A FLEXIBLE INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL-SYSTEM APPLIED TO A POWER AND MACHINES LABORATORY

A Microsoft Windows based instrumentation and control system has been developed around a generic Intel 80386 microcomputer with an A/D card, counter timer card, stepper motor driver card, and a GPIB port. The c omputer can control two DC power supplies and the tap position on a th ree-phase autotransformer. The ratings on the supplies are consistent with the ratings of the 2kVA AC and DC machines. Data can be downloade d from digital storage oscilloscopes for processing and display. A vir tual instrument package has been written that can create, log, and dis play up to 25 meters. The only analog prepossessing required are volta ge dividers, current shunts, and isolation amplifiers. The package is extensible, allowing students to add their own program modules for rea l-time control.