simulink-control-motors

Simulink Control Motors — Motor Control Blockset Skill

Build motor control solutions using Motor Control Blockset (MCB): characterize motors, select control algorithms (FOC, DTC, six-step, V/f), compose Simulink models, tune gains, configure sensorless estimation, and generate code for embedded targets.

When to Use

User explicitly requests motor control assistance or asks to load this skill
User works with Motor Control Blockset or motor drive design
Building, tuning, debugging, or designing motor control systems
User mentions PMSM, BLDC, induction motor, SynRM, FOC, sensorless, six-step, SVPWM, flux weakening, MTPA, MTPV

When NOT to Use

General Simulink modeling work that does not involve motor control
Simple factual questions about motors (no model building needed)

Dependencies

Required: Motor Control Blockset, Simulink
Optional: Embedded Coder, Simscape Electrical, Powertrain Blockset

How This Skill Works

Read references/common/COMMON-mcb.md (shared conventions — always load first)
Read references/common/ROUTER-mcb.md for block routing and resolution rules
Identify user intent using the routing table below
Follow the matching section — each section points to detailed reference files
Consult references/configurations/ for non-FOC architectures (DTC, six-step, V/f, BLDC, ACIM)
Use references/common/mcb-examples.md for official MCB example references

Intent Routing

User Intent	Section	Key Reference
New to MCB / learning	Designing	`references/design/beginner-path.md`
What pattern for my application?	Designing	`references/design/application-catalog.md`
Build a new model	Building	`references/wiring/wiring-topologies.md`
Configure block parameters	Configuring	`references/block-config/block-configurations.md`
Compute PI gains / tune	Tuning	`references/common/detailed-workflows.md` § Tuning
Generate LUT / FEA data	Nonlinear Data	`references/common/detailed-workflows.md` § Importing
Add sensorless (SMO, HFI)	Sensorless	`references/common/detailed-workflows.md` § Sensorless
Estimate Rs, Ld, Lq, J	Parameters	`references/common/detailed-workflows.md` § Estimating
Convert plant (MCB→Simscape)	Plant	`references/common/detailed-workflows.md` § Plant
Model errors / doesn't move	Diagnosing	`references/common/detailed-workflows.md` § Diagnosing
End-to-end workflow	—	`references/workflows/` directory

Quick Decision

User describes an application → Designing
User says "build" → Building
User has an error → Diagnosing
User wants to tune gains → Tuning
User has FEA/LUT data → Nonlinear Data
User wants sensorless → Sensorless
User wants Simscape plant → Plant

Designing Motor Control

Recommends control strategies, selects patterns, evaluates feature compatibility.

Load: references/design/beginner-path.md for enquiry protocol and learning paths.

Detect mode (Learn / Select / Validate / Enquiry) — see references/design/beginner-path.md
Search references/design/application-catalog.md by user's keywords → get Pattern + Features
Validate combination against references/design/composition-rules-combining.md
Review architecture details in references/design/architecture-patterns.md

Critical rules:

NEVER recommend Pattern A for speed control (structural instability with MCB discrete plant)
NEVER recommend Sensorless Six-Step + BLDC AVI together
Pattern B is the DEFAULT for standard speed-controlled FOC

Output: basePattern + features + motorType + controlMode → carry to Building section.

Building Motor Controller

Constructs complete models using wiring topologies, composition rules, and model_edit.

Step 1: Check for a Dedicated Configuration

BEFORE using generic wiring tables, check references/configurations/ for a matching file:

Architecture	Configuration File
ACIM Indirect RFOC	`references/configurations/acim-indirect-rfoc.md`
ACIM Simscape RFOC	`references/configurations/acim-simscape-rfoc.md`
ACIM V/f Open-Loop	`references/configurations/acim-vf-openloop.md`
BLDC Hall Six-Step	`references/configurations/bldc-hall-sixstep.md`
BLDC Sensorless BEMF	`references/configurations/bldc-sensorless-bemf.md`
DTC (SVPWM)	`references/configurations/dtc-svpwm-pmsm.md`
Nonlinear Gain-Scheduled	`references/configurations/nonlinear-gain-scheduled.md`
Position Cascade FOC	`references/configurations/position-cascade-foc.md`
Overmodulation FOC	`references/configurations/overmodulation-foc.md`
HFI+SMO Hybrid	`references/configurations/hfi-smo-hybrid.md`
Dual Motor Sync	`references/configurations/dual-motor-sync.md`
Wind Turbine PMSG	`references/configurations/wind-turbine-pmsg.md`
ADRC Speed	`references/configurations/adrc-speed.md`
Backstepping Speed	`references/configurations/backstepping-speed.md`
Deadbeat Current	`references/configurations/deadbeat-current.md`
Sliding Mode Speed	`references/configurations/sliding-mode-speed.md`

