:

MECH 370 LABORATORY MANUAL (WINTER2020): MODELING, SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL SYSTEMS
(3-4)

Equation (3-2) can be rewritten:

(3-5)

Substitute (3-4) into (3-5), notice that, Vb =Kb ω :

(3-6)

The above can be written as:

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL, INDUSTRIAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

(3-7)

Where: (3-8)

Equation (3-7) can be solved for time response if Va is a constant when t>0:

(3-9)

The Angular velocity response of this system to a unit step voltage is shown in Fig. 3-2

We noticed that the angular velocity ω reaches a steady-state value VaKmotor when t → ∞.

This steady-state behavior is important in that if one were to ignore the transient response of the system,
the motor can be viewed as a purely static system. The motor response in Figure 3-2 involves a transient
effect best described in terms of time constant τm. It is defined as the time it takes for the response to
reach 63.2% of its steady-state, or final value.

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MECH 370 LABORATORY MANUAL (WINTER 2020): MODELING, SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL SYSTEMS

Figure 3-2
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EXPERIMENT OUTLINE
In this experiment we will examine DC motors Modelling unit amplifier Gain. As shown in Figure 3-3,
then get the time speed response of DC motor with constant DC voltage input. DC motor has two
power supply wires at the base of the motor. The speed of the motor can be varied by applying an input
voltage between 0 and 12 V DC (although the actual turn-on voltage is higher than 0 V, which is a dead
band). The rotation of a magnetic field will induce current in the windings of wires in motor (back EMF).
In a similar manner, the rotation of a magnetic field will induce current in the second windings of wires
in motor (tachometer), the tachometer outputs a voltage which is proportional to the angular velocity
of the motor. We will check the angular velocity ω output response with time when a step voltage input
applied as shown in Figure 3-4.

Figure 3-3 A Figure 3-3 B

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PROCEDURE:
1) Unit Amplifier Gain Calibration (Figure 3-3A, B)

MECH 370 LABORATORY MANUAL (WINTER2020): MODELING, SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL SYSTEMS
1. Connect 0.3v power to “command signal”, Power on “DC Motor Model Unit”.

2. First using DMM 8085A to check Vin at “command Signal”, keep Vin un-touched, then using
DMM 8085A to check and record Vout at “Error*Kp”. No motor connect. Change GAIN(Kp)
dial from 1, 2, ….10.

3. Repeat until 10, fill following table.

4. Calculate Kp= Vout / Vin. Keep this data for experiment #5.

Gain 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Dial
Vin 0.3( )v
Vout
Kp

2) Motor Step Time Response

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1. As show in Figure 3-4, Function Generator out connect to DC Motor Unit “Command Signal”,
“To Motor” connect to “Motor 1”(Motor with Tachometer) leads, Scope CH1 connect to
“Error*Kp”, CH2 connect to “Tachometer” leads.

2. Set Function Generator High Level: 300mV, Low level: 0, Amp: 300 mV Pk-Pk, offset: 150 mV,
Square wave, Frequency: 0.5 Hz, Don’t turn on power supply yet.

3. Scope: Baseline, at bottom, CH1 (500mV), CH2 (500mv), Time (40ms).

Press Scope Trigger Menu, set Trigger:Type: Edge, Source: CH1, Coupling: DC, Slope: Rising,
Mode: Auto, Adjust Trigger level to CH1 1.0 V,

4. Turn on power supply of DC Modelling Unit, adjust Gain(Kp) dial and check CH1
2V(approximately) square wave, press Single on Scope, a rising waveform will display as graph
bellow, turn off power. If “Single” mode doesn’t work, press “Run/Stop until get good response
as shown in Figure 3-4.

5. Using Cursor measurement as explained in Exp#2, find the Time constant τm with 63.2% of
CH2 final Value method. Capture the image of Delta displayed on screen.

6. Repeat from step 4), adjust Gain(Kp) dial and check CH1: 3.0V(approximately) squire wave,
scope scale: 1V, press Single on Scope, a rising waveform will display as Figure 3-5 bellow, turn
off power.

7. Repeat from step 2), switch “Motor 1” of red and black cable, scope: CH2 Baseline on the top
of screen, get time constant of 2 reverse directions as step 6) as shown in Figure 3-6.

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 MECH 370 LABORATORY MANUAL (WINTER 2020): MODELING, SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL SYSTEMS

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DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL, INDUSTRIAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Figure 3-5

Figure 3-6
Figure 3-4
CH1 Vin (Real V) Time Const. τm Tacho CH 2 delta) Motor ω (rad/sec) Motor Const.Kmotor
2( real )
3.0( real )

MECH 370 LABORATORY MANUAL (WINTER2020): MODELING, SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL SYSTEMS
-2 (real )
-3.0 (real )

EXPERIMENT RESULTS:

MOTOR STEP TIME RESPONSE:

1. Determine the time-constant τ on the DSO cursors (63.2% method). From the steady-state angular
velocity, the motor constant can be determined. (note: Va=Vin*Kserv, Vin =2 or 3 v)

2. Using Equation (3-8), compute the time-constant from manufacturer’s specification and from all your
experimental value respectively. Compare these time-constants with the one obtained from
experiment.

3. Using Equation (3-7), build block diagrams to simulate the motor with manufacturer’s specification

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL, INDUSTRIAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

and with experimental value respectively. Compare both and compare them with experimental graph.

4. Combing Equation (3-3) ,(3.4) and (3-5), build a block diagram with manufacturer’s specification data
to simulate the motor. Compare with 3).

5. Build a Simscape diagram from Figure 3-1, with manufacture's specification data. run and compare
results with Simulink and experimental results.

PITTMAN DC MOTOR SPECIFICATION: MOTOR 1: GM9413

Motor Data Symbol Units Value
Reference Voltage Va V 12
Torque Constants K_T Oz-in/A (N-m/A) 2.75 (1.94E-02)
Back-EMF constant K_b V/krpm (V/rad/s) 2.03 (1.94E-02)
Resistance R Ω 2.04
Inductance L mH 1.49
Rotor Inertia J Oz-in-s2 (kg-m2) 3.9E-04 (2.8E-06)
Elect. Time Constant τE ms 0.74
Mech. Time Constant τM ms 14.7
Viscous Damping B Oz-in/krpm (N-m-s) 2.8 (1.9E-04)
Reduction Ratio 5.9
Tachometer Sensitivity Kt V/krpm 2
Serv-Amp Gain Kserv 2.3