A unique desk-top electrical machinery laboratory for the mechatronics age

This paper describes an electrical machinery laboratory, named MECHATRO LAB 2PLUS, designed to cope with modern realities in which engineering graduates encounter various kinds of servomotors and actuators much more frequently than conventional power electric machines. The set-up can demonstrate the principles of some 20 different kinds of electric machines ranging from conventional rotary machines to modern control-use motors such as stepping motors, brushless motors and switched-reluctance drives. The experimental themes number more than 100, including elementary subjects, microprocessor-controlled power electronic drives and control/drive programming using various computer languages. Unlike conventional motor-generator workshop equipment, a remarkable feature of this desk-top bench is that it does not occupy much space on a permanent basis. Along with the background of its design history, which covers more than 20 years, the uniqueness and advantages of the new experimental set-up are presented in detail, citing some sample experiments and reactions of Japanese students and overseas instructors.