Smart Actuators and Smart Sensors, Power Electronics
Our laboratory owns an expertise in electronics and electrical engineering. It covers the current needs of developers of mechatronical systems regarding these matters and is by nature at the core of the activities of the MCTR pole of our Institute (IMMC…) and the corresponding research center, le Centre for Research in Mechatronics (CEREM).
The animation on opposite illustrates this position.
Our activities are focussed mainly on the following domains:
- Smart actuators ...
- control of electrical machines of small or medium power:
- choice of the machine type (synchronous, asynchronous, direct current with brushes or brushless, stepper motors…),
- choice of the most suitable control strategy (V/F…, vector control),
- choice or conception and realization of an ad hoc power electronics (see infra).
- conception and realization of control electronics:
- digital electronics (microprocessors, FPGA, PLDs…),
- programming of microprocessors (family 8051 assembler, PICs…),
- programming of control/command systems (DSP cards as dSPACE or TI…).
- Smart sensors ...
- instrumentation of robotic type:
- exteroceptive and proprioceptive sensors:
- Position (linear, angular), speed,
- Force, pressure ...
- choice of the ad hoc sensor and its implementation.
- measurement signal processing:
- analogic handling in front of the measuring chain,
- decentralized digital processing by microprocessor, RISC or DSP.
- Integration with the actuators commands.
- Power electronics ...
- Conception and realization of converters ...
- DC-DC (buck, boost, buck-boost, flyback, full bridge, ZVS…),
- AC-DC (simple or controlled rectifiers, sinus absorption rectifiers…),
- DC-AC (monophase, triphase inverters) for actuators supply.
- Sizing:
- selection of semiconductors,
- selection of switching frequency and losses computing (conduction and switching),
- selection of inductances and capacitances in function of acceptable voltage and/or current ripple
- ...
This expertise is also useful to other poles of IMMC institute and available to external requests, of university or industrial nature …
- conception and realization of measuring circuits for applications in mechanics, civil engineering, surface treatment …
- conception and realization of power electronics for the control of actuators (test benches of electromechanical systems),
- repairing of embedded electronic devices ,
- logistic support in analogic, digital and power electronics
Since early 2012, we also lodge the secretariat of BEMEKO (Belgian Measurement Confederation).
e-Learning website
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