Altair Case Studies Innovative Drone Propulsion Design using Model-Based Development

	Innovative Drone Propulsion Design using Model-Based Development Altair

Innovative Drone Propulsion Design using Model-Based Development

Altair

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation Other - Battery
Applicable Industries	Electronics Equipment & Machinery
Applicable Functions	Product Research & Development Quality Assurance
Use Cases	Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing Virtual Reality
Services	Drone Operation Services System Integration
Challenge	Kappa Electronics, a consulting firm specializing in motor control systems, was approached by a customer seeking assistance with controlling the motor for a new drone design. The challenge was to develop a robust motor control system for drone applications. The control system needed to be able to handle motor frequencies ranging from 40 hertz to 2000 hertz, and perform well across a wide range of torques and parameter variations. The use of a shaft sensor to get the angle of the rotor flux with regards to the stator frame was ruled out due to cost and weight considerations. The challenge was further compounded by the need to ensure that the drone would not drop from the sky under any conditions. Read More
About Customer	The customer in this case study is Kappa Electronics, a consulting firm specializing in motor control systems. With over 70 years of cumulative experience and a deep background in the industry, Kappa prides itself on solving complex problems while providing excellent customer service. They approach each project with the goal of doing things in a better, smarter way than anyone has done before. In this particular project, they were tasked with developing a robust motor control system for a new drone design. Read More
Solution	Kappa Electronics chose Altair’s solidThinking Embed® software to assist them in developing the motor control system. The software, a visual environment for model-based development of embedded systems, offered fast simulation speed, quick diagram editing, deep data input, 2D, and 3D plotting capability. This allowed Kappa to quickly develop virtual prototypes of the dynamic system, vary parameters, and verify system performance. Kappa developed an observer to estimate the flux angle by measuring the motor’s voltages and currents. They also designed a multi-mode observer structure that would dynamically reconfigure itself based on operating conditions. Kappa used Embed’s file output capabilities to generate over 600 plots of characterization data, which indicated a low angle error and suggested that the observer would not lose angle-lock, even under very adverse conditions. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation

Other - Battery

Applicable Industries

Electronics

Equipment & Machinery

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing

Virtual Reality

Services

Drone Operation Services

System Integration

Challenge

Kappa Electronics, a consulting firm specializing in motor control systems, was approached by a customer seeking assistance with controlling the motor for a new drone design. The challenge was to develop a robust motor control system for drone applications. The control system needed to be able to handle motor frequencies ranging from 40 hertz to 2000 hertz, and perform well across a wide range of torques and parameter variations. The use of a shaft sensor to get the angle of the rotor flux with regards to the stator frame was ruled out due to cost and weight considerations. The challenge was further compounded by the need to ensure that the drone would not drop from the sky under any conditions.

About Customer

The customer in this case study is Kappa Electronics, a consulting firm specializing in motor control systems. With over 70 years of cumulative experience and a deep background in the industry, Kappa prides itself on solving complex problems while providing excellent customer service. They approach each project with the goal of doing things in a better, smarter way than anyone has done before. In this particular project, they were tasked with developing a robust motor control system for a new drone design.

Solution

Kappa Electronics chose Altair’s solidThinking Embed® software to assist them in developing the motor control system. The software, a visual environment for model-based development of embedded systems, offered fast simulation speed, quick diagram editing, deep data input, 2D, and 3D plotting capability. This allowed Kappa to quickly develop virtual prototypes of the dynamic system, vary parameters, and verify system performance. Kappa developed an observer to estimate the flux angle by measuring the motor’s voltages and currents. They also designed a multi-mode observer structure that would dynamically reconfigure itself based on operating conditions. Kappa used Embed’s file output capabilities to generate over 600 plots of characterization data, which indicated a low angle error and suggested that the observer would not lose angle-lock, even under very adverse conditions.

Impact #1	The use of Altair’s solidThinking Embed® software resulted in a successful development of a robust motor control system for drone applications. The software's fast simulation speed, quick diagram editing, deep data input, 2D, and 3D plotting capability shortened the development time and increased product quality. The observer developed by Kappa was able to estimate the flux angle by measuring the motor’s voltages and currents, and the multi-mode observer structure dynamically reconfigured itself based on operating conditions. The final observer model behaved exactly as the simulation predicted when tested on a real drone system, with angle errors exactly in the range predicted by Embed. This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of model-based development in solving complex problems in the IoT field.

Impact #1

The use of Altair’s solidThinking Embed® software resulted in a successful development of a robust motor control system for drone applications. The software's fast simulation speed, quick diagram editing, deep data input, 2D, and 3D plotting capability shortened the development time and increased product quality. The observer developed by Kappa was able to estimate the flux angle by measuring the motor’s voltages and currents, and the multi-mode observer structure dynamically reconfigured itself based on operating conditions. The final observer model behaved exactly as the simulation predicted when tested on a real drone system, with angle errors exactly in the range predicted by Embed. This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of model-based development in solving complex problems in the IoT field.

Benefit #1	Fast simulation speed of the Embed software allowed for quick development of virtual prototypes.
Benefit #2	Over 600 plots of characterization data were generated using Embed’s file output capabilities.
Benefit #3	The observer developed showed a low angle error, suggesting it would not lose angle-lock, even under very adverse conditions.

Benefit #1

Fast simulation speed of the Embed software allowed for quick development of virtual prototypes.

Benefit #2

Over 600 plots of characterization data were generated using Embed’s file output capabilities.

Benefit #3

The observer developed showed a low angle error, suggesting it would not lose angle-lock, even under very adverse conditions.

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Overview

Innovative Drone Propulsion Design using Model-Based Development

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit