The CE108 Coupled Drives apparatus shows the problems of controlling speed and tension in coupled drives. Many applications use coupled drives, for example: magnetic tape drives, textile machines and paper mills.

The apparatus has two electric motors, coupled by a continuous flexible belt. The belt also passes over a swinging arm with a ‘jockey wheel’ that measures the belt speed and tension. A manual control allows the user to adjust the spring tension at the swinging arm.

The basic control problem is to vary the torque in the motors to regulate the belt speed and tension. The user guide also shows techniques for speed and tension control, simultaneous control of velocity and tension, and analysis of multi-variable control systems.

The CE109 Ball and Hoop Apparatus shows the use of electromechanical servo systems for position and velocity control. It also works as a model to show liquid slop problems, for example: aircraft missile fuel storage, fuel tankers and industrial pumping systems.

The apparatus has a steel ball that rolls inside a hoop. The hoop is free to rotate, but controlled by a servomotor. Transducers give outputs of the hoop and ball positions. When the hoop is under angular position control, the ball moves like a cylindrical pendulum. This allows students to use it as a model for the study of liquid slop dynamics.

Advanced studies cover:

• The influence of liquid slop behaviour on vehicle control system design
• The use of ‘pole zero’ in the analysis of control systems

IMPACT recommend that you use the optional Tachometer (OT1) for experiments in calibration of hoop velocity. Also, if you are not using the optional software, then an Oscilloscope (OS1) will help to analyse the transient signals in some experiments.

The CE110 Servo Trainer shows d.c. servo position and speed control systems using typical industrial techniques. It has a d.c. servomotor, a d.c. generator and a flywheel mounted on a common shaft.

Analogue 0 to ±10 V control signals vary the servomotor shaft speed in either direction. An optical sensor measures the speed and shows it on a panel-mounted digital meter. The d.c. generator statically or dynamically loads the servomotor.

An electric clutch connects or disconnects the shaft to a 30:1 reduction gearbox for position control studies. A manual control allows the user to set a position control setpoint. To adjust the shaft inertia, the CE110 comes with two extra interchangeable inertia discs (flywheels).

For advanced experiments, the Servo Trainer includes extra ‘block’-type circuits that can add non-linear and fully adjustable effects of:

• Deadzone or ‘deadband’
• Anti-deadzone
• Hysteresis
• Saturation

These blocks are important in studies of servo systems because they mimic problems that happen in real applications.

The CE120 Controller is for use with most products in IMPACT’s Control Engineering range, but it will work with any other compatible laboratory equipment.

This compact unit has analogue electronic circuits connected in blocks. These blocks mimic the important parts of industrial controllers. Clear diagrams on the front panel of the controller show the blocks, each of which has its own set of connection sockets. The user connects the blocks in any way that they need and then connects them to their chosen products in the CE range.

The blocks include:

• Proportional and integral blocks
• A complete three-term PID (proportional, integral, derivative) block
• Fully adjustable potentiometers that can work as setpoints or attenuators
• A function generator and digital voltmeter
• Summing junctions
• Phase lead

The controller also includes an interface with D/A (digital to analogue) and A/D (analogue to digital) connections. This allows the user to connect their product from the CE range to a suitable computer (not supplied) for computer control and data acquisition. The controller includes a copy of IMPACT’s CE2000 Control Software (see separate datasheet for details).

The Controller is a more advanced alternative to the CE122 Interface, as it has the additional analogue control features.

It converts analogue inputs from other equipment into digital signals for a computer. It also converts the digital signals from a computer into analogue signals to control other equipment.

It will allow the user to monitor up to eight input signals and control up to four output signals.

The interface includes a copy of IMPACT’s CE2000 Control Software (see separate datasheet for details).