If a config file exists: follow it directly. Otherwise: proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Generic FOC Wiring

Pattern	Document
A, A+FF, A+PWM, B, B-Simple, C	`references/wiring/wiring-topologies.md`
D, E, F, G, H	`references/wiring/wiring-topologies-advanced.md`

Step 3: Add Features

Core (FW, SMO, GainSched, FF, Position, I/f): references/wiring/composition-rules.md
Infrastructure (Protection, PWM, Multi-Rate): references/wiring/composition-rules-infrastructure.md
Integration (Logging, Speed Profiles): references/wiring/composition-rules-integration.md

Step 4: Set Structural Config

PI: ControllerParametersSource='internal', ExternalReset='none', InitialConditionSource='internal'
Park: ThetaInput='Electrical position', AngleInput='Radians'
Unit Delay on voltage path to plant

Key rules:

Always check references/configurations/ FIRST
Use wiring-topologies.md block lists verbatim (type strings are validated)
Composition-rules operations are STRUCTURAL (affect port count) — do during wiring
All structural changes go through model_edit

Configuring MCB Blocks

Sets mask parameters for 30+ MCB block types using motor datasheet values.

Reference files:

references/block-config/block-configurations.md — control blocks
references/plants/block-configurations-plants.md — plant/sensor blocks
references/block-config/block-configurations-utility.md — utility blocks
references/block-config/block-configurations-bldc.md — BLDC blocks

Critical configurations (must get right):

Block	Critical Setting	Wrong Default
FOC CC	Port 6 VLimits = `[Vmax;-Vmax;0;0]`	q-axis non-zero → drift
SMO	`PositionUnit='Radians'`	Default 'Degrees' → 57× error
Interior PMSM	`P` = pole pairs (not 2×p)	Double frequency → zero torque
LUT Control Ref	Hidden params: MTPA, FW enable	Defaults leave FW disabled

Key rules:

Mask param names ≠ motor struct fields — always check reference table
Use model_edit configure for setting parameters
Single-precision plant outputs need DTC blocks before double-precision control

Tuning Motor FOC Gains

Computes PI gains, IIR filters, and PU normalization.

Full workflow: references/common/detailed-workflows.md § Tuning Motor FOC Gains

Quick summary: Use mcb.calcFOCGains(pmsm, inverter, Ts, Ts_speed) for all categories except Category A (kt/J > 10,000) which needs manual Ki_speed override. MCB uses Ki×Ts convention — never pass raw Ki.

Reference files: references/tuning/parameter-computation.md, references/shared/gain-formulas.md

Importing Nonlinear Motor Data

Generates and validates LUTs from FEA/measurement data.

Full workflow: references/common/detailed-workflows.md § Importing Nonlinear Motor Data

Quick summary: Use mcb.generateMotorLUT(pmsm, inverter, purpose) with correct purpose string. Validate trefVec symmetry and FluxDTable first row = 0.

Reference files: references/nonlinear-data/pmsmlut-structure.md

Building Motor Plant

Converts between MCB ideal plants, Simscape, and FEM-parameterized models.

Full workflow: references/common/detailed-workflows.md § Building Motor Plant

Quick summary: Solver must change to ode14x for Simscape. Add angle adapter Gain(1/(2*pi)). Gains need re-tuning after plant swap.

Reference files: references/plants/plant-model-converters.md, references/plants/block-configurations-plants.md

Estimating Motor Parameters

Commissioning workflows for Rs, Ld, Lq, FluxPM, J, B.

Full workflow: references/common/detailed-workflows.md § Estimating Motor Parameters

Quick summary: Estimate in order: Rs → Ld/Lq → FluxPM → J/B. Motor must be stationary for Rs and Ld/Lq. Feed results into mcb.calcFOCGains.

Reference files: references/estimation/estimation-procedures.md, references/estimation/estimation-to-tuning.md

Estimating Sensorless Motor Position

Configures I/F startup, SMO, HFI, EEMF observers, and handoff logic.

Full workflow: references/common/detailed-workflows.md § Estimating Sensorless Motor Position

Quick summary: SPM → SMO + I/F. IPM → HFI + SMO hybrid. ACIM → Flux Observer + I/F. Always set SMO PositionUnit='Radians'.

Reference files: references/sensorless/sensorless-blocks.md, references/sensorless/hfi-scheduler.md

Diagnosing Motor Control

Diagnoses errors, oscillations, zero-torque using structured checklists.

Full workflow: references/common/detailed-workflows.md § Diagnosing Motor Control

Quick summary: Identify symptom → run matching checklist → apply fix from auto-fix-recipes → validate. Never rebuild from scratch.

Reference files: references/diagnostics/auto_fix/ERROR_PATTERNS.md, references/diagnostics/auto_fix/auto-fix-recipes.md, references/diagnostics/model-sanity-check.md