Abstract
In the perspective of current trends in engineering education, aiming at meeting industry requirements, especially in the field of power electronics and motion control, the article presents a way of teaching electric drive control in undergraduate engineering programmes using experimental setups with AC motors equipped with industrial frequency converters. The setups consist of two motors: induction and PMSM (each one can act as a motor or a load machine) and a number of other elements necessary in contemporary drive systems: speed sensors, temperature sensors and braking resistors. While using such setups students can learn about various issues related to AC motor control, both in terms of scalar and field-oriented control methods in all three drive operating modes: torque, velocity and position control. The laboratory setups allow students to familiarize themselves with such detailed issues as: vector control without a speed sensor, various ways of voltage control in a DC input circuit of the voltage inverter during motor braking or the influence of the type and value of load torque on drive system operation. Classes can have a classical form or they can be taught in the open-laboratory system.