Electric drives, which are composed of electric machines supplied by power electronic converters, are an integral part of high-performance and high-efficiency electromechanical systems used in manufacturing automation and many industrial processes, as well as in consumer products and transportation systems. The increased performance and energy efficiency of processes and products that utilize electric drives combined with the steadily decreasing cost of power and micro electronics promise to accelerate the use of these systems. Consequently, the demand for engineering graduates familiar with electric drives is sure to grow. Motivated, in part, by this demand the university has moved to strengthen this area of undergraduate study. This project implements an Electric Machinery and Drives Laboratory (EMDL). This facility is a multipurpose educational laboratory for examining fundamental principles of electric machinery in a junior-level course and the analysis and design of electric drives in a senior-level course. The equipment used in the EMDL includes fractional horsepower electric machines, power electronic converters, microcmmputers, and data acquisition systems. Juniors using the EMDL are able to use an innovative "Field Observer" to visualize the magnetic fields within operating machines and study the transient response of machines experimentally and using PSPICE simulation. Seniors using the EMDL are able to study the operation of electric drives and experiment with new control strategies.
