An open-source BLDC motor test bed utilizing ESC telemetry for cost-effective educational laboratories.

Area of Science:

• Engineering Education
• Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Hands-on motor characterization is crucial for engineering students.
• Commercial dynamometers are prohibitively expensive for many educational institutions, often costing over $15,000.
• There is a need for affordable, accessible motor testing solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and validate a cost-effective, open-source test bed for Brushless DC (BLDC) motor characterization.
• To integrate readily available components and open-source firmware for a low-cost solution.
• To provide a platform for both hardware implementation and theoretical model validation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized off-the-shelf e-bike components, including a Votol EM-50 Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) for telemetry.
• Implemented an ESP32 microcontroller for system control.
• Developed a floating-caliper torque measurement mechanism using a load cell and HX711 amplifier.
• Integrated a dq-axis-based BLDC motor model for experimental validation.

Main Results:

• Achieved a total system cost of USD 370-488.
• Electrical measurement errors were below 3%, and torque measurement errors were below 5%.
• Expanded torque uncertainty was determined to be below 0.5%.
• Model-versus-experiment speed-response agreement showed a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 14.8 rpm.

Conclusions:

• The developed open-source BLDC motor test bed offers a significantly more affordable alternative to commercial dynamometers for engineering education.
• The system provides accurate motor characterization data with low measurement errors and uncertainty.
• Open-source documentation and resources facilitate replication and further development.