Computer-based automated test measurement system for determining magnetization characteristics of switched reluctance motors

This paper describes a fully automated method of measuring the magnetization characteristics (flux linkage versus current and position) of switched-reluctance (SR) motors. The measuring scheme was developed using a graphical programming environment (LabVIEW), a data acquisition card, and external interface hardware. The graphical programming method allows a high degree of software modularity and provides the features needed fur sensor zero adjustment, data acquisition and analysis, and automated presentation of results. Furthermore, the experimental setup described in this paper can be used to obtain the magnetization characteristics of other electromechanical devices. Experimentally measured results from a test SR motor using the scheme are presented in the paper.