Hands on Remote Learning Using a DC Motor Controller

Abstract

An Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratory exercise has been included in the junior year fall term to partially bridge the theory to practice gap for multiple basic electrical and computer engineering topics. The laboratory investigates facets of power electronics and computer control for students who have recently been introduced to the theory of transistor bridge circuits for voltage polarity control in their electronics class, and digital pulse width modulation for DC motor speed control in their first computer logic class. After brief study of its specification, students follow a lab sequence to set up and instrument a commercial H-bridge to first record polarity and magnitude of output voltages under specified input conditions, and subsequently to observe DC motor response to the same inputs. DC power polarity and averaging through Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), as well as the collateral realities of brushed DC motor noise and logic versus power supply levels become clear to most student for the very first time.