THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
BSc. in Electrical & Computer Engineering

ECNG 2005
Laboratory and Project Design 3
http://myelearning.sta.uwi.edu/
Semester II 2009/2010

INDIVIDUAL DESIGN PROJECT

GENERAL INFORMATION
Project Title:

Remote PI Control of a DC Motor Using a Peripheral

Interface Controller

Date Assigned:

Friday March 12, 2010

Duration of Project:

6 weeks

Deliverables:

1. Time Management Schedule (Gantt Chart) by March 19,

2010.
2. Design Project Report (hard and electronic copies)
3. Signed plagiarism declaration form included in report
4. Fabricated design project

Due Date

Friday April 23, 2010 @ 4PM

Practical Examination:

Date to be determined (Normally after all level 2 written

examinations)

Submission Procedure:

Breakdown of Assessment

An electronic copy of the time management schedule

(Gantt Chart) is to be submitted online via the
myelearning portal.
All reports are to be submitted to Mr. Kenrick Hall in
the Microprocessors Lab

Design Project Report:

Practical Examination:

20%
20%

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
BSc. in Electrical & Computer Engineering

PROJECT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this assignment, students will be

able to:
1. Employ an engineering approach to the design of a remote PI
controller for a DC motor to achieve functional as well as basic
performance specifications.
2. Demonstrate competence with the application of standard lab
tools (software and hardware) in the implementation of a DC
motor controller.
3. Apply mathematical, scientific, and engineering principles and
techniques to model a DC motor controller.
4. Analyse the functional and performance characteristics of a DC
motor controller using known system performance parameters.
5. Demonstrate competence with the application of standard
analytical tools in the implementation of a DC motor controller.
6. Plan and realize engineering objectives and approach
engineering responsibly,
a) recognizing laboratory protocol, industry standards, and
codes of practice
b) by observing occupational safety protocols as well as
assessing and minimizing risks to workers and property
in the operational environment
c) observing business principles and practice, e.g. efficient
time and resource management
7. Communicate effectively, conveying technical material through
a variety of media, such as written products, graphics, and oral
presentations.
8. Use technical information, crediting the origins of ideas and
other IP in the solution of engineering problems.

Cognitive
Level
Application

Application

Application
Application
Application
Application

Application

Application

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
BSc. in Electrical & Computer Engineering

SCHEDULE
Week No.
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Week Starting
8-Mar
15-Mar
22-Mar
39-Mar
5-Apr
12-Apr
19-Apr

Activity
Design Project Brief
Individual work on the Design Project and Project Support
Lectures
Submission of the Design Project Report

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Remote PI Control of a DC Motor Using a Peripheral Interface Controller (PIC).
Students are required to design and build a remotely controlled DC motor controller
using a PI control strategy. Current sensing must be employed for motor protection for
currents in excess of 1A and a wireless communication range of at least 1 meter must be
supplied.
The Nichibo DC Motor (PC-280-20125) is to be used and the control strategy is to be
invoked on the PIC16F877. The motor speed is to be displayed using 7-segment LED
displays. For measurement of the motor speed, a phototransistor optical interrupter switch
(H21A1) and an interrupter disc are to be used.
Students are required to apply knowledge gained from the laboratory exercises in the
areas of Microprocessors, Communications and Control Systems, that were performed
during the semester.
Consideration must also be given to the following in undertaking the project:

Standards and the Design Process: Design Brief, Product Design Specification,
Concept Design and Evaluation, Detail Design
Laboratory protocol, industry standards, codes of practice and risk assessment
Business principles and practice, such as efficient time, resource and cost
management
Environment safety and health, commercial and economic drivers, legal
considerations, relevant business practice, sustainability and social considerations.

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
BSc. in Electrical & Computer Engineering

ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
Report 20%
2%

Communication

5%

Understanding
and
Comprehension

10%

Design
Approachand
Methodology

3%

Resultsand
Analysis

Reportstructure/formatting/presentation
Languageuse/grammar/spelling
Citations/referencing/IP
Abstractoverviewoftheproject
Introduction
Backgroundtheory:
- Dcmotoroperationandtheimportanceofcontrol
- ExistingcontrolschemesforaDCmotorandtheirrelativeadvantagesand
disadvantages
- Requirementsforthecontrolofthespecifiedmotor
- Existingapproachestotheimplementationofthecontrolalgorithm
- Remotecommunicationtechniques(briefdescriptionofoperation)
DesignBrief:statetheprojectobjectives andtheprojectdirection
ProductionDesignSpecification: Detailthedesignproblem;Addressthe
applicabletopicssuchasperformance,environment,productlifecycle,etc.
ConceptDesignandEvaluation: Considerationoftheselectedprojectdesign
specificationsinthedesignprocess;Blockdiagramofthesystemshowingthe
majorsubsystems(Comms,Controls,Microp,etc)
DetailDesign:designofthesubsystems asindicatedintheblockdiagram
Comms.(RemoteCommunication): Inputandoutputspecificationsofsignals
fortransmission;Standardstoadhereto;Rangeofcommunication;Detailed
operation/roleinthesystem
Controls(Motor/ControllerDesign):Considerationofload(justificationof
selectionanditsrelationtothedesiredperformanceparameters);designof
thecontrolalgorithm(tomeetperformancespecifications);Mathematical
modelofmotorandload;Determinationofkeymotorparameters
Microp.(ImplementationofthePIcontrolleranddataprocessing):Algorithm
andflowchartforcode;Inputandoutputspecificationsofsignalsfor
compatibilitywithothersubsystems(informationfromsensors,etc.);
Standardstoadhereto;Detailedoperation/roleinthesystem;
AdditionalHardware:currentandpositionsensingmodules/LCDdisplays
Considerationofthefollowingintheplanningandrealizingoftheproject
objectives:laboratoryprotocol(conductinthelab);industrystandards;codes
ofpractice(protocol);riskassessment/occupationalsafety
Presentationofresults:measurementsofkeysystemvariablesand
parameters;resultsfromtestsperformedforevaluation(tojustifythat
performanceparametershavebeenachievede.g.settlingtime,maximum
overshoot);maximumcommunicationrange;accuracyofthespeeddisplayed
ontheLCDdisplays;teststojustifythemotorprotectionmodule;system
responsetodifferentinputconditions,e.g.stepresponse
Discussion
Conclusion

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
BSc. in Electrical & Computer Engineering

REPORT FORMAT
Students are to adhere to the guidelines given in sections 12, 13 14 and Appendix 2 of the
document entitled Engineering Practice Handbook in writing their reports. This
document is available online through myeLearning.

PRACTICAL EXAMINATION
Each student will be examined on the design project together with other areas of the
course. The objective of the examination is to ensure that the student understood the
practical implementation of the subject areas covered and to verify the results given in the
Design Project Report.
Students must bring to the examination the fabricated circuit and necessary hand tools.
Students will be asked a series of questions and a mark will be given in accordance with
the response to the questions.
The duration of the examination will be one hour and it will be held immediately
following all ECNG Level 2 written end-of-semester examinations.

PENALTIES
Reports submitted after the deadline date will be given a mark of zero.
Any student who fails to attend the practical examination will be given a mark of
zero. Where a student submits a valid medical certificate, arrangements will be made
to have the student examined for this component of the course.
If no signed plagiarism declaration form is submitted, the report will be marked zero.