How To Perfect A Motor Control Design Project

Motor control design projects are, by their definition, complex and often fraught with difficulty. What might start out sounding like a simple idea which will be finished in a couple of weeks can morph into a 6 month nightmare. Based on this we have come up with some tips for anyone thinking of starting a motor control design project. This is by no means intended as an exhaustive list but will help you when defining your project parameters and scope.

1. Work out all of the tiniest details in advance.

Understanding as many of the variables as possible is crucial. It may seem irrelevant that the project might also be used on another project further down the line and it can quickly be forgotten in the haste to get going but 6 months later this can cause a real headache. We’ve setup our bespoke motor control design quote request form to try and get as much detail as possible but you should include as much detail as realistically possible.

2. Think carefully about lead times – do you definitely need it that fast?

Getting things done quickly is not a problem but do bear in mind it can add extra cost.

3. If you’ve got a question or aren’t sure about a particular feature – just ask!

You might feel you should know it or feel silly asking but we won’t judge. It’s always better to ask a simple question and get a simple answer than not ask and get a major problem.

4. Don’t throw everything at the project just because you think you can.

When trying to demonstrate value for money for a project it’s sometimes tempting to add a lot of features. Try not to throw the kitchen sink at it in terms of the specifications you add. Bear in mind that the more features you include, the more potential issues can arise. These can include things such as physical size, heat issues and EMC. It’s always better to get a good, clean functional specification than a big list of ‘nice to haves’.

5. Don’t forget about size!

It’s easy to get bogged down in the electronics but size (and shape) can be hugely important for your project. Think about this early on and it can inform a great deal of the design process. This is particularly true where a certain feature may add a substantial cost at one board size but a negligible cost at another.

So there you go! We hope you’ve found this helpful. If you have any other questions about getting started with a motor control design project then please do not hesitate to ask.